C HANGE. Often a word that

brings out different reac-

tions in people.

The world is changing. Rapidly.

People are changing. Technol-

ogy is moving at a phenomenal

rate. The financial world is as

erratic as a Mathematical sine

wave (Do you remember

those?). Whether, we like or

not, we are living in rapidly

changing times.

Change can bring about stress

and various reactions in people.

Nowadays there are lots of

seminars and workshops on

how to manage change. Man-

aging change is important in

order to alleviate any tensions

and possible ill health like de-

pression, anxiety or other stress

related illnesses.

How do you see

change?

Some embrace change as

positive. Example, moving

home can be seen as an op-

portunity to make new friends,

go into new ventures, start

afresh, even.

For others, on the other hand,

moving away from familiar

surroundings is looked upon

with dread, even in situations

where they may not have

even been happy where they

were. Better to stay with the

known, than the unknown, is

often their thinking!

The children of Israel, even

though they had been slaves

for over 400 years had got

used to their predicament

(The story of their departure

from Egypt is found in Exodus

and Numbers). Even though

they had to endure hard la-

bour, the garlic and onions, in

their concrete minds, far com-

pensated for the cracks of

whips on their backs and hard

sweat than the promise of a

better life.

They had waited so long after

all for their deliverance. Ca-

naan they were told was a

land flowing with milk and

honey. But had God forgot-

ten or deliberately missed out

in telling them the land had

giants?

Thankfully, they may have

been slaves but they had not

lost their brains in the process

They had sent out spies be-

forehand to check out their

promised new home. Who

ever moved to a place with-

Diary of a

Sound Mind

Patient

2

The Power of

Managing

Change cont’d

2

Diary of a

Sound Mind

Patient cont’d

3

Support for

caregivers /

carers (spouses)

3

The Power of Managing Change 1

Sound Minds

W elcome to another infor-

mative issue of Sound

Minds. Over the last few issues,

we have looked at a few ‘The

Power of…’ series.

We looked at:

1. The Power of Meditation

2. The Power of Thoughts

3. The Power of Confession

This edition we will look at a new

series, the Power of Managing

Change. Wow, am I excited.

Many people shirk at the

thought of change, be it their

environment, their habits, getting

married or a new job. But one

thing that is constant is change.

And whether planned or not, we

are changing each day, each

minute and every second. For

example, we all grew up from

babies to adults. It is a neces-

sary change and one that is sure

to happen.

Change, understandably can

be a time of uncertainty. But

when we walk with the Lord, He

will hold our hands and guide us

every step of the way. The fu-

ture does not need to be myste-

rious. God reveals His plans and

purposes to us, though these

plans may be one step at a

time. What we need to do is to

align our plans with His, sync our

clocks to His, and put our trust in

Him. He has also told us never to

fear. So the future need not be

some dark, mystic, fearful un-

known.

Over the next couple of issues,

we will continue this series of

change. When we can deal

with change, we can deal with

our emotions and all the stresses

that come with it.

This edition, we also look at an

inspiring story of a famous person

who in spite of the odds against

him with mental illness, left his

mark on the annals of the history

book. Such people were not

limited and nether can we be!

And with God, not even the sky

is our limit.

As usual, we have our usual

sound mind proclamations. –

remember the power of confess-

ing faith filled words! Don’t for-

get to go through this vital sec-

tion. We also have some

thoughts to meditate on in a

new Quality Thoughts section.

This edition is packed as usual,

something for caregivers,

spouses in particular. Do enjoy it

and send in your comments to

soundminds@zoeonah.com

You can state what you would

like to see in future editions.

God bless Zoe

By Zoe A. Onah

“The only thing that

is constant is

CHANGE.

When we can deal

with change, we

can deal with our

emotions and the

stresses too!”

Volume 2 Issue 1

Inside this issue:

Those who defied

the odds

4

Support for care-

givers / carers

(spouses) Cont’d

4

Sound Mind proc-

lamations for

5

Defying the

Odds—the Book

5 http://www.zoeonah.com

http://soundmindsmentalhealth

.blogspot.co.uk

http://areyouthinkingright

.blogspot.co.uk

http://defyingoddsbook

.blogspot.co.uk

had grown up in the palace and

spared the slave mentality, to take up

such a mammoth task of getting peo-

ple who were enslaved in their minds

and bodies out of Egypt. Sometimes

we need someone or forced circum-

stances to give us a kick start. Some

people have only ventured into busi-

nesses after they were sacked!

5. Fear of risks ahead or being in a worse

situation. Worse, being out of control.

Human beings like to be in control,

particularly of their destiny. But there

are two destinies, i.e. two choices

every Christian has. They can either

lead their natural destiny, often deter-

mined by circumstances, environ-

ments, the family they were born in,

maybe their talent and so on. Or, they

can choose the path of their God

given destiny that is only revealed to

you when you become a Christian.

This destiny is ordained by God and is

independent of status, environment,

circumstances and economic down-

turns even! This destiny makes proper

use of those God given talents and

abilities and have definite returns and

fulfillment that natural destiny can

never buy in this world!

6. Cultural. Slavery had become the

culture of the Israelites. After centu-

ries, the taste of freedom was an un-

known uncertainty. This was not the

culture that God had in mind for His

children who were meant to rule the

out first checking it out?

Change often takes people out of their

comfort zone.

So why do we dislike change?

1. They have settled in a routine and are

settled down in their comfort zone.

Habits have been formed. Breaking

habits means breaking out of a set

mould; for some this mould is con-

crete!

2. Fear of the unknown. Change can

seem daunting.

3. Laziness. Sometimes we know we are

the only person with a particular vision

or dream or talent. The world is wait-

ing on us to unleash our potential, yet

we can’t be bothered so to speak, to

take up the time, zeal, effort, determi-

nation, persistence and tenacity that it

entails to get it done. God has put in

EVERYONE something that only they

can accomplish. It is often said the

graveyard is the richest place. Why?

It is full of buried dreams, aspirations

and potentials that were never

birthed.

4. Responsibility. Change takes responsi-

bility. Thankfully, it took Moses who

The Power of Managing Change (Cont’d)

Page 2 Sound Minds

“Change management is

important to alleviate

stress”

earth!

7. Mentality. The children of Israel had a

grasshopper mentality seeing them-

selves as inferior and low class. It is easy

to imagine that this could have easily

been imbibed in them being slaves

however, God had never left nor for-

saken them as His children. If they re-

membered their heritage, this would

not have been the case.

8. Challenges. The children of Israel

would have to dislodge the giants in

their new home. They were not men of

war having been slaves for centuries.

This was an unexplored venture for

them.

9. More work. Imagine the logistics of

moving the entire nation of Israelites

from Egypt. That would take planning,

not to talk about carrying it out!

10. Timing. Moses knew he was called to

deliver the people out of bondage. But

at 40 years of age, he was not in sync

with God’s timing. Moses needed train-

ing for the arduous task that lay ahead

of him. Sometimes in spite of our best

efforts even in wanting change, the

timing is sometimes wrong. Conversely,

sometimes we procrastinate, always

pushing that much needed change

into the future.

Next issue, we’ll take a look at the conse-

quences of resisting change and hopefully

how to manage change. Till next time,

keep making progress!

http://twitter.com/

The Bible is clear on what we are to think

on. “And now, dear brothers and sisters,

one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what

is true, and honourable, and right, and

pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think

about things that are excellent and wor-

thy of praise” (Philippians 4:8 NLT).

Joyce Meyer says we must think

about what we are thinking

about. That means taking owner-

ship of our thoughts. Easier said

than done, right? A marathon

starts with a single step and lots

and lots of training. We can take

that marathon step with our

thoughts. We can begin to train

our minds like we do our bodies in

the gym.

Remember, God is on our side.

Not only that the Holy Spirit lives

inside us. That means WE CAN do

all things through Christ who

strengthens YOU! (Philippians

Quality thoughts

www.zoeonah.com

Change your

THOUGHTS

and change

your LIFE!

4:13). Take God at His Word as a

child does with his parents. God

wants you to believe His Word, not

reason it out

Here are some lovely thoughts to

meditate, remember and confess.

(Please refer to our past series on

the meditation and confession):

John 14:1 “Do not let your hearts

be troubled. Trust in God, trust also

in me.”

Jeremiah 17: 7 “But blessed is the

man who trusts in the Lord, whose

confidence is in Him”

Jeremiah 32:27 “I am the Lord, the

God of all mankind. Is anything too

hard for me?”

Quality thoughts (Cont’d)

divorce (Malachi 2:16), didn’t

He? Jesus has not divorced the

Church yet, and is unfathomable.

So walking out, let alone divorce

was no option for me.

So what other option did I have?

God! And Him alone. If His Word

said He had a solution, if His Word

said I must trust Him, if His Word

said nothing is impossible, then I

had no choice.

At the darkest and loneliest of

moments, God is whom you can

depend on. When life seems to

throw limited options, God is who

you need.

As a spouse, you may feel

some or all of the following:

√ Resentful

You may feel your life is on

hold, your marriage does

not seem to be going any-

where as a couple, or is

being taken over by the

dreadfulness of mental ill-

ness.

√ Lonely

One of the key things in

marriage is companionship.

Being a carer is in the op-

posite spectrum of com-

panionship. You certainly

don’t feel like companions

on the same ship—your

spouse seems to be on an-

other ship to yours. Even if

the same, the ship seems to

be sailing on bumpy waves.

Also, others may not be

quick to understand your

relentless dedication and

this may make you feel iso-

lated.

The stigma also attached

to mental illness makes it

difficult for carers and care-

givers to open up to others

hence making the isolation

many times worse.

√ Worried and Anxious

Having to deal with

thoughts that seem to

crowd your immaculate

mind can leave you wor-

ried or anxious about the

future of your marriage, the

children, your finances and

so on.

√ Tired and drained

Juggling other life demands

such as work, children, fi-

nance and so on can

leave you feeling like a

hamster on a wheel physi-

cally, emotionally and even

mentally!

√ Frustrated

Life may not necessarily be

moving at the pace you

want it to. Your plans and

visions as a couple and in-

dividually, at best, seem like

THE CAREGIVER

AS A SPOUSE

B eing a caregiver

takes patience.

In fact when pa-

tience runs out, long-

suffering! Dealing

with the unpredictability of men-

tal illness can often feel like living

on the edge of a chain saw. Be-

ing pulled on every side by the

needs of your loved one versus

your own life can seem unre-

warding and demanding.

Being the caregiver as a spouse,

is no different or easier and can

be trying not only for you as an

individual but also to your mar-

riage.

Many times, probably, thoughts

of walking out may try to crowd

your mind. You find yourself play-

ing the dual role of husband and

wife in the challenging times.

I had my moments when I really

wondered why life had somehow

given me the short straw on this. I

threatened to pack my little pink

suitcase and leave. But where

could I go?

I loved my husband and besides I

took my commitment of marriage

very seriously. My fear of disap-

pointing God was far greater

than my own needs of staying on

for my sanity. God said He hated

Support for Carers/Caregivers of the mentally ill

Page 3 Sound Minds

Remember, if your thoughts are full

of worry, it has been said, 85% of

what we worry about will NEVER

come to pass. And with God on

our side, the remaining 15%, He will

take care of, of which we can be

assured!

Till next time, keep training your

thoughts and see your life change!

www.zoeonah.com

years old. He had four sons but

only one made it to adulthood.

Lincoln refused to give up in the

face of these contrary winds blast-

ing his way. He kept plodding.

His political race took many nose

dives and unsuccessful runs but

Lincoln kept his hand to the

plough. He finally became presi-

dent in his fifties realising a politi-

cal dream of his twenties.

A braham Lincoln’s story never

ceases to amaze me. A man

of remarkable will and determi-

nation, Lincoln’s story will always

be remembered through the

generations as one who would

not take no for an answer.

Lincoln was an American presi-

dent. He is said to have suffered

from depression. Some even say

that he may have suffered from

bipolar disorder.

In spite of such a cruel disease,

his tenacity is one to be admired.

Having suffered many tragedies

in his life, yet with determination

and persistent persistence, he

became America's 16th presi-

dent.

The cruel blow of death took his

wife when he was only twenty-six

Those who defied the odds

Page 4 Sound Minds

Wow, Lincoln was a man who

defied the odds. He kept his fo-

cus and when he fell, he simply

dusted himself and got back up.

Jesus kept his focus on the cross

even though the cup before Him

was heavy. Jesus went all the

way and won.

Let us be inspired by Lincoln who

in spite of everything gave life his

best shot. Winners never quit.

Next issue, we will take another

look at another ‘defying the

odds’ general who refused to

give in! Till then, keep defying the

odds! “Sir, my concern is not

whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be

on God's side, for God is always right”

Abraham Lincoln

a fairy tale dream that

may never come true.

And if it came true, how

much of a ‘happily ever

after’ tag will it have..?

And much more.

Here are some tips:

Make the Holy Spirit your Best

Friend

As a result of mental illness and

the challenging periods espe-

cially during episodes of the dis-

ease, you miss things such as

companionship of your spouse

as a friend, the love FROM your

spouse, perhaps even chal-

lenges of intimacy or lack of it.

God has promised He will never

leave you nor forsake you. You

need to hold on to that Word

tenaciously. Remember God is

the third cord in a marriage. A

rope made with two strands can

Support for Caregivers/Carers—those who care for the mentally ill (Cont’d)

snag under a given weight. A

three corded rope however can

endure more tension and not

easily broken (Ecclesiastes 4:12).

Remember, your marriage can

only come out stronger even in

the worst of the challenges you

are facing right now. Don’t walk

out; one day you will look back

at these days with appreciation

and deeper love for each other.

When the Holy Spirit is your best

friend you can talk to Him at any

time, anywhere. He never gets

tired of you either. He is your

Comforter, Counsellor, Helper,

Intercessor, Advocate, Strength-

ener, and Standby (John 14:26

Amplified).

When you need to be com-

forted, He wraps His Hands

around you. When you need

help, He is that help and so on.

Develop a relationship with the

Holy Spirit. Find out who He is. I

promise you, when you have a

revelation of Him, it will change

your life. It did with me.

Buy books on the Holy Spirit. He

is the One who lives inside you.

He is the one who nudges you.

Some call Him a sixth sense, not

knowing/recognising what is

that nudging. Well see Him be-

yond that and you will find your-

self living with expectancy and

fresh hope of brighter days with

your spouse. See the Holy Spirit

as the superglue that keeps you

and your spouse together.

Wow, I have run out of

time...and space...so much

more tips to cover, etc... but we

will continue in the next edition.

Till then, keep winning!

www.zoeonah.com

I have a sound mind (2 Timothy

1:7). I am full of life and vitality.

I am strengthened by the Word of

God which says I was healed (1

Peter 2:24). I choose life and speak

words of life. (Deuteronomy 30:19)

I am made in God’s image and

likeness (Genesis 1:26). That means

I look like God and act like God. If

God is not sick, then I will not allow

sickness in this body. It is an illegal

alien in this body which is THE tem-

ple where the Holy Spirit lives (1 Co-

rinthians 6:19)

I live above stigma. I live about

discrimination. What God says

about me is more important than

what others say. All I have to do is

walk in love. I know who I am.

I am a master over sickness and

disease. I cannot be defeated in

anything in life. I refuse the up and

down life. My life is upwards and

forwards only. I am the best of

God. I win always. I am a cham-

pion in Christ. I am a victor. My

victory is forever assured. Praise be

to God!

More proclamations can be found

in ‘Defying the Odds’ book

Sound Minds Proclamations for Sound Minders

T he world can seem harsh and

unsympathetic when it comes

to mental illness. But the good news

is that God is not! Medical science

does its best. However, that best is

not good enough for one wishing

to live totally free of mental sickness

and its cruel stigmas.

Few Christian messages directly

address the subject, books on heal-

ing being no exception.

Whether your challenge is mental,

physical, financial, or marriage, ill-

ness; this powerful book has a mes-

sage for you.

In her story, the author candidly

unveils the twists and turns in her

valleys, mountains, journey of faith,

drawing on personal, firsthand ex-

periences with her husband Eze,

who was diagnosed with mental

illness for eighteen years.

Page 5 Sound Minds

Defying the Odds—the book

You will discover:

how not to give up on God

even when stubborn circum-

stances prevail

how to deal with stigmas

how to stand firm when things

get worse

the importance of testimonies

hope for those who care for

the mentally ill

man s impossibility is God's pos-

sibility

confessions or prayers at the

end of every chapter - ...and

much more.

God can re-write your story as he did

with Eze. He won the battle and en-

joys life in its fullness, free from men-

tal illness and medication and with a

clean bill of health.

Remember to visit www.zoeonah.com

Defying the Odds—the book

is available all over the world:

on Amazon and

also bookstores.

Also available on e-format on

Amazon Kindle.

Zoe A. Onah Author of Defying the Odds “Your time of

progress is NOW.

With God, NOTHING

is impossible!”

www.zoeonah.com