Be an Opener of Doors!

by Julie Brooks

I love to collect doors, keys and windows!

I love this saying by Emerson, "Be an opener of doors," because it can mean so many things to different people. 

It could be open the door and smile, or open the door and introduce yourself ... invite them in and make them feel special.

Show hospitality to someone. Decide that you are going to make your door count for Christ by being intentional. Invite those who you may have never considered opening the door for.

Be a door opener for those who are struggling in silence with mental illness! They just need someone to listen.

Who can you be an opener of doors for? Ask God to put them in your path, and I am sure your door won't stay closed for long! It is the little things we can do that can become big things when God is involved ... HE uses MIRACLE grow! 

I Will Punctuate Everything I Do With a HALLELUJAH!

by Julie Brooks


As I am cleaning and dusting in our house, God reminded me that this cleaning journey should be an intentional one. Intentional, in the way that I go from room to room, picking up treasures that I don't touch or look at everyday, or picking up pictures that remind me God has been good and faithful, or dusting off pictures of the 5 miracles God has blessed us with in Nicole, Collin, Channing, Carson and Pierce. 

Their pictures lead to family memories, and I am reminded about how God has given me a wonderful husband in Todd; so thankful that God has gotten us through plenty of storms that some marriages would not survive.

There is always a pause when I dust off Carson's pictures. I stop; study every feature. Tears sometimes make it hard to see all the dust, but I thank God for allowing me to be intentional in studying Carson's features ... God created them ... just for him. It's all I have for now, until I see him again in Heaven one day.

Then, I move on to look for and pick up priceless toys, left by our 6 Littles (Kingston, Reagan, Sutton, Chandler, Asher and Beckett) on and under the couch, on the coffee table (that is oval and makes a perfect track for those Hot Wheel adventures). 

While on my cleaning quest, I also stumble upon assorted play high heels, red lipstick kisses all over the armoire mirror, and little scooters that are used to transport items from one place to another.

I praise God for reminding me to be intentional in praising HIM! Not for a neat and orderly home, like I use to think was so important. But, I thank God for giving me a chance to make my cleaning a treasure hunt back in time (even if just to yesterday). 

There are God's miracle minutes waiting EVERYWHERE to praise Him, even on cleaning day! I will punctuate everything I do with a HALLELUJAH!

I Need God in Every Minute of Each Day!

by Julie Brooks

Being aware that God is in every moment of my life.  That's how I see GOD'S MIRACLE MINUTES; praising God and binding the enemy in the very same moment!

It is an intentional exercise, and a habit developed, and five years later...I still have to be intentional.

But in each day there are 1,440 minutes, and in each moment the possibility of experiencing a miracle of God; God's Miracle Minutes...to see His work on our behalf.

WE know the enemy can't touch us when we are praising our mighty God!  Amen!

So,what was the first miracle minute of my day?  So glad you asked.  I woke up in an air conditioned house!  One miracle minute recognized and 1,439 to go for today!  Amen!

I Love to Pray!

By Julie Brooks

I have always loved to pray! 

Don't get me wrong, there are times when I feel my prayers just bounce off the ceiling. But, then God shows me He is still there...waiting patiently to lovingly hear even the smallest of prayers.

As adults, we need not forget the power of prayer!

I pray fervently for those struggling with mental illness, their care givers, their families who support them, the professionals that oversee their health, the local church that supports their needs.

But prayer is the same for me, whether for bigger or smaller things. Some of my biggest thrills have come when I would pray with my kids about a stomach ache, a lost toy, a friend, asking God to stop the clock when we were running late to school. Or, the time we were on the way to school and running on fumes of gas and prayed for a green light to coast into the gas station, and we made it!!

Now I get to see the littles (our small grandkids) pray for a lost yellow dump truck, a "lovey" (that special blanket...you know the one), and they are SO thrilled to see how God is concerned about their smallest concerns!

I have even prayed for God to part the traffic, just like He did the Red Sea.  :-)

A lot of times, He answers in the most AMAZING ways.

I could go on with the things I pray for, like for more soap orders, since I am not cleaning houses anymore, and, you guessed it, God always comes thru!

If there is ever anything I can lift up in prayer for you, call or text me at 469-774-3663.

I am no one special, just an empty vessel  who wants to see God glorified.

 

I know God hears me. And, I know we are making head way in building His Mental Health Army.

I WILL NOT GIVE UP PRAYING AND WAITING IN ANTICIPATION FOR HIS ANSWERS AND OPENED DOORS!

Thank you, God, for the gift of prayer and being able to talk to you every minute of the day if we choose! I praise  you Lord!💘

 

Everyone Can Do Something

by Julie Brooks

I love everything about this picture.

I love birds. They remind me of Carson Brooks. In a moment of hopelessness, fighting hard the instability of the chronic bipolar disorder he lived with, he once told me he "felt like a bird with broken wings."

To me, the bird could be waiting for someone to care for this precious creation from God. It could be waiting for someone to welcome it in out of the cold. Perhaps the door could lead to a warm house, a welcoming church.

The closed door reminds me of the struggle those with mental illness face daily, in a world that wants to pretend the pain of such invisible illnesses don't exist.

I praise the Lord that He will always be our refuge! HE knew each of us before we were conceived. He knew we would deal with some form of brokenness. 

I know from Scripture the Lord intended for us to carry one another's burdens. Our families, our churches, our communities would be so different ... if we stepped outside of ourselves and became aware and educated about mental illness, about how each one of us can help.

Everyone can do something. 💘

The Church Can be the Change

by Julie Brooks

I was looking at some pictures of our October trip last year to California to attend the ‪#‎Hope4mentalhealth‬ Conference at Saddleback Church.

This picture says it all! We wrote Carson's name and drew a heart in the sand, but it was all gone by the time the Pacific tide came in. 

I have cried buckets of tears for my sweet boy. 

I have learned that just like the tide I can't control things that happen.  But, I can ‪#‎liveWITHOUTregrets‬ and continue to do what God has called me to do; be an advocate for the mentally ill, be a ready and compassionate friend to someone who is struggling, be fearless in God's strength to educate others or whatever the Lord wants me to do.

And, share with other Christians and local churches that they CAN be the change and answer we need in our broken mental health system.

The tide may have washed away your name Carson Brooks, but I will continue to love and miss you, and tell your story...Mom.