Have you sighed today? Stressed and overwhelmed during the flood recovery process
It's funny how much everyone sighs.
Yes, the release of air. The stress reducer. When someone breathes in, it must come out. A big push of air is often a sign of stress relief.
If you are stressed or overwhelmed right now. Start by taking a slow, deep breath, holding it, and then letting it out slowly activates your nervous system, responsible for controlling how the body rests and digests.
By doing this your heart rate slows, blood pressure drops, digestion is improved and the mind begins to wind down and relax.
Last Friday was the beginning of a devastating time in Northwest Iowa. Starting with flooding in the region after heavy rain. It’s hard to believe what images we’ve seen. The one thing I’ve noticed after talking with so many residents, government officials, emergency volunteers, and even the police chief who gave me a ride to see some of the damage firsthand was sighing like he’d never sighed before.
People are running off hours of sleep working to get people answers, into their homes, and items that can help with the recovery process now.
If you are reading this and you feel overwhelmed I invite you to sigh. SIGH big for your mental health’s sake.
We will witness great sorrow and woe, but God is pleased when He sees us wholeheartedly interceding with prayers for others and going to him in our time of stress and need.
“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for all people. For kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.” - 1 Timothy 2:1-2
Iowa Writers Collaborative "Office Lounge" coming up this Friday
A perk for paying subscribers
TODAY is the last Friday of the month, which means the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative is holding its monthly lunchtime Zoom meeting for paying subscribers. We call this the “Office Lounge,” named after a downtown bar that was a popular hangout for Des Moines Register staff back in the day.
If you pay to subscribe to any of our columnists—we have more than 50 now!—you are invited to join this virtual meeting. It’s a chance to interact with writers and readers who are part of our community. The meeting runs from noon until 1:00 pm, and we always leave plenty of time for questions or suggestions.
If you are a paying subscriber to this newsletter, you’ll find the Zoom link at the bottom of this message, after the full list of columnists. If have donated to support Bleeding Heartland’s work in a different way—using a credit card, PayPal, Patreon, Venmo, or a personal check—email me for the Zoom link, and I will send it to you.
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Hope to see you Friday at noon!