Transcript

Christian life coach Marty Eisenberger talks about pain on Encouragement Live

>> Don Hawkins: for many of us, the subject of pain. Pain is a debilitating part of our lives every day, and we just can't get relief. Tonight, Christian life coach Marty Eisenberger joins us to talk about From Pain to Bliss on on Encouragement Live. Welcome to Encouragement Live, providing biblically based encouragement and insight on a wide range of practical life issues. Now, here's your host, Don Hawkins, author of Master Discipleship Today. Thank you, Steve, and friend. It's so good to have you with us. As live from studios located in First Christian Church of Wylie, Texas. Encouragement Communications program presents Encouragement Live. Our mission is to provide biblically based encouragement and insight on a wide range of topics. And tonight we're here to talk about the subject of pain. Maybe some of you have been in pain today. Maybe you live with chronic pain or maybe you have pain because of an accident. We want to be of encouragement to you, and I'll be giving our phone number here in just a moment, and you'll be able to call in. Marty Eisenberger is with me tonight. She works with the Hope Speaks clinic, and she has been not only a student of pain, but she has also experienced pain. Marty, thank you for taking the time to join us tonight.

>> Marty Eisenberger: And thank you for having me. Don.

>> Don Hawkins: Looking forward to this. And you have written a number of books. In fact, I was looking over your resume or curriculum vita that you sent me, and really amazing, the different things that you tell your life purpose to gather complex information, distill it into to its purest essence to share with others for easier understanding. I sure like that.

>> Marty Eisenberger: Well, it's interesting how that came to me. I used to enjoy giving children's sermons, and occasionally I would have people come up to me after the service was over and tell me they got more out of it than they did from the preacher.

>> Don Hawkins: Yeah, I can believe that. I remember years ago when I was a student at Dallas Seminary, Dr. Clarence Mason of Philadelphia College of the Bible was the president of that school, speaking in chapel. And he said, gentlemen, always put the cookies on the bottom shelf so even the kitties can get to them. And that's a great thing.

Marty Eisenberger says God can use pain to encourage others

Your favorite scripture, 2nd Corinthians 1, 3:4 is one of my favorites. It talks about how the God of all comfort or encouragement encourages us in all our affliction so that we can encourage others who are in any affliction with the same encouragement with, with which we've been encouraged, ourselves. How did you come to have that as your favorite scripture?

>> Marty Eisenberger: Well, when I was 15 years old. My mother died from breast cancer. And back in those days, they didn't know anything about the grief process, that there needed to be a grief recovery. I really had no comfort, at all. And it was just very, a very painful time for me.

>> Don Hawkins: In fact, that was the time when Christians would say, just have a stiff upper lip or take two Bible verses and call me in the morning or pray about it.

>> Marty Eisenberger: Right.

>> Don Hawkins: We didn't deal with grief. We didn't deal with pain with any of those things to a great degree. Right, Right.

>> Marty Eisenberger: Yeah. And I think that I had depression that just kind of, stayed. And I never really got over it.

>> Don Hawkins: Yeah. So you lost your mother. Very painful thing. And then in 1984, something, else happened to you that, shall we say, multiplied the pain in your life.

>> Marty Eisenberger: Well, that was when I got diagnosed with fibromyalgia. I wanted to say something, though, about, when my mom died. you asked about the scripture.

>> Don Hawkins: Yes.

>> Marty Eisenberger: And the thing that I wanted to say about the scripture, was that because I knew what it was like to feel so alone and not have anybody to help me, I kind of clung onto God and I wanted to make sure that, that I didn't want other people to be alone. So I wanted to be a comfort to them because I knew what it was like not to have help.

>> Don Hawkins: Yeah. And to me, that's one of the great scriptures about encouragement. We get our encouragement from God, but we are getting that encouragement so that we can encourage others. And some of you listening to our program tonight are going through pain and wondering, why would God allow this pain in my life? And Marty Eisenberger is here to tell you tonight that God can take that pain and use it to equip you to encourage other people. Our toll free number is 855586. Life will be back.

>> Jane: We're over 100 years old.

>> Don Hawkins: Dallas Theological Seminary President, Dr. Mark Yarborough on the seminary's motto, teach truth, love. Well, that is what we do. That's our slogan that we use. Obviously, it's preach the word for all of us.

>> Marty Eisenberger: We are called to teach truth and live it out.

>> Don Hawkins: To learn more about how Dallas Theological Seminary can equip you for biblically based, visit DTS Edu. That's DTS Edu.

>> Steve: That unwanted vehicle of yours might not take you anywhere, but it can drive encouragement and hope to listeners everywhere. Donate it to Encouragement Live and we'll pick it up. even if it isn't running, we'll use it to fund this ministry. It's easy and free. Mention Encouragement Live when you call 855-500-RIDE. Get the eyesore out of your yard and donate that car today. Call 855-500-RIDE or encouragementlive.org.

Marty Eisenberger was diagnosed with fibromyalgia as a teenager

>> Don Hawkins: We'Re back live on Encouragement Live. I'm Don Hawkins. Marty Eisenberger is with me tonight. She's a therapist who works with the Hope Speaks Clinic here in suburban Dallas, Texas. And we appreciate, Dr. Tom Shoaff. And, the clinic was founded by Dr. Frank Minerith many years ago. Marty, I know you know a bit of the history about the clinic, and Dr. Shoaff is a dear friend, and we appreciate very much, their involvement in our radio ministry. And you were telling us a little bit about how you experienced the pain and grief of losing your mother when you were a teenager and then a little bit later in life. I won't say how many years in life we don't do that with ladies. my wife has told me, steer clear those numbers. And so we do. But, you were diagnosed with fibromyalgia. can you give us a definition of what fibromyalgia is?

>> Marty Eisenberger: Well, at that time, fibromyalgia, they really didn't know what caused it, and they told me there wasn't a cure and it was just going to be facing a lifetime of chronic pain, pain that moves around. That's different every day. I was fortunate to have a neurologist diagnosed me whose wife had fibromyalgia. So he was very familiar with it. And he said the one thing you have to remember is that your brain is 15 times more sensitive to perceiving pain than a normal person. So what to one person would just seem like that is just nothing to me. It's just like.

>> Don Hawkins: Yeah, yeah. Just very intense. Yes. Oh, yeah, yeah.

>> Marty Eisenberger: and. But that's true. We're more sensitive to cold and temperature. And it just, So I. That's about all I was told. And I just had to live with it. I went and got physical therapy and they kind of sent me to back school and give me a, video to learn the things that I needed to do to support my back. But pretty much that was it. Take, some ibuprofen, here's some Valium to, you know, relax your muscles, and, you know, just good luck.

>> Don Hawkins: Yeah, there's really wish we could help you, but there's not much we can do.

>> Marty Eisenberger: And I also want to say that they told me that I, would not ever be able to work. And so at that point, I, made an important decision for me was that I refused to become an invalid. And at one time, years later, I went to talk to a rheumatologist.

>> Don Hawkins: Rheumatologist, yeah.

>> Marty Eisenberger: And, he told me that most of his patients never even got out of bed. And so I was doing, well, keep doing what you're doing and, you know, you don't need to come back. So I pretty much was, out there on my own. But I kept trying to do research to find out new things because I knew that, you know, eventually something would surface. And recently I had even gone to my internist and said, you know, I'm having a lot of a bad, really bad flare up that won't go away. And he said, well, there's not really anything new about fibromyalgia in the literature. So I said, well, I'd like to go see a rheumatologist. So I went to see a pain doctor.

>> Don Hawkins: Sure.

>> Marty Eisenberger: And, she was very familiar with fibromyalgia and she was more understanding of what I had to work with.

>> Don Hawkins: And speaking of more understanding, my understanding from family members, at least one or two who have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia is a lot of people think that this is all a figment of your imagination, something in your mind. And we'll come back and talk about that. Some of you trying to get in. We're working on our phone lines. The number is 855-586-5433. I suspect that many of you would like to talk with Marty Eisenberger tonight about how to deal with the pain in your life. 855-586-Life Cross Flicks. A, complete multimedia platform at your fingertips featuring faith based shows for the entire family. Plus an amazing library of interactive online Bible courses such as revealing the secrets of the Hebrew Bible.

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>> Marty Eisenberger: On their spiritual journey.

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>> Marty Eisenberger: Serving the community and contributing to the.

>> Don Hawkins: Good of society and culture. To learn more or support this ministry, visit set7usa.org Toni King on her book the Maze of Medicare.

>> Jane: I looked up on the Internet how many books have biblical in regards to Medicare, and there was zero. And then God brought you into my life, and you helped me write the Maze of Medicare because we took Medicare and put Scripture with it because people are stressed. They don't know what to do, where to turn.

>> Don Hawkins: You can order the Maze of medicare@, tonysays.com that's t o n I tonysays.com well, tonight, if you are struggling with pain, our program is just for you because we're talking about how to go from pain to bliss. Marty Eisenberger is a Christian life coach working with the Hope Speaks Clinic here in suburban Dallas. The website is hopespeaks.com hopespeaks.com and, Marty, I suspect that you are set up where you can talk to people who are in pain, if they set up an appointment through the Hope Speaks clinic.

>> Marty Eisenberger: Yes, that's true.

>> Don Hawkins: Yeah. So if you go to that website and, you go on there, you'll find a number of different, therapists, you'll find life coaches, and you'll find among that, that group of people, Marty Eisenberger. And you'll be able to schedule a time when you can talk with her, and it'll have all the information about how to do that. and you can also call the clinic at 972-669-1733. Again, that number is 972-669-1733. Marty, I can't help m thinking probably a lot of people around the country right now feeling pain might be jotting that number down. So you may have a busy week next week.

>> Marty Eisenberger: Great. I'll look forward to it.

You have done extensive research on fibromyalgia because of your own experience

>> Don Hawkins: Now, you have done extensive research on fibromyalgia because of your own experience. Tell, us some of the things that you've learned about this over the years.

>> Marty Eisenberger: Well, one of the things that surprised me, I had always had anxiety ever since I was a little kid. I had a lot of problems with depression after my mom died. Never recovered. But I didn't realize that they were linked to fibromyalgia. And fibromyalgia is a syndrome. And so on top of that, also catastrophizing is a problem with fibromyalgia because your brain is so hypersensitive. you kind of think everything is an all or nothing proposition that you're never going to get. Well, there's nothing I can do. I've tried everything. And, you just kind of give up and you don't have any hope and you just feel like you're in a black hole. It's never going to go away.

>> Don Hawkins: Yeah. And the words typically used for clinical depression are helpless and hopeless. Feeling like I can't do anything about it. This pain or whatever I'm going through and there's no way it's ever going to get any better. And it sounds like that fibromyalgia hits you both in the physical realm and in the emotional realm.

>> Marty Eisenberger: That's absolutely true.

>> Don Hawkins: Yeah.

>> Marty Eisenberger: And where everybody is different. So what works for me may not work for somebody else. But there are basic fundamentals that everybody can use. And I like to look at it as, there are challenges that we have, both physical and emotional, but there are tools that we can use to relieve our pain in both of those areas and still live a very happy, blissful, productive life.

>> Don Hawkins: I think that would be a great place for us to turn a corner and look into some solutions for this.

Whether it's fibromyalgia or emotional pain, there are tools available

I do want to share a quote from C.S. lewis book, the Problem of Pain. And he wrote this to some degree out of the loss of his wife. And so grief was involved in emotion and there was physical pain. But he talked about pain as God's megaphone to speak to us. Your thoughts about that?

>> Marty Eisenberger: I absolutely agree with that. I believe that God designed our bodies, so that your brain and your body work together. So we have a mind body connection. I've also recently learned about the vagus nerve, which runs from the base of your brain stem down to your colon. And those nerves go everywhere in your body. so if one thing makes it, light up, then you're going to suffer everywhere. So the thing to do is you have a lot of tools you can use to calm it down and lessen that. And until you learn about the tools, you're just, you just kind of freeze and you don't really know what to do.

>> Don Hawkins: Yeah.

>> Marty Eisenberger: The last thing you want to do is just keep turning to pills and, alcohol or whatever to manage it because those things aren't long term solutions.

>> Don Hawkins: Yeah. And many people have tried that. Many of you listening to our program You've tried pain medications, you've tried alcohol, you've tried drugs, you've tried all kinds of things. And Marty is going to get into some specifics you can do. But our phone lines, I'm told, are now in operation. The number is 855-586-5433. That is 855-586. Life. Whether it's fibromyalgia, whether it's some other kind of pain, physical pain, emotional pain, we're, here to encourage you tonight. As Marty shared. We're.

Where do you start in terms of beginning to manage the pain that you've experienced

Where do you start in terms of beginning to manage the kind of pain that you've experienced?

>> Marty Eisenberger: Well, for me, I came to an important decision in my life, that I wasn't getting the help that I needed. So I decided to go seek a therapist. So I found a wonderful Methodist, Minister, therapist, Dr. Terry Parsons. And he kind of guided me down the road, and he said, we're just going to do gestalt with you. Unconditional love. And so, he accepted me the way I was. It was easy to talk to him. He supported me. he would give me things to think about. He would ask me focusing questions. You might want to think about this. But he always let me find my own way. And that worked so well for me.

>> Don Hawkins: So it wasn't you do this and then do this?

>> Marty Eisenberger: Not at all. Not at all. he might offer me different options, but it was totally up to me. And that I think the important thing, is that to find a way, to access the light inside of you, that we are all, each unique individuals, and there's a place inside of us away from the pain. And if you can tap into that, you can find joy again. And so much of that has to do with your thinking and your, using the tools that that will be helpful.

>> Don Hawkins: You know, it's interesting. In Proverbs it talks about as a person thinks in his heart, so is he. Proverbs 23:7. And in Proverbs 4, 23 says, Guard your heart with all diligence, because out of it flow the issues of life. 76 times in the book of Proverbs, the heart is mentioned. And of course, they looked at the heart as the mind, the emotions and the will. And, and what you're talking about is, is taking and tapping into that very thing that God has given us. That we guard it, that we draw it out, and that we allow the spirit of God. If we've trusted Christ as Savior, we have the spirit of God living within us. to enable us to, move beyond the pain. And that may sound simplistic to some people, though.

>> Marty Eisenberger: Well, that's, it probably does, but I think that for me, it comes down to making the decision. the choice is up to you. God gave us free will. and so if we want to just stay in our rut, we can. That's our choice. but the minute we make that decision and start taking actions to get better, wanting to get better, imagining yourself living the kind of life that you would want to live, once, you make that decision, there are tools that you can use. Even if it's just taking a small step, each day, just trying to keep improving every day, trying new things every day. Eventually it all adds up. And it's not just a matter of trying new things, but also it's managing your thought life. So your self talk to make sure that you're not beating yourself up because you feel like you're not normal.

>> Don Hawkins: Yeah. And Marty, that again goes back to the whole thing of proverbs and what it says about guard your heart and as you think in your heart. And if your, your self talk originates in your mind and in your heart. And I must be a terrible person because I'm feeling this pain and because I'm intense. And as I've thought about this, I, have a grandson who's an electrician. And in a sense, the, the nerves that you're talking about, when you have fibromyalgia, it's like a 220v going down, 110 volt line. Would that be accurate?

>> Marty Eisenberger: I'm laughing because. Yes, that's definitely a good description of it. And I'm glad you mention, electrical part of it. I recently got a new book that I'm really excited about. It's by, Dr. Sanjay Gupta. And it's called it doesn't have to Hurt. And he mentions, someone at Stanford who, is working on pain. He's one of their pain doctors there, and he had also a PhD in electrical engineering. And he said that the human body and the nerves remind him of an electrical circuit. So the important things to a circuit is you have amplifiers and you have distractors. So with fibromyalgia, when you have pain, it amplifies the pain. So the way that you counterbalance that is by finding ways to distract it.

>> Don Hawkins: Now you have come up with. And your book From Pain to Bliss really spells this out in detail. And we are working on a plan where people will Be able to order your book. We don't have that yet, but I think if people works, it's in the works. people could reach out to the Hope Speaks clinic and it may be that, that they could get information there until we get this, website set up where we're going to make some books and different things available. But in the meantime, Marty, you, you actually came up with something that has become an amazing distraction from your pain. Talk about it.

>> Marty Eisenberger: Yes. and I think that also it was a part of my transformation as well. Transformation is a really big word for me. that's why it's from pain to bliss. I, would tell people is to go in the direction of what makes you feel happy, where you find your joy, and then make that your happy place. And then you just go there and stay there as often as you can. And what you're doing is rewiring your brain for joy. And so eventually it kicks in and your brain says, oh, well, we're going to do this now. So it's when you're focused on something that you absolutely are having so much fun doing. It blocks out the pain.

Marty Eisenberger says photography gave him a sense of awe about creation

>> Don Hawkins: Now what specifically? I know the answer to this, but our listening family is sitting with bated breath. What specifically did you. Because some individuals listening may say, okay, I'd like to try what Marty tried.

>> Marty Eisenberger: Well, I took up photography. And when I was a kid, I grew up in Southern California, so I love being out in nature. So I would take my camera. I live in Dallas now, where it's flat and, there's no mountains to go to, no beach, none of that. but we have a world class arboretum there.

>> Don Hawkins: Yes, we do.

>> Marty Eisenberger: Every weekend I would grab my camera and go to the arboretum. And, I just totally gave myself to it. And, I also want to mention that scientists have now discovered that there is an actual science of awe. A W E. Awe and wonder. And so every time I would go to the arboretum, that's what I experienced. And I felt very close to God when I was, experiencing that. Because you feel, there's something bigger than you are. And you just, you just. I was just so amazed at all the things about creation that I saw every time I took a picture. And even when I got home, I would enlarge something and I would find something I didn't even know I took a picture of. Like, it looked like a little speck of black dirt. And I knew it was probably a bug, came home and enlarged it. Turned out to be, I had a bug identify it, a little tiny bug that was an ancestor of the bees and the wasp, and it had double antennae on each time. And I thought, wow, that is so amazing. And if God could be so caring to, create such unusual and amazing and wonderful creatures, just think about he created me. And so then it's up to me to find and discover how to bring out what's inside.

>> Don Hawkins: And Psalm 139 talks about how we are fearfully and wonderfully made, and what an amazing thing for us to think about that our God basically created us in the mother's womb and our, DNA is there and God didn't make any accidents. We live in a fallen world, and we'll talk about how the fallen world is connected with pain. If you'd like to call us tonight, Marty Eisenberger is with me. She would love to share with you and we would love to pray with you. 855-586-5433. That's our number. And we'll be right back after these words.

Find out what you need to know to protect your heirs at a free webinar

>> Steve: There are only two ways that your affairs will be settled after you pass away. Your way or the government's way. For anyone without a will or trust in place, the government will settle it through probate. So we must all ask ourselves, do I want the government to decide how my minor children get their inheritance and where my assets go, and then charge my heirs probate and court fees to make that happen? Or do I want to protect my family from probate and steward the resources that God has entrusted to me by determining how the assets that I leave behind will be used? Find out what you need to know and do to protect your heirs at a free webinar with his faithful stewardship. This free webinar will discuss wills and trusts and help you understand it all. Go to hisfaithfulstewards.com and find the link for webinars. There's a place there under webinars where you can sign up. That's hisfaithfulstewards.com and the link to webinars his faithful stewards.com when you need to.

>> Jane: Consider independent or assisted living or memory.

>> Marty Eisenberger: Care for a parent or spouse, Restoration.

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>> Marty Eisenberger: Sl.Com.

>> Don Hawkins: Sagi Lukas grew up in South India without Christ. But when he trusted the Savior, his Hindu family disowned him his witness brought his entire family to Christ and led to the founding of, Mission India, which trains hundreds of village missionaries each year. For a free copy of Sagi's biography, Transformed for a Purpose, and to learn more about Reaching Indians Ministries International, visit remi.org that's remi.org for over 30 years.

>> Steve: Don Hawkins has provided radio encouragement with a variety of gifted guests. Now you can be encouraged by these interviews with guests like Greg and Eryn smolley, Dan Cathy, Dr. Frank Minrith, Josh McDowell and more. Subscribe to the weekly encouragement for your podcast, dropping Wednesdays@lifeaudio.com or at your favorite podcast app.

Don Hawkins: Marty Eisenberger talks about pain transformation on Encouragement Live

>> Don Hawkins: Welcome back to Encouragement Live. Our toll free number is 855586 LIFE. Here again is your host, Don Hawkins, author of Master Discipleship Today. Marty Eisenberger is with me tonight. She is a life coach with the Hope Speaks Clinic and, has a great perspective on pain tonight. And that's what we're talking about. Our toll free number, 855-586-5433. Marty, I want to zero in on that word transforming, transformational. You talk about in. And I read your book From Pain to. You essentially talk about a transformational process. And it's interesting that that's exactly the way Paul describes, the Christian life in Second Corinthians 5, that we are a new creation. Old things are passed away, all things are literally becoming new. It doesn't say everything is totally. If everything had become totally new, then we wouldn't have any pain because we're still living in the fallen world. But, but talk about the transformational, nature of this.

>> Marty Eisenberger: Well, I'm so glad that you mentioned the word becoming. that was a pivotal thing in my high school years. I had a psychology teacher who said, you're not a human being, you're a human becoming. And so I like to imagine myself being a human becoming. So I always try to keep learning new, things and growing, and that's just a part of the transformation. but I think believing that you can have a better life in spite of the pain is really important. And if you don't believe that there's any help for you, then there's really not much you can do. But so the choice, I can't, say it enough. That's key.

>> Don Hawkins: Yes, it comes down to a choice. And it's interesting that Paul in Philippians 4:13 said, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. He is the one who enables us. And, through his power, we can Gain the victory because he gives us the grace to think differently about pain. And that's we're talking about tonight. Not a magic pill, not a magic potion. Let's go to the phones. 855-586-LIFE. Dennis is listening in Missouri tonight. Dennis, welcome to the program. Good to hear from you.

>> Marty Eisenberger: Hi, Dennis.

>> Kathi: Hi. Thank you, guys, so much. I love listening to AFR and all the programs on it.

>> Don Hawkins: Thank you.

Dennis had stage four cancer in his throat two years ago

>> Kathi: this. This one I think I've been waiting for.

>> Don Hawkins: Okay, that's great. it sounds like you've been dealing with some pain in your life.

>> Kathi: Yeah, I had st. I'm sorry, hold on. I had stage four cancer in my throat.

>> Don Hawkins: Yeah.

>> Kathi: Two years ago, about a year and a half ago. And, they got it, but they. The. The way they got with the radiation and chemo and. And it messed everything up. Thyroid, everything. But my point is that I'm worried about, the pain medications they give.

>> Don Hawkins: Yeah, well. And. Well, Dennis, let me make a couple of comments, and let's let Marty speak to you about this. first of all, when you have stage four cancer, you are really close to losing your life. And it's amazing that you are able to talk after going through the radiation, the chemo. And I know, Marty, you've talked to a lot of people who've, been through that kind of thing. and the pain medication that people are given, from the kind of pain that you suffer as a result of that can also be debilitating in so many ways. Marty, what would you share with Dennis given his situation?

>> Marty Eisenberger: Well, I guess I'd like to say, what kind of physical. Physical abilities do you have right now?

>> Don Hawkins: Yeah.

>> Kathi: Oh, well, the only thing, I still can't eat. I mean, they had tubes in my stomach, but they kept coming out. So, I got tired of that. I want to eat so bad. it's been about almost two years since I've been able to eat from Dennis.

>> Don Hawkins: Yeah.

>> Marty Eisenberger: Sorry.

>> Kathi: So I drink the same solution that they're putting in my belly. I mix it with this Ensure Complete, and it sustains me. And I've been able to gain weight, but, the pain in my throat is unreal at times. but I can't stand. They got me on, They had me on fentanyl patches, 100 milligrams. and I got it down to 12.5. And I'm trying to get off those all the way. I get real sick when I. When I don't have them. And they also gave me OxyContin, 20, milligrams, six times a day.

>> Don Hawkins: Well, that, that's a lot of oxycodone. And you know, the fentanyl patches, you know, I've had some family members have been on 50mg. 100mg is a double dose of that. And of course the patches of fentanyl don't.

>> Marty Eisenberger: Yes.

I'm wondering how you're doing emotionally following recent loss

I'm also wondering, how you're doing emotionally. Obviously, you, you've, a number of losses.

>> Don Hawkins: Yeah.

>> Marty Eisenberger: and you know, I know that you would be going through some kind of grief process. are you getting any help with that.

>> Kathi: Spiritually? Yes. Ah, Due to Jesus and God.

>> Don Hawkins: Yeah.

>> Kathi: I mean, I'm constantly in scripture and my wife is too.

>> Marty Eisenberger: That's good.

>> Kathi: Yeah, we've been blessed. I mean, they thought they wanted to put a trach in me and everything. something told me not to. And we prayed on, prayed on it. And I'm, not, thanks to Jesus, I don't have a hole in my neck.

>> Don Hawkins: well, we're, we're so thankful to hear that. And, and it does sound like that your wife is supportive and that's, that's so critical. Having a life partner who is supportive and also having a church family, that's supportive. It sounds like you have that, would that be correct, Dennis?

>> Kathi: No, that, that would be incorrect. That's one, another is. I'm calling out. I'm a transplant from Texas here. and we don't know, there's only one small church here in town. I mean, there's several small churches within a 20 mile radius of us. We're out in the middle of farmland and I, just. I haven't been well enough to go right. And see if there's a church I want to go to, if they're well, teaching Jesus in the Bible or what.

>> Don Hawkins: Well, well. And Dennis, we want to pray with you and for you, and we're going to do that in just a moment. I want to see if Marty has anything else that she wants to either add, ask you or say to you. And then we're going to pray for you. And I'm going to encourage you to you and your wife do some investigating, talk with some people in the area about those churches. Find a church that preaches and teaches the Bible, but where they love people and where they're supportive of people and connect up with that pastor, that can be a very strong spiritual help for you. Marnie, any further thoughts?

>> Marty Eisenberger: I Agree with that. Absolutely. And I'm wondering, are you able to leave the house and go anywhere or are you okay?

>> Kathi: Yes, I'm very mobile. I just, I just have to be within, within a two hour radius of my drinks.

>> Don Hawkins: Sure, yeah, we understand.

>> Marty Eisenberger: But that's great that you could get around.

>> Don Hawkins: Yeah. And, and probably you could visit a couple of three churches and see if you don't find one where there's a connection. And again, do they preach and teach God's word and are they loving and supportive of people?

Would you lead us in prayer for Dennis and what he's going through

let's pray right now for you. Would you lead us in prayer, Marty, for Dennis and what he's going through?

>> Marty Eisenberger: dear Lord, we just pray for Dennis and everything that he's going through. If you would just help him with his medications and managing them and getting off of them, easily. And we thank you for the loving wife that he has that supports him. we pray that they find ah, a good church where they have social connection and get more support from people around them. we pray that Dennis and his wife can continue to find new sources of joy in their life as he continues his recovery. In Jesus name we pray.

>> Don Hawkins: Amen. And Dennis, I want you to stay on the line because what I'm going to do is I'm going to ask, ask our call, screening team to get your address and we're going to get a copy of From Pain to Bliss and send it to you. I think that would be a tremendous encouragement. would that be okay with you, Dennis?

>> Kathi: Oh, thank you so much. Yes.

Dennis says he feels guilt over being addicted to pain medications

>> Don Hawkins: Okay.

>> Kathi: I have one, I have one more question too that weighs on my heart.

>> Don Hawkins: Yeah, go ahead.

>> Kathi: It's about habitual sin. if obviously I'm addicted to these things now, I feel like I'm sitting every time I take one.

>> Don Hawkins: Yeah, well, the, the reality is addiction is one of those things where we struggle with it and, and God can give us the grace to overcome it, but it often doesn't happen immediately. Do you have any thoughts about that, Marty, in terms of feeling guilt over, being hooked on the pain medications?

>> Marty Eisenberger: Oh, that's a hard one. I think that, there are a number of tools, certainly making sure that you forgive yourself. you're doing the best you can. You're obviously trying to wean yourself off of your medications. keep doing what you're doing and celebrate, every small success that you have that's really important. And then also keep your focus on something that's, that's positive. you Actually can block out some of those urges, to take what you're addicted to. If you have something that you really enjoy doing, to replace it, Something that doesn't affect your body.

>> Don Hawkins: Yeah, replacement is a very good thing if you can focus on some things. Marty was able to get into photography, and that became a joy source in her life. Look for something. Talk to your wife about this. I have a feeling she knows you better than anybody, and she can tell you what you joy. Now, we're going to send you a copy of From Pain to Bliss. I'm also going to send you a copy of my book, Never Give Up. It's, a book about hope and encouragement. And, we're going to continue to encourage our listening family to pray for you. Dennis, I'm so glad you called us tonight. Thank you so much.

>> Marty Eisenberger: Thank you for calling in, Dennis.

>> Jane: Thank you.

>> Don Hawkins: God bless.

>> Jane: Thank you.

>> Kathi: God bless you. God bless you all and keep doing what you're doing.

>> Don Hawkins: Keep in touch with us. Okay, let us hear from you again. Our number, if you'd like to call in. We just freed up a line, 855-586-5433. When we come back from our break, we'll go to Shauna, who's listening to us in Texas, and hopefully we'll be able to slip in another call or two. If you'd like to call in, you can give us a ring. And again, the Hope Speaks Clinic is where you can connect with Marty Eisenberger. she actually does some zoom life coaching. Right?

>> Marty Eisenberger: I haven't yet. I think they're gonna. They have me working in the office right now.

>> Don Hawkins: All right. But they probably will soon. And we'll be right back after this.

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Shauna Eisenberger works with Hope Speaks clinic in Texas

We are back on encouragement live and we appreciate hearing from so many of you out there. Marty, Eisenberger with me tonight. She works with the Hope Speaks clinic. HopeSpeaks.com is the place to go to find out how to connect up with her. And you might even be able to, set up a time to talk with her about managing pain. Right now, Shauna is listening in Texas over American Family Radio. Shauna, great to hear from you tonight. Go ahead. And maybe we have lost Shona. We will find out from our team, if indeed they can reconnect us with Shauna. And many times they do that.

Marty: How does fear connect with pain and how do we deal with fear

One of the things, Marty, though, that you talk about, that I wanted to mention, is the subject of fear. And how does fear connect with pain and how do we deal with the fear and pain? Oh, hold that thought. I'm told now we have Shawna back. Hello, Shauna, Hello.

>> Jane: I was saying hello. Y' all just couldn't hear me.

>> Don Hawkins: We just, for some reason couldn't hear you. And now we can. Thank you very much. Go ahead.

Marty: My sister has chronic pain due to accident deterioration

What's your question for Marty?

>> Jane: Well, I'm calling for my sister. She's had chronic pain for years due to an accident deterioration. She was speaking about the. Is it vagus or vagal nerve?

>> Marty Eisenberger: Specifically, yes.

>> Jane: Okay. After multiple surgeries, she had had a brain stem stroke during a Surgery. she has constant pain, and she's getting to the point she's very frightened about the rest of her life.

>> Marty Eisenberger: Oh, I'm so sorry.

>> Jane: I can pull your handle on this. Yeah. And the part you were talking about, the medications just building up, she carries around a suitcase full. So I'm most interested in specifically the tools, the alternatives she can use to manage the pain, and more specific information how she can contact you. You said you had a clinic in Dallas, Texas?

>> Marty Eisenberger: Yes, I can be contacted through Hope Speaks.

>> Don Hawkins: Yeah. You have a pen and paper handy? I'll give you that number, Shauna.

>> Jane: Yes, I do.

>> Don Hawkins: It's 972-669-1733. And, she can call there. It's located in Richardson, just north of Dallas. Not sure what part of Texas you're in. We have a number of stations in Texas.

>> Marty Eisenberger: Shawn. I have a, worksheet, for daily things that you can do that your sister can do, that you can help her with. that I'd be happy to send you, if you can leave your email, ah, address with Hope, speaks. but what this does. This, ah, addresses the physical challenges she has as well as the emotional challenges. And then it also includes a number of. Number of tools, that she can try to see, you know, what helps lessen her pain.

>> Don Hawkins: So that sounds like something would be very helpful. So if you'll call that number on Monday, Hope Speaks Clinic, and, that way you will be able to, connect up with Shauna, get. Leave that email address, and Shauna will email it. And if you will, leave your mailing address also, and Shauna can and mail you a copy of From Pain to Bliss that you could hand off to your sister. I think that would be a tremendous thing. And I believe that the man who worked with you wrote the foreword to that book, Terry, you were telling us about. Yes, he did earlier.

Let's pray with Shauna first, and then we'll talk about pain

>> Marty Eisenberger: So I would like to say a little bit about fear versus pain, because.

>> Don Hawkins: You introduced it, right? Yeah. I tell you what let's do. Let's pray with Shauna first, and then we'll come back and talk about that. Heavenly Father, thank you so much that Shona cared enough about her sister to call in tonight. And, Lord, we pray for that dear sister. You know her name, you know what she's going through, you know why these things have happened in her body. And, Lord, I'm sure that it's very debilitating and depressing, and, she's anxious about the rest of her life. So, Lord, I pray first of all, if she doesn't know Christ as savior, that she would come to trust in him. And I pray that if she does know Christ as savior, that she would be able to be encouraged by the information that Marty is going to send to Shawna and that Shawna is going to pass on to her. And I pray for Shauna, Lord, that you would just bless and encourage her. She sounds like such an encouraging sister to have. Thank you, Lord. In Jesus name, amen. Shauna, thank you for calling us tonight. Great to hear from you.

>> Marty Eisenberger: Thank you.

>> Don Hawkins: Thank you. God bless. Bye. Bye.

Marty says fear is something that you can control

Now let's go to that topic of pain to fear. How is the connection there and what do we do about it? Marty?

>> Marty Eisenberger: Well, our mind has a lot to do with how we manage the pain. it is something that you can control. I mentioned the ways that you can use things to distract so that it's not so present if you block it out with something that you're really, involved with. but I want to say a little bit about fear as an emotion. I have a wonderful book that I've read called the Language of emotions by Carla McLaren. And she says that we kind of were raised with emotions being either positive or negative. And she said, really, that's not the way to look at the negative ones. that every emotion has a gift for us and a message. And with fear, fear is, the way our bodies, our brains are designed to let us know that we're in danger.

>> Don Hawkins: Yeah, it's a threat.

>> Marty Eisenberger: It could be a real threat. but it's so sensitive that sometimes it overreacts that you kind of have to calm it back down.

Perfect love casts out fear, so replace negative thoughts with positive ones

Now, the scripture that you mentioned, perfect love, casts out fear. I'd like to address that.

>> Don Hawkins: Please talk about 1 John 4.

>> Marty Eisenberger: Yes. so fear, when your, nervous system is just really worked up because you're really afraid about something, there are some tools that you can use. Fear is a challenge. The tools that you can use, start doing slow, deep breathing, because that will calm down your nervous system. I mentioned the vagus nerve, recently, that if you can, there are lots of things that you can do to calm down your vagus nerve. Laughter helps. Humming helps. Singing helps. There's just a whole number of things that you can do to calm down your vagus nerve. But the other thing, the way that perfect love casts out fear, is that when you are afraid, you're just thinking about these horrible, catastrophic thoughts that are really hard to get rid of. And so the thing that you want to try to do is replace them with positive loving thoughts. Sometimes it's hard to really know how to do that. but if you start practicing that, you rewire your brain when you do that. And so the next time you get afraid, you go, oh, I need to do deep breathing. That will help. Okay, I need to try some of these other things for my vagus nerve. And then I will start doing positive thoughts every time I think of a negative one.

>> Don Hawkins: Dr. Minrath and I came up with something. We were working together. We called it dynamic scriptural therapy.

>> Marty Eisenberger: Oh, that's good.

>> Don Hawkins: Memorizing certain Bible verses like perfect love, cast out fear. And, I think about Isaiah 26, 3 and 4. You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you because he trusts in you. And in verse four says, trust in the Lord forever. For in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting peace, our strength. And when we do that, it replaces those fearful thoughts in our mind.

>> Marty Eisenberger: M. There's just one other thing that I want to add about that. I got this idea from reading Carla, McLaren's gift, when she talked about all emotions are a gift. So I started working on the practice of being gift minded. So I would ask myself, okay, gift is a. Fear is a gift. pain is a gift. Anxiety is a gift.

>> Don Hawkins: How, How?

>> Marty Eisenberger: So I started doing research and I would find inspirational quotations, that were helpful for me to understand why anxiety might be a gift. But I think that if you, train your brain to be gift minded, and you can think about, St. Paul when he was in prison, and he, for everything, give thanks, didn't matter what happened, he was thankful for it. That's being gift minded. So if you're. If your brain thinks your gift mind is going, oh, the fear has a gift for me. What's the gift that it has for me?

>> Don Hawkins: And maybe it'll lead to Thanksgiving because things are not as bad as they could be.

>> Marty Eisenberger: Right? And if you. If you go back to this, your scripture about, comforting and learning to comfort others, once you have conquered that, or at least you understand how to lessen so it doesn't control your life. If you share it with others, that just strengthens it in your own life. And everybody benefits from it.

>> Don Hawkins: That's amazing how that encouragement works.

Kathy is calling us from Texas with symptoms of neuropathy

Kathi is calling us from Texas tonight. Good evening, Kathi. How can we help?

>> Jane: Hi. How are you doing?

>> Don Hawkins: Very well, thank you. Go ahead.

>> Jane: I just happen to have my radio on tonight. I don't normally listen on Saturday night. And your program came up up about the the pain.

>> Don Hawkins: Yes.

>> Jane: And I've dealt with neuropathy for. Since 2007.

>> Marty Eisenberger: Oh dear. Sorry.

>> Jane: Pain in the feet. And it's horrific. Sometimes I can't sleep. But also, I have lost two boys.

>> Don Hawkins: You've lost two boys. You're having neuropathy. You have a lot of pain. We have just a couple of minutes. Marty, what would you share with Kathi that might enc.

We call to pray for our friend Kathy who is suffering from foot pain

>> Marty Eisenberger: Well, I guess I'd like to ask you, does anything sound good from what we've said about tools that you might use?

>> Jane: Yeah, there has is there any way I can go back and re. Listen to the program?

>> Don Hawkins: You certainly can. tomorrow night at 9 o' clock central time on the worshipchannel.org and I would encourage you to, to make a note of that. you, you have access to online, correct, Kathi?

>> Jane: Kathi, yes.

>> Don Hawkins: Okay. You and other people who want to learn more about this pain management strategy that we've been learning about from Marty tonight. The worshipchannel.org and it will be on tomorrow night at 9. 00pm Central Time and starts right at 9 o'. Clock. Also Kathi, if you will stay on the line, we're going to pray with you.

>> Kathi: You.

>> Don Hawkins: But I also want to get your mailing address so that we can send you a copy of From Pain to Fear to Bliss. Not From Pain to Fear, but From Pain to Bliss. Right.

>> Marty Eisenberger: And my worksheet.

>> Don Hawkins: And the worksheet, we'll include that as well in the people that we're sending to lead us in prayer, if you will. for our friend Kathi. Marty.

>> Marty Eisenberger: Oh, dear Lord, we, we just pray for Kathi, in her. The loss of her two sons. Sons. And the pain that she's experiencing with the neuropathy in her feet. Would you please bring her, relieve her from her pain, lessen her pain and give her hope for the future. Help her to recover from the loss of her boys and find her way back to joy in her life. may she be transformed. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

>> Don Hawkins: Amen. Thank you calling for calling. Kathi, Great to hear from you. God bless.

>> Jane: Thank you.

Marty: Thank you for joining us tonight. We appreciate what you've shared with us

And can I say something else?

>> Don Hawkins: Well, we're just. I wish you could, but we're really out of time. I wish we had longer. But thank you for calling us in and friend, thank you for joining us tonight. Thank you, Marty. We appreciate what you've shared with us.

>> Marty Eisenberger: Thank you, Don. It's been a pleasure being here.

>> Don Hawkins: Been a joy to have you with us. Friends on encouragement, live.