Laurie Coombs

Overcoming Anxiety and Depression {Part 1}

Posted on: March 26th, 2014 by Laurie Coombs 15 Comments

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I think last week’s post, When Anxiety and Depression Threaten to Pull You Under, struck a cord. It seems the darkness I had experienced has been experienced––or is currently being experienced––by many. Over the last week, many people have contacted me asking for help, and with each email that I received, I realized just how important it is that I speak out with complete transparency about what I went through and how I got out of it. I originally decided to write these posts on anxiety and depression in response to correspondence I received from a man I sat next to on an airplane a few weeks back. It was one of those encounters that you know God ordained, but you’re not quite sure why you’re telling a complete stranger your entire life’s story until later. Now, I’m accustom to telling strangers about the crazy story of how God redeemed…

When Anxiety and Depression Threaten to Pull You Under

Posted on: March 19th, 2014 by Laurie Coombs 21 Comments

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It occurred to me the other day that I haven’t written much about anxiety and depression. If you’ve read some of my early posts, you know that I experienced severe anxiety and depression about five years back, which was ultimately what God used to bring me to Christ. Prior to this, I had been able to get through everything on my own, but I couldn’t seem to get myself out of this one. Honestly, I think God needed to present something to me that I had absolutely no control over for me to finally turn to Him. And though I would never want to return to this terrible place, I am thankful that God did what was necessary to bring me to Himself. But it was such a horrible, dark place to be, and I didn’t know any other person who had been through what I was experiencing, which made…

Where’s Your Focus?

Posted on: March 12th, 2014 by Laurie Coombs 4 Comments

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I freely admit there have been times when I have given Satan entirely way too much power by focusing on him and his latest attack rather than on God. It is true. Satan is real, he is our enemy, and he does attack God’s people. But our attention should not be directed toward him. Yes, we need to understand how Satan works and how to engage in spiritual warfare, for to completely ignore our enemy’s presence would be foolish, but it seems to me that there’s a difference between recognizing and protecting ourselves against attack and being consumed by a current or possible attack in the future. The human mind is incapable of focusing on two things at the same time, so in all actuality, when we focus on Satan, we take our focus off Jesus. But this will never do. We will never be able to defeat Satan by focusing on Satan….

Do NOT Give Up

Posted on: March 5th, 2014 by Laurie Coombs 2 Comments

Have you ever had a moment (or many) when you wonder whether or not God will deliver what you believe He’s promised? I sure have. For the last three and a half years, I have heard God tell me, “Do not give up!” Over and over, “Do not give up! Keep moving forward. Keep moving toward your adoption.” But nothing has happened. We’re still waiting. Travis and I began our adoption with nothing but faith, a desire for more children, and confidence in God’s call to adopt. With no money saved and little to devote to such an endeavor, we took the leap, believing God would provide for what He was calling us to do. And He has. Time and time again, provision has come in one form or another usually at the very hour we needed it. This may be too much information to share, but we’re over $20,000…

Trusting God to Fill in the Gap

Posted on: February 25th, 2014 by Laurie Coombs 1 Comment

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“If we could just get this stuff right,” I said to my husband, “our lives would be amazing.” I had just finished listening to Pastor Andy Stanley’s Breathing Room sermon series, which addresses the importance of the way we spend both our time and money and argues that life is simply better with breathing room. Relationships thrive when there’s breathing room. We experience greater joy and peace when there’s breathing room. And ultimately we have more opportunity to grow in our relationship with God when there’s breathing room. Now, I realize this message may seem like common sense. We know this stuff. It’s nothing new. But I question how many of us still live our lives to the limit. We live in a fast paced world––in a society that makes productivity and “success” top priority. As Americans, we’re called to work hard and achieve the fallacious “American Dream.” But I don’t believe this…

A Note About My Upcoming Book

Posted on: February 20th, 2014 by Laurie Coombs 1 Comment

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I posted this blog on Tuesday but had some technical difficulty, so I’ve decided to share an edited version again today for those of you who missed my exciting news. I believe I have been entrusted with a powerful message to share with the world. A message that I have told only in part on my blog but will tell in its entirety in the book I am writing. It was just over two years ago that I felt God’s call to write a book about the mighty work He has accomplished in my life. And though I’d love to say that I immediately complied with God’s request to write this book, and that I immediately pursued my calling, I didn’t. For several months, I fought it. Like Jonah, I ran from God’s call. But one Sunday morning, as I stood in church singing my heart out to God during worship,…

More like a Hose than a Pitcher

Posted on: February 13th, 2014 by Laurie Coombs 3 Comments

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“I feel depleted,” I told my husband. “I feel like Elijah laying under that broom tree.” Travis looked at me curiously. I didn’t pray to die as Elijah had, of course, but I was spent. Why is my tank so empty? I questioned. What am I doing wrong? I was serving, both my family and church, and was pursuing my calling. All good things, by my estimation––things I believed God was calling me to do, and so I was confused. Why am I so burnt out if I’m doing what I am supposed to be doing? The answer came. I was doing it in my own strength. I needed to learn how to receive God’s strength and to allow His Spirit to empower me for the work I was called to. This was perhaps the first time I had become aware of my need to receive. Learning to receive from God…

Same Kind of Different As Me Book Review and Giveaway

Posted on: February 11th, 2014 by Laurie Coombs 2 Comments

About once a month or so, I will be reviewing and giving away one of my favorite books. I figure it’s a good way to pass along some great titles and give you some insight into some of the sources that have had an influence on me. I hope you enjoy these posts and find these resources to be as inspirational and influential as I did! “I used to spend a lotta time worryin that I was different from other people, even from other homeless folks. Then, after I met Miss Debbie and Mr. Ron, I worried that I was so different from them that we wadn’t ever gon’ have no kind a’ future. But I found out everybody’s different – the same kind of different as me. We’re all just regular folks walkin down the road God done set in front of us. The truth about it is, whether we is rich…

Receiving from God

Posted on: February 6th, 2014 by Laurie Coombs 4 Comments

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Receive healing, God told me. I’ve already given it to you. You simply needed to receive it. “Okay. I receive,” I prayed, trying to will myself to receive. But nothing happened. “I receive your healing,” I prayed with greater passion, “I receive!” Still, nothing. “I don’t get it,” I complained to God. “I’m trying to receive! What am I doing wrong?” For many months, I continued to try to will myself into a position of receiving yet saw no indication that God was moving. I was stumped. I have a hard time receiving, in general. Especially from other people. But I do know how to receive from people. It’s pretty cut and dry. To receive from people, you simply take what’s been given to you. But how do you receive from God? Though I know all we have is ultimately from God, the gifts we are to receive from Him are…

On Social Media, Transparency, and Following Jesus

Posted on: February 4th, 2014 by Laurie Coombs 2 Comments

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I once heard a pastor say that we often compare our entire lives to everyone else’s highlight reel. I believe that’s true. He was talking about comparison, making the point that we cannot accurately judge our lives by looking at others because most of us share only the parts of our lives that make us look good. Peruse Facebook, Twitter, or any other social media site, and you’ll soon discover that it’s all a farce––a facade we display to the world to prove self-worth. To receive validation that our lives really are worth living. Some spend hours every day on these sites, wasting the time they’ve been given in an attempt to make their time on this earth seem worthy in the eyes of others. In an attempt to feel better about their lot in life. Now, I’m not saying all social media is bad. It can, certainly, be used…