Thursday, August 28, 2014

Music Favorites

Music is an amazing gift. So many times when I'm struggling, there's a song that meets me right where I am and ministers to me. I can't even imagine life without music and song.

Today I wanted to share links to some of my favorite songs - ones I turn to again and again for a pick-me-up, or for comfort, encouragement, or inspiration. Some of these songs are upbeat and energizing, others are slow and soul-stirring. I hope you'll find some that touch you heart and bless you as much as they have blessed me.


Edward John
- Hey You! - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2iBZE2ergU
- I Worship You - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iIV03WR3Ts


Celtic Woman 
- Light of Christmas Morn - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLUaUjhdvP0


Robin Mark
- Outrageous Grace - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Z3q8IIT-XA
- I Am Persuaded - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4L0dYrugI0


Matt Redman
- Endless Hallelujah - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtzAciGlgKE


David Ruis
- We Will Dance - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UO1m8zrrt7E


Casting Crowns
- Voice of Truth - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwsvqVmFV6Y


Dennis Jernigan
- Days of Awe - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AMbQheRJdc


Don Moen
- Your Grace Is Enough - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvvvzKiCBog


Kari Jobe
- Be Still My Soul - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mq59iE3MhXM


Ginny Owens 



What's one song that always ministers to you? Please share it with us in the comments.

Thursday, August 21, 2014

Tips For Using The Healing Code


Last week I recommended the healing code as a tool that I've been using lately. I hope you've been able to find a copy of the book and start reading it. 

Once you're ready to begin using the healing code technique, here are some tips that I've learned so far:


*Read the whole book if you can. 
I know it says you can just start with the second part, and that's ok if that's all you can do. But it will be much easier to understand what you're doing and why if you've read the whole book. 


*Start slowly. 
I started by doing the healing code technique once a day. And I didn't even do it every day. For me that was better. If you know your body is very sensitive or your physical condition is fragile, then please go slow and listen to your body. Doing this technique will cause your body to address internal issues that may require more energy than you realize. If you have plenty of energy and feel fine after doing it, then you may want to try doing it 2 or 3 times a day, as the author recommends.


*Be cautious.
Again, if you know your condition is fragile or sensitive, then I recommend not using the last line of the prayer in the book that talks about 'increasing the effectiveness by 100 times or more'. I used this line the first couple of times I did the technique. Then I realized my body took me quite seriously and was putting all its energy into healing that particular issue - with nothing left over for regular daily tasks. After spending a week in bed because of this, I resumed doing the healing code but without using that part of the written prayer.


*Connect the dots.
From what I understand, an important part of this technique is helping your mind/body "connect the dots" of related issues. For example, when I did the healing code for my adrenal function, I connected that with the feeling of utter exhaustion and with a memory of when I felt that way 20 years ago. Another time I did it for being easily frustrated and connected that with feeling like I just didn't have the energy to handle small tasks and also with a memory from 4th grade when I felt that way. 

Since the point of the healing code is to help your cells release stress from the past, this part of connecting present issues with current/past feelings and with past experiences is key. But again, this is just my understanding of it. Feel free to check out the official healing code website and listen to the conference calls to gain more understanding.
http://thehealingcodes.com/


*Chose a positive statement that resonates with you.
Once you've connected the dots of your current issue with feelings and a memory, then it's important to chose a positive truth statement that will help counteract those negative things. (The reason you identify these negative issues is so your cells can then release them. Once you've identified them and inserted them in the prayer, then turn your focus completely to your positive truth statement. Don't dwell on the negative issues. You can even picture yourself laying all those issues at Jesus' feet, letting them go and in turn receiving from Him something beautiful and valuable - which is His truth.) 

For me, I've used a different statement each time I've done it. I think that's fine or you can pick one that you want to use for a few times. I believe the truth statement you use will be more powerful if it begins with "I am..." or "I can..." or something in the personal, present sense. I have used various ones, including -
"I am perfectly and completely loved by God." 
"I am not disappointed about anything in my past."
"I am comfortable in my own skin." (That was for when I did it for a skin issue I was having.)

You want to select a statement that you know is true, (even if it doesn't feel true) and that really resonates with you in that moment. Repeating your truth statement while doing the healing code technique is a powerful way to really establish that truth in your mind, heart, and cells.


*Ask God for help and direction.
Each time before I do the healing code, I pray and ask God to guide me in all the steps. Which issue should I address this time? Which memory do I need to connect it with? What statement will be best for me to use this time? etc. 

As you let God God guide you, I think you'll be amazed at the insights He gives you and the changes He makes in your heart and mind.


*Don't be surprised by symptoms.
After doing the healing code for my adrenals, I went through a major detox of chemicals that had apparently been stored in my adrenals (pesticide, herbicide, medications, etc.). After doing the healing code for my skin, I went through another detox of things that had affected my skin many years ago. This is all good! It's evidence that my cells really are releasing past stress, and the toxins that went with it. 

Symptoms may also be mental or emotional, depending on what issue you address with the healing code. I've also experienced severe mental fatigue, and crying more easily for a few days. But again, I believe this is just part of the healing process as your cells release the past stress and get back to normal functioning. Of course, if symptoms persist for a long time, then it's possible there's something else going on...but generally speaking if you have strange symptoms for a few days that then go away, don't worry about it - just rejoice that your body is healing! =) 


*Give thanks!
Gratitude is always a wonderful tool for healing. As you work on using the healing code technique, continue to practice gratitude each day - being grateful for this tool, grateful for how your body is responding and healing, grateful for the truth God gives us for our lives, etc.


Well, that's all for today. If you have any questions please email me or leave them in the comments. And be sure to let me know how things go and what wonderful changes you see. =) 

Blessings,
-Joanna

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Excited About The Healing Code!


Over the past year several different people mentioned the book The Healing Code to me. This summer I finally made time to read it, and I loved it! It made so much sense, and I realized it was the next step I'd been looking for. 

The basic idea in the book is that stress (of any kind) from the past can actually be stored in our cells as negative cellular memories. This basically shuts down the cells and their normal function. Or you can think of it as your cells being stuck in "fight or flight" mode. This made sense to me since I did the DNRS brain retraining program two years ago. 

DNRS explains how the limbic system in the brain can get stuck in fight or flight. Using the brain exercises in that program I was able to calm my limbic system, and I made major progress in my recovery. However, it seemed something in my body still wasn't getting the message about no longer being in fight or flight. Now I understand why - because that response was still happening at the cellular level. And with the Healing Code, now I know how to help the cells return to normal function once again.

In July I started doing the 6-minute technique that the authors call the universal healing code. And so far I have seen some pretty interesting results.

You can use the technique for virtually any problem - physical, emotional, mental, etc. So the first two times I did it for the problem of being easily frustrated. (The book explains that being easily frustrated is actually linked to the immune system. This made perfect sense to me, since I've struggled for years with being easily frustrated, as well as having a weak immune system.)

Then I did the healing code for my adrenal function. I did it about 5 times over the period of one week. At that point I actually had to stop doing it because my adrenals were detoxing so much that I had almost no energy. Two weeks later my energy is almost back to normal, but my adrenals are still kicking out things like pesticide, bacteria, and more. I've spent the last 5 years doing all kinds of detoxing, so I didn't think I had many toxins left in me. But clearly there were still some at the cellular level, which thankfully the healing code is addressing.

Anyway, all that to say that I am very excited about this tool called the Healing Code! If my body wasn't so slow in all its processes, I would be doing the healing code 3 times a day like the authors suggest. However, I've learned to always go slowly with anything I try and to listen to my body. Right now I can tell that my body is still finishing the healing process for my adrenals that I started by doing the healing code for one week. So I will be patient and wait until my body finishes that task and is ready for another one.

This technique isn't a magic bullet or instant cure-all. But it is a powerful tool for helping the body, specifically the cells, function once again as they were intended to. I believe the natural result of that will be improved health on many levels over time.

I encourage you to get a copy of the book and read it for yourself. Some libraries carry it, or you can find it online (here's the link to Amazon). I believe it's the kind of tool that can be helpful for anyone. My mom has even been doing it for her thyroid and seeing positive results so far. 

However, though the technique itself is simple, understanding how to use it effectively is a little harder. I've been coaching my mom through how to use it since it wasn't clear to her how to put the pieces together. I'm guessing this is probably why some people say it helps them and others say it didn't do anything for them. (One of my friends did it for 6 months and nothing changed. But when I asked her about specifics, I realized she wasn't doing it correctly.) I think there are some key elements that if missed will cause it not to be very effective. So next week I'll share some tips that I hope will be helpful in using this technique. Until then, I hope you'll pick up a copy of the book and start reading. =) Or you can check out the official healing code website. http://thehealingcodes.com/

Thursday, August 7, 2014

Think Happy

I've been doing some major detoxing lately, accompanied by enough symptoms that I've been battling negative thoughts again. So I thought this post from 2011 was a good reminder for me, and hopefully for you as well. =)


Happy Thoughts


Two important factors that affect our health are stress and negative thoughts. 

Sometimes we can't change the stressful circumstances, but we can always change our thoughts. 

Now, I'm not someone who believes you can "think positively" and no longer be sick. But I have learned that negative thoughts do make things worse. 

Several years ago a friend told me I was the most positive person he knew. But after years of chronic health, I became the least positive person I knew. The constant stress, pain, and hardship, had caused chronic negative thought patterns, such as - "I'm so tired. I feel awful. I can't do this anymore. This is never going to end. I just want to breathe normally! Things will never get better." etc, etc. 

Two years ago I did EEG (neurobiofeedback) therpay, where my brain waves were monitored while I was supposed to think "happy thoughts" for 15 minutes. Well, I barely made it for 30 seconds without a negative thought. But as I kept doing it every week, it really made a difference. 

The reality is that our thoughts create literal physical pathways in our brain. (For more info about the brain I recommend two books by Dr. Caroline Leaf - "Who Switched Off My Brain?" and "The Gift In You.") 

Unfortunately, chronic pain can cause an unconscious pattern of negative thoughts. Then we have to consciously "rewire" those pathways with positive, truthful, uplifting thoughts. 

A good exercise is to spend 5 minutes a day thinking only positive, "happy" thoughts. If you can't make it that long without a negative thought, it's ok. Just keep practicing. =) 

For me, this was a hard change to make, even harder than changing my diet. But the Lord reminded me that "the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace." (Rom. 8:6) 

God wants us to have thoughts directed by the Spirit, even in our pain. And in turn, it will promote life and peace in our bodies. Some good ways to do this are - meditating on a Psalm, recalling happy memories, reading jokes, giving thanks, and especially speaking out loud in praise to God. 

Sometimes it helps to find a positive statement to have ready to substitute for negative thoughts. For example, when I start to think "I feel so awful," I try to stop and purposefully think, "I'm so loved by God" or "God will bring me through this," etc. 

Thinking "happy thoughts" consistently is still a challenge for me. I'm thankful for God's power displayed in my weakness and His continual loving thoughts toward me. 

How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! 
Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. 
When I awake, I am still with you. 
-Psalm 139:17-18