It’s that time of year again. Time for Shark Week on cable, when everyone is dreaming of being at the beach, but afraid of what is lurking just below the surface. Those deadly predators can turn what was meant to be a trip of happiness into a time of fear.

Do you ever wake up and immediately have negative thoughts of defeat that seem to say, “Today is going to be a disaster. Why even bother? Nothing is ever going to change.” If so, you are not alone. It’s like you’re being attacked by sharks swimming around your brain trying to consume your peace and joy.

The truth is, you will never have a positive life if you have a negative mind.

I’ve noticed a recent spike in the number of cases of celebrity suicides. You may know someone who seems to be experiencing depression, or maybe it’s even you. If you need immediate help, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255. I describe suicide as a permanent solution to a temporary problem, which means, whatever problem you are facing today can be resolved, but you must be around and alive to experience it.

How you think impacts how you live. Worry drains you. Doubt makes you second guess your decisions. Fear keeps you from reaching your potential. These kinds of deadly thoughts lay a foundation for a discouraged life. This terrible trend is a call to action for us to address how our thinking can change from feelings of despair to thoughts of hope for the future.

That’s why I’m so excited about our brand new message series called, Think Tank. In this new series, you’ll learn to defeat destructive thoughts once and for all by “take hold of every thought and make it obey Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5).” Over the course of this series, we will discover the process of how you can recognize, reject, replace, and retrain so that you can win the battle for your thoughts.

You’re invited to join us at The Connection Church on Sundays in August to develop your thought life in a way that sets you up to win in the Think Tank!