Finding The Root Cause For Problems In Life

When faced with a lingering problem, what do you do?

It’s as simple as analyzing two solutions. Try to remove the problem, or investigate and analyze it to see find the real source of the problem.so it doesn’t resurface.

I believe in the “go see and clarify approach. When an issue occurs, the solution is found by understanding the problem, asking questions, inspecting the issue closely and then work from there.

There are actually 5 basic ways to do this:

The Analysis Technique

Whenever a issue, or a problem occurs, simply ask, why did the problem occur? every problem has a cause behind it, but a superficial analysis will only depict symptoms. A persistent inquiry is required to find the real cause (the root cause) behind the issue so that lasting solutions can be taken and the problem doesn’t resurface.

Let’s say, Roxie is suffering from depression, she goes to the doctor expecting to be put on anti- depressants. But in order to find a solution, the doctor wants to find out what she’s been experiencing in her life. Roxie is a stay at home mother, and her husband works 60-70 hours a week. She is raising her children alone, taking care of the house and finances. She is completely overwhelmed. The root cause of her depression isn’t medical and anti-depressants won’t solve the problem it will only mask it (cover it up). The solution is for her to have a conversation with her husband and come up with a solution that fits both of them. Maybe he can come home early one day a week and spend time with her, and let her know he really loves her, and appreciates her. That one day of the week will give her something to look forward to, and also influence her choice to take better care of herself. She needs to bring a feeling of being valued back into her life.

What appeared to be a problem for Roxie, was just a symptom of the actual issue. If you treat the symptom then the actual problem is not solved and will resurface again and again.

Understanding the root cause can keep us from feeling like the victim. Without understanding and tackling the root cause, we’re stuck being the helpless victim the illusionary world we’ve created for ourselves.. we’re getting smacked around without seeing the way things actually work.

There’s a root cause for distraction that lies deep with in us. It’s the reason we rationalize away our actions even when we know they’re not what we intended. Unless we understand the root cause of the why? we cannot stay on track, and we tend to always be playing someone else’s game.

Here’s a place to start to find the root cause of life’s problems

  • Do you feel sorry for yourself?

Everyone has problems in their life. No one is special or privileged. We all have trials and tribulations we have to go through. It’s part of life.

  • Are you blaming anyone for what you are to blame for?

We all have two options, either change the situation your in, or change the environment you are in. This was really tough for me to here, when I was told this. Don’t complain, either work on finding a solution for your problem or get away from it. Everything else is just rubbish.

  • Are you holding on to forgiveness?

Don’t hold on to resentment or Unforgiveness, you are only hurting yourself. Do what ever you have to do, and move on. There’s a reason the rear view mirror is small and the windshield is large.

  • Are you being responsible for your own feeling’s, actions, and thinking?

Your feeling’s, actions, and the way you think are not someone else’s responsibility. don’t try and push them on anyone else.

Do some cognitive reframing in your life. Shift your mindset to look at situations, people, and relationships from a different angle.

What I Would Attempt If It Was Guaranteed

What’s something you would attempt if you were guaranteed not to fail.

I would love to homestead. Living off the grid can be a sustainable natural way of life that can be successful t living off the resources of the land.

It involves providing for yourself and your future with wisdom and reverence. It includes being self-reliant, self-efficacy, preparedness, autonomy, and a deep connection to the natural world.

Basically it is living off the land. Living off grid as some people call it. And it’s a lot of hard work. They use homemade remedies and essential oil for health issues.

Building a home from mostly natural land resources would be challenging, along with producing your own food.

It is something that cannot be done alone. It takes a partner who makes the choice to work hard with you.

The idea of living in nature and living off the land entices me. It would be something I would do, if I had the guarantee that I would not fail. Because failing means losing everything.

Warning Signs Of Hitting Rock Bottom

What is rock bottom? The term is commonly use with someone with an addiction, but you don’t need to have a dependent issue to go to a very dark place.

For those who have experienced , low blows in life, they remember all to well the pain and heartache that comes from hitting the lowest places. But there are warning signs that can help you before things get too bad.

It’s in the times of declaration that people make silly mistakes. It’s like your mind is a rubber and it just keeps stretching things until they’re worn thin and eventually will break.

There are warning signs that rock-bottom is intimate if you know what to look for. We all have to be proactive about our mental help and take the necessary precautions to keep our sanity sometimes.

One of the first indication that something is wrong with the person is that they no longer take care of their personal needs, they just stop caring about how the look. Much of the world gets out of bed, takes a shower, brushes their teeth, but when people hit rock bottom, depression sets in, and find themselves in the pits of disparity. If you feel like it is significant told to take care of your body, it’s a sign that you’re nearing rock-bottom and need help.

The second indication is feeling hopeless and helpless. Everyone has problems, but sometimes you can feel like there’s no way to escape the issues that have you bound. When these feelings of hopelessness and helplessness, but your mind getting help is essential. Suicide rates have risen 2.6% in the last year. Overall, about 49,449 Americans have lost their life in suicide in 2022.

The third warning is that you begin Alienating the people in your inner circle. It’s hard to keep your cool and say all the right things when you’re not in a good place. You may snap at that friend or loved ones without meaning to do so, and feel so horrible but you lash out at anyone and everyone around you. One of the signs that you’re spiraling out of control is that you start to alienate those around you.

Then comes physical illness. Always was having headaches or stomach aches, and a gentle, feeling of being unwell in a clear sign. When you’re feeling helpless and hopeless, you can have a significant impact on your psych. If you’ve been to the doctor, and they have found nothing wrong, it’s a sign that you’re breaking down.

Your mind, body, and spirit are connected. So you will suffer physically when your not doing well mentally or spiritually.

Job woes, if you have problems at work. I can be a sign. Things aren’t going well with you. Do you trying to call off more of these days, or being a performance lack luster?

It’s hard to pull yourself out of bed in the morning and go to work when you start hitting rock-bottom work is a near impossibility for you. If you’re on the verge of being fired, it’s another sign that you’re in a low place.

Many people try to escape their problems by taking mental vacations. Drugs and alcohol seem to numb your mind so you do not have to feel the negative emotions you’re experiencing.

Severe mood swings can also be a sign that you’ve hit rock bottom. You may be grumpy, irritable, and downright mean when your emotional health is not good. Others will no doubt notice your mood changes, and may steer clear of you. Other people might say “why are you so cranky what’s wrong?”

Crying, it’s is a very cleansing thing to have a good cry. It releases all those pent-up emotions and cleanse our souls. However, when tears come effortlessly to your eyes, and you can’t seem to stop, crying is the sound of trouble.

Everyone cries, but if you find you’re doing it a little too much, it could be a sign that you’re headed for trouble. Some people tend to cry more than others, but if you cry at the drop of the hat, it should be evaluated.

Sleeping too much or too little is another warning sign. Someone who’s near rock-bottom may find out all they want to do is sleep. Sleep is another way to escape the reality of the world around you, and it’s a coping mechanism that many people use.

Conversely, someone who can’t sleep and has insomnia may also be a sign of having impeding issues. Your body cannot go without sleep, a lack of rest, and make you mentally and physically sick.

When people are suffering from anxiety, panic, or about to hit rock bottom, they may not want to leave their home. It can turn quickly into condition, known as agoraphobia, which is someone who is afraid to go be on the four walls that they are accustomed to. If shipping beyond your home brings on a panic, it’s a sign or not in a good place.

When you hit rock bottom, you lose faith in humanity. You have no faith for anyone or everything around you. You begin to wonder if there’s a higher power or if your family have your best intentions at heart. When we lost faith in the world and be a scary place.

Remember, it’s not the number of times you fall and hit rock bottom that defined you. Each time you choose to get up and try again you get stronger and better -that’s what counts.

Life comes with many storms that we must all weather, and it doesn’t matter how much money we have in our bank account or even our last name. The key is whatever is causing you to have a hard time, you have do evaluate it and treat it. We can all get through dark seasons, if we get to the root of what’s causing them.

Like A Rock

“The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it didn’t fall, for it was founded on the rock” -Matthew 7:25

“The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it fell -and great was it’s fall” Matthew 7:27

Jesus use an analogy to describe this. He told a story about two men, one who built his house on sand, and one who built his house on a rock. When the storms came, the rock propped up the wise man’s house. The sand foundation, however, allowed the foolish madhouse to be washed away and destroyed.

The rock in the story represents Jesus, who is always there. He is always solid and consistent -a reliable foundation for us. The sound represents other worldly things. Some ‘sand’ Such as drugs and alcohol can destroy your life. Other sand, such as social acceptance, and possessions can be great things that God created for our enjoyment, but we can take him to far and place too much importance on them. All of them, unlike God, will fail us.

When the storms of life come – a disappointing season, an injury, a family argument, a friend lets us down, or we are rejected we can either become rooted in God and have a constant, reliable, foundation. Or we can rely on the world which is shaky, and unreliable. We need to ask ourselves what do we stand on the rock or the sand.

My Hardest Personal Goal

What was the hardest personal goal you’ve set for yourself?

My hardest personal goal came after I hit rock bottom in my life. I had to choose whether to give up or fight. It was one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make.

I’ve had to fight my entire life, and I was tired, and thought what was the point in doing it anymore.

My first choice was to run a way from every thing I’d ever knew. Run a way from the pain and anguish I felt. I was in fact trying to run a way from my demons. The problem was that you can’t run a way from your inner demons.

The enemy tries to seize every opportunity to sway our thinking in many different ways and to varying ways. I had this old adage of saying “Don’t let Satan win.” His schemes were so hidden from my conscience thought that he had the foothold no me.

Paul in the Bible warns us that “in your anger do not sin” (Ephesians 4:26-27). I had so much retained anger that I was bitter. I was giving Satan a platform in my life.

Th anger and resentment is so much that I finally exploded. My unwillingness to forgive people in my life that I gave satan a spot to further his advances into my thought process.

That final straw that broke my back was a toilet, yes, a toilet. I had asked my husband to fix it about 100 times it felt like. One morning I just had enough. I threw the toilet lid across the bathroom and left my husband a note that said “I’m gone, I can’t do this anymore,”

I was tired of dealing with the hurt of my mother, my brothers being taken away (being killed), I was angry at my husband for not fixing things that needed fixed all the time.

So in the end it really came down to letting Satan win, or fight harder. It came down to forgiveness of every childhood hurt, the things that happened in my marriage for 25 years. I knew I had to fight harder than I ever had.

A week of constantly asking God for forgiveness, and forgive others was a difficult process. I had to shallow my pride and accept my past for what it was. And choose to start over.

With Satan having footholds and the strongholds over me. I had work on changing my complete perspective on life. It was a long process, and I knew this process would take a long time. But I realized that I had no where to go, but up.

The Absurdity Of Life Without God

The question of God’s existence is the most central and important question we can seek to answer. If God doe not exist and we do not survive the death of our bodies, life is ultimately absurd.

“Suppose I invite you over to my house to play a game of Monopoly. When you arrive I announce that the game is going to be a bit different. Before us is the Monopoly board, a set of jacks, a coin, the television remote, and the refrigerator in the corner of the room. I grant you the first turn, and inform you that you may do anything you want: fill the board with hotels, throw a coin in the air, toss a few jacks, fix a sandwich, or turn on the television. You respond by putting hotels all over the board and smugly sit back as I take my turn. I respond by dumping the board upside down and tossing the coin in the air. Somewhat annoyed, you pick up the board and fill it with hotels again. I turn on the television and dump the board over again” (Illustration by J.P. Moreland).

Now it would take too many cycles of this nonsense to recognize that it didn’t really matter what you did with your turn, and here’s why. There is no goal, no purpose to the game we are playing. Our successive turns form a series of one meaningless event after another. Why? Because if the game has no purpose, the individual moves within the game are pointless. Only a game’s action purpose according to it’s inventor can give the individual moves significance.

If the game of Monopoly as a whole has no purpose, the individual moves within the game have no meaning or value. The only way your moves within the game have significance is if you discover the purpose of the game and you align yourself with that purpose.

As it is with Monopoly, so it is with life. Like that game of Monopoly, the only way our individual lives have any ultimate meaning or value is if life has a purpose behind it, and real purpose requires both God and life after death.

If God doesn’t exist, we as human beings are simply Johnny or Jill come lately biological accidents on a insignificant speck of dust we call earth which is hurtling through empty space in a meaningless and random universe that will eventually die a cold heat death. In this scheme of things, we are no significant than a swarm of things. In a universe where there is no God and no after life, our actions are meaningless and serve no final end because ultimately each one of us, along with everyone we know and have influence on, we die and enter oblivion. There is no difference between living the life of a saint or a sociopath, no difference between Mother Theresa and Adolf Hitler. Whether objective, morality, meaning, purpose or value it’s just incoherent babbling. It’s absurdity of life with out God. We all might as well commit suicide now.

Without God, the universe is the result of a cosmic accident, a chance explosion. There is no reason for which it exists. As people we are a freak of nature – a blind product of matter plus times plus. If God doe not exist, then you are just a miscarriage of nature, thrust into a purposeless universe to live a purposeless life to end everything with death. Unfortunately, most people don’t realize this fact. They continue on as though nothing equals nothing.

It seems to me that when we honestly reflect on the absurdity of life without God we cannot at the same Tim remain apathetic towards the question of God’s existence. God’s existence matters and has tremendous implications for our own existence. Life’s absurdity without God should bother us. It should keep us awake at night, it should jar us out of our apathetic attitude and challenge us to seek answers to life’s ultimate issues. Unfortunately, this is often not the case, especially in our Information Age where it is far to easy to remain distracted and caught up in the daily busyness of life. Sadly many people can simply go on day to day without even giving a second thought to the most important question in life.

But if we want to be intellectually honest, and if are at all concerned with real meaning, value, and purpose, the question of God’s existence demands our attention. We ignore this topic and remain apathetic to it only to our own peril. For a reasonable person, reflection on the absurdity of life without God should be enough to extinguish any remains apathy regarding the question of God’s existence.

Perhaps apathy is not something that can be changed directly, it is not something that can be simply willed away through direct effort. Like many other beliefs, apathy must be changed indirectly. If apathy is the belief that the existence of God is not meaningful or relevant in life, perhaps reflecting on the absurdity of life without God will be powerful enough to indirectly change my beliefs and help communicate the importance of taking God and other ultimate issues serious.

Atheism and Naturalism as a worldview seem unable to offer the kind of meaning, purpose, and hope that humans require and yearn for. But, instead the ultimate fate of a individual, humanity, and even the universe will inevitably be the same regardless of what any person may do. Nothing anyone thinks, says, or does will change the fact that each individual person, all of mankind collectively, and the universe itself will someday be extinct, lifeless and cold. The outcome of atheism and naturalism is an inevitable hopelessness.

Naturalists fails the existential test, and honest atheists cannot life happily and consistently with their worldview. If atheism is true, and if atheists honestly reflect on their own eventual non-existence as well as the fact that their actions in the life have no ultimate meaning, value, or purpose, it seems to avoid the overwhelming feelings of depression, despair, and dejection. It is no wonder then that some atheists have resorted to nihilism.

Biblical Christianity provides the two conditions necessary for a meaningful, valuable, and purposeful life. God and immortality. Because of this we can live consistently and happily within the framework of our worldview. Biblical Christianity succeeds where atheism and naturalism breaks down. Therefore it makes a huge difference whether God exists.

My Favorite Artists

Who are your favorite artists?

My favorite artists would include Morgan Wallen, a American country musician and songwriter.

Another would be Eric Church, he is more of a southern rock, country rock artist and songwriter,

I also am a fan of Crowder, I love his Warrior worship songs, such as Crushing Snakes, Good God Almighty, Lift Your Head Weary Sinner.

I have come to love Hebrew Messianic Music. Music in the Hebrew language seems to instantly relieve my stress and relax me. I have come to love and appreciate this music because of my Pastor. But it has to be sung in Hebrew. Something about this music that resonates with my soul.

I am a music lover. During my childhood traumas music has always been there for me, when it seemed no-one else was.

Favorite Hobby Or Pastime

What is your favorite hobby or pastime?

Hobbies are a great way to reduce stress and take your mind off pressing concerns. I had to think about what hobby or pastime was more enjoyable to me. I think that I have seasonal hobbies.

With the winter season among us, I will set my focus on baking. I love it because it warms my house up, and I love to share what I’ve made with others. My friend know when the winter months come they will be getting cookies and cakes, and other goodies from me. Most people I’ve found hate to make fudge, but it’s one thing I love to make.

During the spring months I enjoy getting a garden ready for planting. There is nothing better than a fresh salad out of the garden.

Summer brings on hiking, and weekend road trips. Anything in nature is a ultimate mood booster for me.

Fall brings on beautiful leaves and cooler weather. There’s nothing like sitting down for reading a good book, and sitting down hot cup of something whether it’s coffee, tea, hot chocolate it’s delightful.

The Devil Is Disguise

Does the Bible tell us what the devil looks like? We see cartoon images of the devil, with a red suit, Fork tail, and all that, but would be recognized him if he appeared?

No, the Bible doesn’t tell us exactly what Satan looks like, and one reason is because he can take on many kinds of disguises and forms. The Bible even says that at times “satan himself masquerades as an angel of light” -2 Corinthians 11:14.

The Bible tells us three very important truths about the devil. First, and affirmed that Satan is real. It’s often been said that one of Satan‘s most effective scheme is to make people believe he doesn’t even exist, but he does. He is a spiritual being with enormous power, and the signs of his activity are everywhere.

Second, the Bible tells us, Satan is absolutely opposed to God, and as a result, everything he planned, and everything he does is evil. Satan is for death, not life. satan is for evil, not good; satan is for violence, not peace. Jesus said, “When he lies, he speaks his native language, where he is a liar, and the father of lies” -John 8:44.

The Bible tells us a third truth about the devil. He is a defeated foe! By His death and resurrection, Jesus, conquered sin, and death, and Hell and Satan -and someday that victory will be complete, when Jesus comes to establish His eternal role. If we are speaking with faith and trust and seeking to follow Jesus every day. The Bible says we can “resist the devil, and he will flee from us.” When we “come near to God, he will come near to us” James 4:7-8.

Pray For The Peace Of Jerusalem

There is a war going on in Jerusalem right now. Yesterday when I heard this yesterday, my heart sunk, not only for how useless it is. But because many people have no idea what it really means but that they don’t realize that the Bible said this would happen.

If you think about it the war between Ukraine and Russia, China wanting to declare war on Taijuan, now Palestine and Israel.

When we Learn the wars and rumors of war that Jesus prophesies in Matthew 24:6,

“You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not afraid.Such things must happen, be the end is still to come.”

Prayer for Jerusalem:

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Those who love you prosper. Peace be within your walls, and prosperity within your palaces. For my brother and companion sake, I will now say, “Peace be within you.” For the sake of the house of the Lord, I will seek your good” -Psalm 122:6-9

At The Cross

Four Benefits Jesus Gives You At The Cross

1. At the cross, Jesus took our place

In Mark 15:6-15, Jesus is sent to the cross instead of the murderer Barabbas. Jesus was innocent and wrongly accused. Barabbas was guilty and belonged in prison. Yet Barabbas went free, and Jesus wad condemned. These circumstances give us a clear picture of the substitutionary nature of Jesus’s work on the cross. The innocent Jesus substituted Himself for guilty sinners like us. The apostle Paul said, “God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

2. At the cross, Jesus took our curse

When the Roman soldiers were mocking Jesus, they placed a crown of thorns upon His head. In the earliest chapters in the Bible, we learn that thorns were one result of the curse that had come into the world because of sin,

“To Adam He said, Because you have listened to your wife’s voice, and ate from the tree, about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it, ‘the ground is cursed for your sake. You will eat from it with much labor all the days of your life. It will yield thorns and thistles to you; and you will eat the herb of the field.” – Genesis 3:17-18.

While Jesus was on the cross, there was darkness over the land from noon to 3 pm,

“When the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour” – Mark 15:33.

Jesus bore the thorns and darkness of our sin upon Himself at the cross.

Jesus redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us -for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree” (Galatians 3:13).

3. At the cross, Jesus clothed you

Mark records that when Jesus was crucified,

“Crucifying Him, they parted His garments among them, casting lots on them, what each should take” -Mark 15:24.

This was a fulfillment of prophecy found in Psalm 22:18. These wicked men took Jesus’s clothing for themselves. Ironically, the didn’t recognize that through the cross, Jesus would be clothing for His people.

“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord! My soul will be joyful in My God; for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation. He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks Himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with Jewels” – Isaiah 61:10.

Through His death on the cross, Jesus covered the shame of our nakedness by giving us His robe of righteousness.

4. At the cross, Jesus was tearing heaven open for you

When Jesus died, “the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom” (Mark 15:38).

The curtain was guarded by the holy of holies, where God’s presence was most concentrated. Because of sin, mankind didn’t have the same access to God that the Levitical priests had. Mark used the word “torn” one other time in His gospel when describing Jesus’s baptism,

“And when He came up out of the water, immediately He saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on Him like a dove” – Mark 1:10.

Interestingly, Jesus would later associate His crucifixion with baptism,

But Jesus said to them, “You don’t know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be immersed with the immersion that I am immersed with?” -Mark 10:38

At the cross, the veil was torn, giving access to the heavenly sanctuary.

“Having therefore, brothers, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by the way which He dedicated for us,a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh; and having a great priest over God’s house, let’s draw near with a true heart in fullness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and having our body washed with pure water” -Hebrews 10:19-22.

What Would I Do If I Lost All My Possessions

What would you do if you lost all your possessions?

After I got past of the shock I’m sure would come. I would start over, what else could I do.

I would surely miss my pictures and my books. Those things help me through bad days, especially my Bibles. A Bible verse comes to mind about having to many possessions. In Matthew 6, Jesus tells us “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, vwhete moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in a and steal.”

I think having unneeded possessions is an attachment to them. What is really valued are the people in your life. While material things serve a purpose, we are not to let possessions rule of life. That being said, I would definitely miss the photographs of my family, with all my family passed on, I would never no way to replace them. I would also miss my old Bibles, that are irreplaceable.

If I lost all my possessions I would be able to do what Colossians tells us to do more easily which is go ‘focus on the things above.’