Guidelines For Balancing
Nurture and Ministry
Floyd L. Marshall
Coordinator, Prison Ministries
Washington Conference
Seventh-day Adventist Prison Ministries
Volunteers play a vital role in offender
management in prisons and jails.
Matthew 25:36 “I was in prison and you
came to visit me”.
As we seek to lead these offenders into a
relationship we Christ we are also serving as
role models to them.
Recently, TV Judge Greg Mathis stated that
“more than one in every 100 Americans are
in prison or jail”.
This certainly tells us of the
magnitude of our responsibility as
Prison Ministries Volunteers.
It can therefore be overwhelming.
In our effort to be obedient to the
commission found in Matthew 25: 36 we
must strive to seek that balance between
nurture and ministry.
Effective stress management must therefore
be a priority not only for Prison Ministry
Volunteers but for all involved in Personal
Ministries.
STRESS
What is stress?
“Stress is the body's automatic way of
reacting to the changes, challenges
and demands placed on us as part of
being alive”.
Stress
As long as we are alive, there will be
challenges, changes and demands. There
will be stress.
Eustress
Not all stress is bad. There is the good
stress which is called “eustress”. This is
healthy stress. It helps us to feel
emotionally and physically well. This
helps us to achieve and grow .
Eustress
• Gives you the push you need
• Increases your self-confidence
• Gives you a sense of purpose
Distress
Unhealthy Stress is called distress.
Stressors
Where does stress come from? Stressors
“Stressors can be broadly defined as the
external demands of life or the internal
attitudes and thoughts that require us to
adapt”.
Stressors
Stressors can be events, circumstances,
places, people, feelings or attitudes.
Stressors
We are all subject to stressors; the amount
of stress we experience depends on how we
react to them.
Stressors
Stressors do not cause stress. It is our
reaction to them that cause stress.
Stress and disease
Prolonged stress can affect health. The
World Health Organization estimates that
80% of all illnesses are directly or indirectly
caused by stress.
Stress and disease
• Hypertension
• Coronary heart disease
• Migraine headaches
• Tension headaches
• Depression
• Ulcers
Managing Stress
Albert Ellis (Psychologist), discovered that
emotionally distress people have ‘irrational
thoughts”
Their thinking is not accurate or reasonable.
Ellis’ Rational Emotive Therapy
• A = Activating Events
• B = Beliefs, thoughts, attitudes
• C = Consequences, behaviors
Rational Emotive Therapy
• Examine your beliefs about A (Event)
• Put your beliefs on trial. Are they
reasonable or not? Are they rational?
• Replace irrational and unhealthy beliefs
with rational and healthy beliefs.
Rational Emotive Therapy
When irrational beliefs (B) are replaced with
rational beliefs the consequences or
behaviors (C) will be positive and
productive.
Managing Stress
• Exercise regularly. When we are in good
physical condition, we have a greater
capacity to resist stress and strain.
Managing Stress
• Balance work with play
• Manage your time. Do important things
first and realize that you cannot do
everything at one time.
• Learn to relax
Managing Stress
• Investigate your attitudes and beliefs
• Get enough rest
• Eat a balance diet, nourish your body with
the nutrients it needs to combat stress.
Manage Stress
• Think Positively , engage in positive selftalk.
• Have a sense of humor. Laughing relaxes
our facial muscles, shoulders, and arms.
Stress is a fact of life, but it need not be a
way of life. By using the methods listed
above you will be able to cope with stress
and begin to use your stress for positive
purposes.
Let us remember that God wants us to
enjoy good health.
“Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy
good health and that all may go well with
you, even as your soul is getting along well.
3 John 1: 2 (NIV)