Recently, while speaking to someone on the phone, I mentioned I was drinking cayenne pepper to help my heart. I could literally hear the horror in her voice at the thought of downing a glass of the hot stuff.
Now for most people, hot curries, hot Mexican or hot Thai immediately conjures up trouble - because of sensitive bowel issues. However, not many people know that cayenne pepper is a wonderful superfood. And, it could be a life-saver if someone around you has a heart attack.
When we drink cayenne pepper dissolved in a glass of water like tea, it instantly dilates the blood vessels - "What did you expect? I hear you cry" - and causes blood to rush through the body. When a person has a heart attack it is normally because of a restriction in the blood flow somewhere due to a clot of some sorts. This means that parts of the heart do not get blood supply and that part of the heart "dies".
But, if the blood flow is restored as soon as possible, it gives the heart an excellent chance to recover. Indeed, some reports from America have confirmed that heart attack victims that were treated with liquid Cayenne on the scene were virtually fully recovered by the time they got to hospital.
I have started taking cayenne on a fairly regular basis. Now, some of you might think I just like the adrenaline rush, but really it is to prevent blood clots - a real threat for someone with Valvular Heart Disease. At the first sign of chest pain or "stars" in my vision, I haul out the bottle of cayenne and it works wonders.
I sprinkle it in my smoothies, I have lashings of it with houmous, and I love it over oven roasted potatoes - I celebrate the burn because I know how good it is for me.
So until my next post,
Have a red HOT time.
Salome
Tuesday, 26 August 2008
Sunday, 24 August 2008
SMOOTHIES RULE!
Oh yes, I'm feeling the positive effects of the increase in greens already! Yesterday I started with a special mixture of assorted seeds, goji berries, raisins and raw cacao which I soaked overnight to soften the seeds - this helps to release the vital omegas and other nutrients. I had half the bowl in the morning and the other half in the evening. This really helps to get the system moving and sets you up for a wonderful, natural colonic...
I also snacked on gojis and raw cacao nibs during the day. Both of these are superfoods and help to control appetite, improve the immune system and increase the metabolism. Forget snacking on chocolate bars and crisps - this is the real thing. Snack food as our Creator intended.
Lunch was a truly zingy affair with a green smoothie (spinach, romaine lettuce, tomato, cucumber, raw, cold-pressed, unpasteurized olive oil and lashings of cayenne pepper - boy, did that give me a rush!). I also took a walk to the nearest Post Office to catch the last post and get some fresh air. We had a beautiful day to enjoy. A blue sky with patches of fluffy white clouds and a cool breeze. Life is blessed!
Keep the faith,
Salome
I also snacked on gojis and raw cacao nibs during the day. Both of these are superfoods and help to control appetite, improve the immune system and increase the metabolism. Forget snacking on chocolate bars and crisps - this is the real thing. Snack food as our Creator intended.
Lunch was a truly zingy affair with a green smoothie (spinach, romaine lettuce, tomato, cucumber, raw, cold-pressed, unpasteurized olive oil and lashings of cayenne pepper - boy, did that give me a rush!). I also took a walk to the nearest Post Office to catch the last post and get some fresh air. We had a beautiful day to enjoy. A blue sky with patches of fluffy white clouds and a cool breeze. Life is blessed!
Keep the faith,
Salome
Friday, 22 August 2008
HAVING A GREEN SMOOTHIE WEEK-END
So it's Friday, and this week-end is going to be a major detox event. For a while now, I have veered from the RAW and FABULOUS path, but that is all about to change.
With a fridge stocked up with dark greens, deep reds, potent purples, yummy yellows and those must-have oranges, I am all set for a Hallelujah Week-end. In fact, as I speak I am enjoying a spinach, Romaine Lettuce, vine-ripened Tomato, Avocado, Garlic and Lemon Juice Delight. I bung all these into my cup, whizz it all up in the Magic Bullet, and voila! A feast for my cells.
What is so wonderful about raw food, you may ask. Well, our bodies consist of live, living cells. As you may well know, these cells are maintained and fed by nutrients that arrive via the feeding tubes called veins and arteries. Now, our wonderful bodies extract nutrients from the food we eat.
What we eat really becomes our fuel. It gives our bodies energy, it keeps our immune system strong and healthy, and it helps our body to repair and replace the cells that we are made up of. The only problem is, because most people live on nutrient deficient, over-processed, over-refined dead food, their bodies do not receive the vital living foods needed to ensure strong, healthy bodies.
Living food contains the vital phyto-nutrients, chlorophyll, minerals and vitamins which we need for health, healing and wholeness. When we microwave or cook vegetables, for instance, a lot of the vital nutrients in our food is lost. Which means that our bodies do not have the building blocks to repair any damage.
Because our bodies are fantastically created, we can often go along for years without any major health problems. We might suffer from allergies, or aches and pains every now and again. Some people develop tummy problems and it might be in the form of IBS - Irritable Bowel Syndrome, or skin breakouts. There are a myriad of "little" problems that could be a strong indication that our immune system is struggling because of a poor diet.
Most people enjoy their lifestyle - "Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die" was a well-known phrase when I growing up. We only really take our health seriously when something starts to go wrong.
Why not be pro-active? Increase your intake of living food - salads, smoothies, fruit and seeds and nuts are all packed with goodness. Join me as I go for optimal well-being and make a green concoction for yourself - every day.
Soon your body will be shouting "Yippeee" when you get out of bed in the mornings and you will find those little aches and pains disappear miraculously.
With Green Gusto,
Salome
With a fridge stocked up with dark greens, deep reds, potent purples, yummy yellows and those must-have oranges, I am all set for a Hallelujah Week-end. In fact, as I speak I am enjoying a spinach, Romaine Lettuce, vine-ripened Tomato, Avocado, Garlic and Lemon Juice Delight. I bung all these into my cup, whizz it all up in the Magic Bullet, and voila! A feast for my cells.
What is so wonderful about raw food, you may ask. Well, our bodies consist of live, living cells. As you may well know, these cells are maintained and fed by nutrients that arrive via the feeding tubes called veins and arteries. Now, our wonderful bodies extract nutrients from the food we eat.
What we eat really becomes our fuel. It gives our bodies energy, it keeps our immune system strong and healthy, and it helps our body to repair and replace the cells that we are made up of. The only problem is, because most people live on nutrient deficient, over-processed, over-refined dead food, their bodies do not receive the vital living foods needed to ensure strong, healthy bodies.
Living food contains the vital phyto-nutrients, chlorophyll, minerals and vitamins which we need for health, healing and wholeness. When we microwave or cook vegetables, for instance, a lot of the vital nutrients in our food is lost. Which means that our bodies do not have the building blocks to repair any damage.
Because our bodies are fantastically created, we can often go along for years without any major health problems. We might suffer from allergies, or aches and pains every now and again. Some people develop tummy problems and it might be in the form of IBS - Irritable Bowel Syndrome, or skin breakouts. There are a myriad of "little" problems that could be a strong indication that our immune system is struggling because of a poor diet.
Most people enjoy their lifestyle - "Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die" was a well-known phrase when I growing up. We only really take our health seriously when something starts to go wrong.
Why not be pro-active? Increase your intake of living food - salads, smoothies, fruit and seeds and nuts are all packed with goodness. Join me as I go for optimal well-being and make a green concoction for yourself - every day.
Soon your body will be shouting "Yippeee" when you get out of bed in the mornings and you will find those little aches and pains disappear miraculously.
With Green Gusto,
Salome
Wednesday, 20 August 2008
YOUR WORDS RULE YOU!
We learnt years ago that you are today, what you thought, said and spoke out of your mouth yesterday! The Bible says it so well: "You are ensnared by the words of your mouth."
The funny thing is that people are ooh-ing and aah-ing over "The Secret" as if it is something new, but really, the information in there has been written in one of the most ancient Books on the planet! How sad that in this agnostically atheistic, intellectually over-cultivated, scientifically orientated, God-forsaking society we are in, man has tried to explain away the very Word that brings life, light and truth to the human heart, mind and soul.
But when that same truth is presented in a non-threatening, all-encompassing manner without involving God as the One Who orchestrates the very "universe" which they claim to be the supplier of all needs, everyone hails it as the new "thing".
Now, I am not discounting the value of the principles put forth in the DVD. In fact, I agree that it is so important that we watch what we say, because it does becomes our reality. "Life and death is in the power of the tongue." We can choose to speak life over ourselves, our circumstances and those around us, or we can speak death, destruction, hatred, enmity, sickness, poverty and disease - we have that choice.
I believe that one of the things that saved my life 9 years ago was the fact that I constantly confessed: "I shall live and not die and proclaim the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living." Every time I felt weak or as if I was not going to make it, I spoke those words out. Sometimes loudly, sometimes just on the inside - in my heart. By doing this, you allow the truth of the Word of God to counteract the lie, and instead of dying, I am living. Instead of being bed-ridden and slowly fading away, I have picked up my life and even started ministering again.
About 5 years ago, when a pastor-friend of mine lost his wife, he said to me in a conversation: "It won't be long now before I join her." When he said it, I felt a check in my spirit. I remember noting it in my head, thinking that he should not have said that. Within months he was diagnosed with colon cancer, and it wasn't a year before he had joined her. Our words are powerful and therefore it is important to carefully consider how we use them.
Today, let your words be what you desire your life to become. Speak life, healing and wholeness over yourself. Thank God for his provision in your life, for meeting every need you have, and for healing and restoring your physical body to complete health and wholeness.
Until next time, rejoice and be happy!
Love ya all,
Salome
The funny thing is that people are ooh-ing and aah-ing over "The Secret" as if it is something new, but really, the information in there has been written in one of the most ancient Books on the planet! How sad that in this agnostically atheistic, intellectually over-cultivated, scientifically orientated, God-forsaking society we are in, man has tried to explain away the very Word that brings life, light and truth to the human heart, mind and soul.
But when that same truth is presented in a non-threatening, all-encompassing manner without involving God as the One Who orchestrates the very "universe" which they claim to be the supplier of all needs, everyone hails it as the new "thing".
Now, I am not discounting the value of the principles put forth in the DVD. In fact, I agree that it is so important that we watch what we say, because it does becomes our reality. "Life and death is in the power of the tongue." We can choose to speak life over ourselves, our circumstances and those around us, or we can speak death, destruction, hatred, enmity, sickness, poverty and disease - we have that choice.
I believe that one of the things that saved my life 9 years ago was the fact that I constantly confessed: "I shall live and not die and proclaim the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living." Every time I felt weak or as if I was not going to make it, I spoke those words out. Sometimes loudly, sometimes just on the inside - in my heart. By doing this, you allow the truth of the Word of God to counteract the lie, and instead of dying, I am living. Instead of being bed-ridden and slowly fading away, I have picked up my life and even started ministering again.
About 5 years ago, when a pastor-friend of mine lost his wife, he said to me in a conversation: "It won't be long now before I join her." When he said it, I felt a check in my spirit. I remember noting it in my head, thinking that he should not have said that. Within months he was diagnosed with colon cancer, and it wasn't a year before he had joined her. Our words are powerful and therefore it is important to carefully consider how we use them.
Today, let your words be what you desire your life to become. Speak life, healing and wholeness over yourself. Thank God for his provision in your life, for meeting every need you have, and for healing and restoring your physical body to complete health and wholeness.
Until next time, rejoice and be happy!
Love ya all,
Salome
Saturday, 16 August 2008
Never Quit...
I have just spent about 1/2 hour editing my last post. I read it out loud to some friends yesterday, and apparently I needed to clarify some things, and tone down others, so I hope it reads easier now that I have tweaked it. I agree it was a bit heavy, but I got it out of my system anyway. I guess that is what I needed to do.
Now, as I am sitting here at the computer with the curtains drawn I can hear the sound of rain and wind outside. I love this kind of weather - it cools the air and blows away the oppressive, muggy heat that August in the Thames Valley brings. While everyone else bemoans the lack of sunshine and heat, I quietly send up 'Thank You' prayers because it makes it so much easier to survive the summer here in England. Perhaps I will decamp to milder climes next year.
All this hot weather reminds me of something that I learned very recently. Growing up in a hot country, it was common knowledge that we needed to make sure that we had enough salt to replace lost minerals through excessive sweating - especially if you were as sporty as I was. In fact, South Africans are known to smother their food in salt, and when I first came to the UK, I had these horrified comments about it not being good for you.
Now in Africa, salt was the remedy for dehydration. Salt was also the cure for muscle cramps.
Thankfully I never suffered from muscle cramp. That is, until about 5 years ago. I started to get cramps in my legs, and I realized that it could be a result of taking diuretics every day of my life.
Medically speaking, diuretics do a fabulous job. They get rid of the fluid that builds up around your heart as your body tries to protect the organ that is not functioning properly. The only trouble is, they also wash out vital minerals that are needed for the proper functioning and maintenance of the body. Hence the cramps.
Some year ago, a dear friend told me about Himalayan Rock Salt. She also gave me a write-up on a mineral solution called "Sole", which is basically a saturated solution of Himalayan Rock Salt in pure water. When you dissolve enough salt crystals in water overnight so that you have some salt left at the bottom of your container the next morning, you have a stable, saturated mineral solution that contains all the 62 minerals that our bodies need for optimal health and wholeness in the correct balance that our bodies need it.
I started drinking 1 teaspoon of this Sole solution in a glass of water every day. Within weeks I noticed that the terrible thirst I had - I was told it is a 'heart thirst' - just disappeared. Oh, and no more cramps! Do I know exactly why the thirst and the cramps disappeared? No. But I sure know that by replacing the minerals, these 'symptoms' just disappeared. You can draw your own conclusions from that...
Apparently, there are remote tribes that live routinely live to a 120 years of age or more, and they drink a mineral-rich glacier milk - this is the melted ice that comes down from the mountains, which ensures that they constantly replace the minerals their bodies need.
With our modern farming methods, with over-cultivation and resultant mineral deficient soil, we are not getting the necessary minerals in our food anymore. Therefore I would recommend that everyone replaces the lost minerals in order to prevent mineral deficiencies that can lead to all kinds of diseases.
With Healthy Hopes,
Salome
Now, as I am sitting here at the computer with the curtains drawn I can hear the sound of rain and wind outside. I love this kind of weather - it cools the air and blows away the oppressive, muggy heat that August in the Thames Valley brings. While everyone else bemoans the lack of sunshine and heat, I quietly send up 'Thank You' prayers because it makes it so much easier to survive the summer here in England. Perhaps I will decamp to milder climes next year.
All this hot weather reminds me of something that I learned very recently. Growing up in a hot country, it was common knowledge that we needed to make sure that we had enough salt to replace lost minerals through excessive sweating - especially if you were as sporty as I was. In fact, South Africans are known to smother their food in salt, and when I first came to the UK, I had these horrified comments about it not being good for you.
Now in Africa, salt was the remedy for dehydration. Salt was also the cure for muscle cramps.
Thankfully I never suffered from muscle cramp. That is, until about 5 years ago. I started to get cramps in my legs, and I realized that it could be a result of taking diuretics every day of my life.
Medically speaking, diuretics do a fabulous job. They get rid of the fluid that builds up around your heart as your body tries to protect the organ that is not functioning properly. The only trouble is, they also wash out vital minerals that are needed for the proper functioning and maintenance of the body. Hence the cramps.
Some year ago, a dear friend told me about Himalayan Rock Salt. She also gave me a write-up on a mineral solution called "Sole", which is basically a saturated solution of Himalayan Rock Salt in pure water. When you dissolve enough salt crystals in water overnight so that you have some salt left at the bottom of your container the next morning, you have a stable, saturated mineral solution that contains all the 62 minerals that our bodies need for optimal health and wholeness in the correct balance that our bodies need it.
I started drinking 1 teaspoon of this Sole solution in a glass of water every day. Within weeks I noticed that the terrible thirst I had - I was told it is a 'heart thirst' - just disappeared. Oh, and no more cramps! Do I know exactly why the thirst and the cramps disappeared? No. But I sure know that by replacing the minerals, these 'symptoms' just disappeared. You can draw your own conclusions from that...
Apparently, there are remote tribes that live routinely live to a 120 years of age or more, and they drink a mineral-rich glacier milk - this is the melted ice that comes down from the mountains, which ensures that they constantly replace the minerals their bodies need.
With our modern farming methods, with over-cultivation and resultant mineral deficient soil, we are not getting the necessary minerals in our food anymore. Therefore I would recommend that everyone replaces the lost minerals in order to prevent mineral deficiencies that can lead to all kinds of diseases.
With Healthy Hopes,
Salome
Friday, 15 August 2008
Now where was I?
So much time has passed since my last blog - it feels like I have lost my thread just ever so slightly. Today is my own Father's yarzheidt - the day that he passed away 9 years ago.
Losing my father-in-law so suddenly, so unexpectantly last month, has brought enormous stress and sadness upon us. And also, as could be expected, this inner fight because we believe things could have turned out differently if only he hadn't been so stubborn. We have been telling him for years about nutritional products that could help his body repair itself, but he poo-pooed anything we said and declared himself a "traditionalist". Whatever the doctors told him, he would adhere to religiously and this meant an increasing amount of highly toxic medication to control the symptoms of Parkinson's Disease, And now we are all dealing with grief!!!
I know what it is like to deal with chronic disease. When my heart failed at 38, I thought my life had come to an end. I am just thankful that I had the medical attention at the time which saved my life. My Dad had just died and I flew back to South Africa for the funeral. Mom noticed that I was coughing 24/7 and insisted that I went to my sister's doctor for anti-biotics. To make a long story short, after a month the cough had gotten worse - not better and I duly traipsed back to the same GP's Surgery. They immediately hooked me up for an ECG, then sent me for X-Rays at a nearby clinic.
My older sister took time off work to drive me there. It seemed like ages that we had to wait for the results. Eventually the Radiologist brought the X-Rays with a long letter for the GP. He also sat me down and explained that they discovered that I did not have Tuberculosis or Asthma - something to be grateful for, but that my heart was totally enlarged and probably in failure.
Whether it is chronic illness or death, we still go through the different stages of dealing with the trauma. There is the denial - "This isn't happening to me" or "Why is this happening to me?".
I was just numb. I could not even speak to tell my sister what the radiologist had said. I guess I was in total denial! The GP actually pulled in a favour and got me an appointment with a Cardiologist the very next day! Thank God I was in South Africa, because, with the NHS in England, the process might have taken anything from 7 to 9 months to even see a Cardiologist.
I also had the most wonderful angel - my Mom - who allowed me to rest for nearly 7 months which I believe gave my heart time to at least get stronger again.
Not only did Mom let me sleep when I needed to (I would wake up in the morning, have a bath, get dressed and within 1/2 hour I had fallen asleep on top of my bed again), but she also did not judge me when I lost my temper with frustration, hurt, anger and pain. One of the results of heart failure seems to be the inability to cope with any stress or pressure, and boy, did I fall into that category!
During this time, the events that lead up to heart failure played in my mind over and over again. I thought about the struggles, the lack of appreciation, the pressure of full-time minstry, the way I had been treated, etc etc. Inevitably, I had to start dealing with the grief and the next step was the anger. Anger because we cannot change what has happened. Anger because we feel that things would have turned out differently if ... And so often we turn this rage towards those closest to us - brothers, sisters, mothers, husbands, wives. It is all a part of the grieving process, and it is so important to get that rage out of our systems, before it destroys us - and those around us!
I spent months speaking forgiveness over and over again. As a situation or incident popped into my head, I spoke forgiveness. Even though it was the hardest thing to do, I knew that unforgiveness would hurt me more than it would hurt those that tried to destroy me. So I persevered.
Once we have raged out the pain and anger, we can start to move towards the stages of acceptance and resolution which we all eventually come to. Healing takes time, and even though, at the time, it seems that the pain will not go away, eventually it does.
I have never cried so much, hurt so badly, despaired so deeply as when I decided to resign from my position as Dean of a Bible Institute because I intuitively felt it was killing me, then lost my Dad, within a month found out my heart was failing and subsequently had to sell my home and my car because I was too ill to go back to doing revival meetings or to make rational decisions. I also thought I probably would not make it anyway, and had no help or support from anyone in order to be able to keep my home or perhaps re-mortgage - which would have released some of the increased capital value.
The fact is, in seven months I lost everything! My life, my career (ministry), my Dad - whom I loved so very much, my home, my car and ultimately my reputation as a minister - and that is a story I never, ever wish to repeat, so we will leave it at that!
For several years I just existed. Too unwell to have a life, I felt as if my life had come to an end. Looking back now, I realize that I had fallen into a deep, deep depression which was brought on not only by my the events that had led to my heart failing, as well as my desperate circumstances, but also clinical depression due to my medical condition.
In the midst of this despair, God had a few angels who stood by me - Adonna and Steve, then Angelo and Yvette, and finally my dearest friend Pam. These awesome ones were there for me when I needed them, and that means more to me than life itself! Admittedly, I was going through such pain and grief that I was not easy to be with, so it is so much more of a testament to their friendship and love.
And this is the greatest test of true friendship - when all is going well and you are the superstar, many are drawn to your success. But only your true friends will stand by you when times are tough. And my God, how tough they have been!
But, as with all things, there are seasons in our lives and eventually, even after the most severe winter, springtime comes and tiny little blossoms start to bud. And hope springs forth. Soon, every part of your life that seemed to have died forever begins to bloom with new life, and joy and gladness breaks out like the sun from behind a dark sky. And life goes on...
Until next time, let me leave you with this thought : Every valley we experience today helps us to truly appreciate the glory of the mountaintops ahead!
Love always,
Salome
Losing my father-in-law so suddenly, so unexpectantly last month, has brought enormous stress and sadness upon us. And also, as could be expected, this inner fight because we believe things could have turned out differently if only he hadn't been so stubborn. We have been telling him for years about nutritional products that could help his body repair itself, but he poo-pooed anything we said and declared himself a "traditionalist". Whatever the doctors told him, he would adhere to religiously and this meant an increasing amount of highly toxic medication to control the symptoms of Parkinson's Disease, And now we are all dealing with grief!!!
I know what it is like to deal with chronic disease. When my heart failed at 38, I thought my life had come to an end. I am just thankful that I had the medical attention at the time which saved my life. My Dad had just died and I flew back to South Africa for the funeral. Mom noticed that I was coughing 24/7 and insisted that I went to my sister's doctor for anti-biotics. To make a long story short, after a month the cough had gotten worse - not better and I duly traipsed back to the same GP's Surgery. They immediately hooked me up for an ECG, then sent me for X-Rays at a nearby clinic.
My older sister took time off work to drive me there. It seemed like ages that we had to wait for the results. Eventually the Radiologist brought the X-Rays with a long letter for the GP. He also sat me down and explained that they discovered that I did not have Tuberculosis or Asthma - something to be grateful for, but that my heart was totally enlarged and probably in failure.
Whether it is chronic illness or death, we still go through the different stages of dealing with the trauma. There is the denial - "This isn't happening to me" or "Why is this happening to me?".
I was just numb. I could not even speak to tell my sister what the radiologist had said. I guess I was in total denial! The GP actually pulled in a favour and got me an appointment with a Cardiologist the very next day! Thank God I was in South Africa, because, with the NHS in England, the process might have taken anything from 7 to 9 months to even see a Cardiologist.
I also had the most wonderful angel - my Mom - who allowed me to rest for nearly 7 months which I believe gave my heart time to at least get stronger again.
Not only did Mom let me sleep when I needed to (I would wake up in the morning, have a bath, get dressed and within 1/2 hour I had fallen asleep on top of my bed again), but she also did not judge me when I lost my temper with frustration, hurt, anger and pain. One of the results of heart failure seems to be the inability to cope with any stress or pressure, and boy, did I fall into that category!
During this time, the events that lead up to heart failure played in my mind over and over again. I thought about the struggles, the lack of appreciation, the pressure of full-time minstry, the way I had been treated, etc etc. Inevitably, I had to start dealing with the grief and the next step was the anger. Anger because we cannot change what has happened. Anger because we feel that things would have turned out differently if ... And so often we turn this rage towards those closest to us - brothers, sisters, mothers, husbands, wives. It is all a part of the grieving process, and it is so important to get that rage out of our systems, before it destroys us - and those around us!
I spent months speaking forgiveness over and over again. As a situation or incident popped into my head, I spoke forgiveness. Even though it was the hardest thing to do, I knew that unforgiveness would hurt me more than it would hurt those that tried to destroy me. So I persevered.
Once we have raged out the pain and anger, we can start to move towards the stages of acceptance and resolution which we all eventually come to. Healing takes time, and even though, at the time, it seems that the pain will not go away, eventually it does.
I have never cried so much, hurt so badly, despaired so deeply as when I decided to resign from my position as Dean of a Bible Institute because I intuitively felt it was killing me, then lost my Dad, within a month found out my heart was failing and subsequently had to sell my home and my car because I was too ill to go back to doing revival meetings or to make rational decisions. I also thought I probably would not make it anyway, and had no help or support from anyone in order to be able to keep my home or perhaps re-mortgage - which would have released some of the increased capital value.
The fact is, in seven months I lost everything! My life, my career (ministry), my Dad - whom I loved so very much, my home, my car and ultimately my reputation as a minister - and that is a story I never, ever wish to repeat, so we will leave it at that!
For several years I just existed. Too unwell to have a life, I felt as if my life had come to an end. Looking back now, I realize that I had fallen into a deep, deep depression which was brought on not only by my the events that had led to my heart failing, as well as my desperate circumstances, but also clinical depression due to my medical condition.
In the midst of this despair, God had a few angels who stood by me - Adonna and Steve, then Angelo and Yvette, and finally my dearest friend Pam. These awesome ones were there for me when I needed them, and that means more to me than life itself! Admittedly, I was going through such pain and grief that I was not easy to be with, so it is so much more of a testament to their friendship and love.
And this is the greatest test of true friendship - when all is going well and you are the superstar, many are drawn to your success. But only your true friends will stand by you when times are tough. And my God, how tough they have been!
But, as with all things, there are seasons in our lives and eventually, even after the most severe winter, springtime comes and tiny little blossoms start to bud. And hope springs forth. Soon, every part of your life that seemed to have died forever begins to bloom with new life, and joy and gladness breaks out like the sun from behind a dark sky. And life goes on...
Until next time, let me leave you with this thought : Every valley we experience today helps us to truly appreciate the glory of the mountaintops ahead!
Love always,
Salome
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