A new year can be a great time of enjoying family and friends and, of course, eating too much food. However, many people struggle through the holiday season and then come to a new year with feelings of doubt, fear, and despair. All of us face depression at times. If you are feeling a bit depressed as we turn the page on a new year, please know that there is hope for your future.

Here are a few God-centered thoughts that can help you overcome depression.

• Trust God even when your feelings tell you otherwise. King David in days of old is a great example of trusting God for help in overcoming difficulties. Remember when David said in Psalm 23:4, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me” NKJV. David trusted God even when circumstances could have led to feelings of doubt, fear, and despair.

• Feelings are fleeting, but the joy and peace of the Lord are eternal. God says that He is our sustainer and lifter of our heads. At a time when David had a broken relationship with his own son, he looks up to God and says, “But you, O LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, and the one who lifts my head high.” Psalm 3:3 NLT. Focus on what lasts, not the temporary.

• God promises to be our refuge. David needed a lot of rescuing in his lifetime. When David was in trouble, he relied on the power and presence of God to bring him through. David said in Psalm 91:1-2, “Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare of the LORD: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety, he is my God, and I am trusting Him.” NLT God will be your refuge.

Are you feeling down? Remember, God calls us to trust even when our feelings disagree, to focus on the eternal and not the temporal. Find your refuge in the LORD. In Psalm 30, David chooses to praise God. Verse 5 ends with, “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” NKJV

For many people, Christmas is about getting, but actually Christmas should be about giving. The Bible tells us that it is more blessed to give than receive (Acts 20:35). Although it is nice to give material gifts, the best gifts cannot be wrapped. These gifts are time, attention, and love.

The Transformation Project is a prison ministry based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, using the Living Free training and curriculum to evangelize and disciple men and women who have had a history of jail time. They minister to 30 people each week behind bars and 50+ people each week in a post-incarceration non-residential program.

On December 15, 2011, three men and one woman, who had been bound by substance abuse problems, graduated. By the Word of God, the Spirit of God and the volunteers leading weekly small groups, these graduates have turned from being takers to being givers.

December 2011 LF Article of the Month

Ever wanted to help a friend or family who was struggling with life-challenging situation but didn't know how? We are all faced with opportunities to share God's love with friends and family but sometimes we can feel uncomfortable or unequiped to handle the situation. Dr. Jimmy Lee, Founder and President Emeritus of Living Free shares eight ingredients needed to help others through life's struggles.

Eight Core Conditions of Helping

In his adaptation of Robert Carkhuff's work, Gary Sweeten in his work, Apples of Gold I and II, shows eight qualities that are necessary for any person to be effective in helping relationships. When used successfully, these core conditions can benefit all relationships. These qualities are a process which requires practice. Local church helpers can have great tools, but without proper interpersonal skills, their success will be limited. A church may choose to put big dollars into various models and programs, but it will fail without proper people skills. These skills are centered on a person's tongue: "The tongue has the power of life and death" (Proverbs 18:21).

Accurate Empathy
It is important to know the difference between empathy and sympathy. A person with accurate empathy can correctly perceive the feelings of another person without being captured by the victim's emotions. A person with sympathy actually feels what the victim feels, and this may prevent him from being objective in a helping relationship since he is likely to be caught up in the victim's emotions. The key to accurate empathy is understanding the pain while remaining in a neutral position. The helper's goal should be to feel with the hurting person versus feeling what the individual feels. Whenever the helper and the seeker are experiencing the same feelings of pain, the focus may become pity and prevent the healing. Compassion and understanding assist the helper in perceiving the other person's feelings and experiences accurately.