This is information I have gathered over many years. Not being a doctor, I caution you to be very careful if you decide to explore any of the herbs I am listing. Please remember, herbs are medicine, too. Though they seem to have fewer side affects than manmade medicine, there is always the chance of allergic reactions or interaction with other drugs or health conditions. For instance, some people can not take foods that contain vit. k because of heart issues, etc., or grapefruit with certain medications. Please do your research if you plan to explore any of these. Herbs that help fight anxiety, etc: Chamomile, verbena, lavender, vit d, skullcap, lemon balm, gingko biloba and red clover. Passion flower is the weaker version of kava-kava without kava's risk. According to my research, don't take with other sedative type herbs, etc. Recommended dosage is very, very low. Kava is very powerful and is one of the herbs that have been researched comparable to prescriptions. Valerian root promotes relaxation and sleep. Omega 3s may help with depression and anxiety. It prevents neurotransmitters from overpowering the brain, preventing leakage of these hormones and regulating their flow. It stabilizes the cells so they can better communicate their messages. It is a possible addition to supplements for bipolar and manic depression. Ginger, rose petals, melatonin, lemon grass are more herbs that might help. So is ashwanghanda, an African herb found in health stores. It reduces the stress hormone cortisol by 28% in just 2 months, anxiety by 44% and depression by 69%. It stabilizes mood, manages weight, treats insomnia, is suppose to work better than psychotherapy and has no side affects. But going overboard on dosage can cause stomach distress and diarrhea. Magnesium deficiency greatly increases anxiety and depression. Foods that have magnesium are dark chocolate, pumpkin seeds, avocados, nuts, fatty fish, whole grains, and leafy greens. Where I am an advocate of herbs, I still encourage you to use caution, carefully research them and work with your primary medical caretaker if you choose to use them.

Lol. Sorry, but that's funny. I know it probably wasn't funny to you when you were being yelled at.

Hi Dan, Your project sounds like a good idea, not just for PKs, but for others who are struggling in the same areas you are. God had a reason when he made you a writer. 😊 Sent with warm welcomes. 😊

Hi Micaiah, I homeschooled my daughters, too. One is a teacher now and I am very proud of both of them, as I'm sure your family is of you. You sound like a delightful person and I am happy you found us.

Hi😊 it is really nice to meet you. You have got your hands full, that's for sure. Is there project that is standing out in your heart? I don't know how much time you have to work on your books. . . but there was one famous writer, can't remember who, who wrote on one book in the morning and another in the afternoon. Will something like that work for you? I sometimes have the same problem as you. I just feel like they all need to be told and I don't know which should come first. But I found a deadline helps, self-imposed or otherwise. One thing that is helping me is I contribute pieces to a new Christian magazine. Keeping her deadlines is training me to discipline my mind.

Hi Nakeba, how do you pronounce your name? It is very interesting and so are you. Welcome. and God's blessings. 😊

Hi Rebecca, we need Christian romance writers. Far too often people believe they have to dedicate their talent to trash for a buck or whatever. It is always refreshing to pick up a book and not have to be guarded about its contents. When I finish a book, I happily pass it around at work, but there have been times I have thrown a book in the trash, shaking my head at the waste of talent. I'm glad yours won't be one of them.😊

Wes B is echoing what I had learned in researching for my own character accents. All of his advice makes perfect sense. By dropping most of my doggedly plodding through my characters' speeches, I found they did not seem so cartoonistic. I kept only a remnant of their patterns indicating their accents and sprinkled in a word here and there--enough to identify them as they spoke and I was much happier for it. I am also not running the risk of offending someone or losing them through confusion or boredom.

When I first heard bout it I wondered about you and whether you were affected. glad to know you are not there, but my prayers are continuing for all who are and the surrounding areas.

Lucian, having many members of my family, past and present, going through the same sort of thing I learned it can be, but not always, demon related. However, sometimes, there can be a chemical imbalance that benefits from medication--man or God made. Believe it or not, God saw to that need when he provided certain herbs with properties in them to help rebalance the body. Surprisingly, sometimes it is a food allergy or lack of certain nutrients. Are you old enough to remember how a certain red food dye proved harmful to children, actually changing their personalities? One summer I changed my family's diet to almost totally fresh fruits and vegetables and was amazed at how quickly the anxiety and depression lifted from one member. Smoothies were particularly helpful because they allow the nutrients to get into the bloodstream that much faster. Over a decade later we found that gluten and other food allergies not only caused physical pain, but negative emotional reactions in another young member.

Is that a nod to your southern roots?😊 Around here they call me Miss Becky. Most times ladies around here, especially in my age range, are called "Miss" then their first name. It doesn't matter whether they are married or not. 😉I love it because it is such a genteel and endearing way of addressing someone respectfully.

Such wonderful news 😊 God is a gracious God and loves you and will continue the healing process. I know it.. 😊 May the new year be very kind to you and yours.

Was the woman hurt? Thank you. I consider it a blessing that the Holy Spirit warned me not to let my daughter go with them that day. I could have lost her, too--if not physically, certainly emotionally and mentally. She would not have survived the experience or memories.

Thank you , Erin. Even on your disagreement, you are a sweet person.

There are those who do not believe Satan can read thoughts. I believe he not only can, but will use them against you, including your worse fears. There was once a woman whose biggest fear was being locked in a cellar with no one knowing where she was. Because of it she avoided cellars as often as she could. One day a couple of decades back, the tornado sirens blew in this town. We all knew the danger was imminent from tracking the weather stations, so she had no choice. She took her 2 elementary school aged sons down the cellar steps. The winds howled above their heads as debris whipped around them. Suddenly they heard a crash as a tree fell across their cellar door. Then the electricity went out and it was coal black. She had no idea how the town was fairing on the surface, or where the rest of her family was, or if they were ok. I don't remember if cell phones were available back then, but I do remember her telling me that no one knew where she was. She was finally living in her worse nightmare. So she and her sons sat in the dark, trapped underground as if they were buried alive. Hours later, her dad managed to find a way around all the road blockades on the off-chance that his daughter had overcome her fears and she and his grandsons had made it to their cellar. It took him even longer to get the tree off her cellar door and rescue them. Her fears had terrorized her since she was a small child, but had not shown her the final outcome--that she had a loving, smart father who would do anything to get to her. And that she would not only survive, but come out of her trauma unharmed. Sometimes Satan can lock our minds up so much that we can not get past the terror and see the light. Just like her father would do anything to get to her and save her and the boys, our Father, our God, will do whatever it takes to find us and fight for us against all evil. If we focus on him and not on the evil around us, we will hear his voice calling our name in the midst of the darkness, drawing us out into his light. It sounds over simplified. I know it is not. But I do know God is our salvation. When the evil comes, focus your thoughts on God, himself. Picture him fighting for you, breaking through every road block, removing every obstacle to pull you out of the dark recesses of your mind that Satan is trying to trap you in. Focus on the final outcome, not the demons, not on the nightmare.