Steps to Freedom (From Depression, Anxiety, Fear)

A Step.  At another point in my walk to Freedom, I started getting a 'hunger' for humour and laughter. I would seek out books, TV programmes, stuff on the Internet, that would feed me the humour/laughter I was suddenly seeking.

Part of me thought, wouldn't it be a good idea to open up a small shop selling stuff just about humour. I would look in bookshops in the city where I live and was startled by the absence or tiny amount of books on humour. We live in such a serious critical age.

Having been brought up in a home with little laughter. I can hardly ever remember my mother laughing, joking, signing, etc. Life was all doom, gloom, and arguements (with family, neighbours, etc). 
My dad used to like a god laugh, or we'd like the same comedy on TV, but gradually, my mother crushed my fathers spirit. I sometimes wonder if that was why he became more withdrawn in later life, evetually succumbing to Vascular Dementia.  
.... just a thought.

Another Step.  This same brother (iC) once said to me, " tell me --- how is your Love Tank doing?" 

"What??"
" Your Love Tank!". He gave me a book to read on "Love Languages" and how we all need Love, from the moment we are born. We all need Love and nurturing if we are going to grow into thriving, well balanced individuals. This book was for Adults (and couples), but the author went on to write one for Children, or more accurately, to help guide parents to Fill their childrens Love tank.
Again, I found it a struggle to get through the book, because of the low Love tank from my childhood years, coupled with the aggressive, bullying company I had been working for for 20+ years.

I've found a Vimeo link to Dr Gary Chapman on "The 5 Love Languages of your Children"
      https://vimeo.com/38286218  (copy and paste this)

For some, it might be hard to listen to, or to restore the way our parent/s interacted with us as children. But it may help those of you with children to prevent the same repeated cycle continuing down the generations.

For those of you with empty Love Tanks. There is One who loves you MORE than anyone in the world can love you. Seek out and call to Him, to show you His Love and let Him start to fill that tank full to overflowing with Love, Joy and Peace. !!

A Huge step towards Freedom:   Some time after learning who Jesus truly was, and giving my life to him, repenting of all my wrong doing, thinking, etc [sin] and inviting Him into my life, I still seemed to have have some difficulties and struggles. It was like I was still carrying some baggage, which I couldn't seem to be free of.
A more mature lady in our church [free evangelical charismatic], noted that my wife would be in tears quite often. After some dialogue, her and her husband suggested me and my wife should meet them for a chat. This turned into what I could best be called 'Christian Counselling'. We met once a week and all the focus of conversation was on ME. Through Prayer and conversation, they believed that the route cause of my wife's grief, was due to my struggles. 
After a few weeks meeting in our home, the couple independently and together realised MY problem, was that I was holding on to deep anger, hurt and bitterness at [many] people who 'hurt me' in my past.
Eventually, they told me to write a list of all the people I thought had hurt me [mostly emotionally] in the past. This was not for any other eyes. When I had done this, they told me, "now we are going to ask you to do something difficult, but is the easier of a 2 part process. 
I wasn't looking forward to this bit.
They told me to stand.."now tell the Lord you Totally Forgive them of anything they have said or done to you"!! and say it like you mean it. This was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. 

I managed to summon up enough strength to go through this process. After I had done that, the lady said "Good. Now ask the Lord to Bless all those people [by name] and say it like you mean it"!!

That REALLY WAS the hardest thing I've ever had to say in my life.

But after I'd done that. it really felt like a massive weight had been taken off my shoulders. I even felt like I had grown an inch or two. It really did. Even my wife said ' it really does look like you've grown an inch.

I had been set free of my chains of bondage and healed of a few more stripes.

Watch the Greatest living teacher I've ever heard or had the privilege of seeing at a Men's Conference.

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaPePGFOB-8