Erik Frederickson

💤 Sleep 💤

One bad night of sleep can jack up your negative emotions by 60%. Sixty percent!

The next day is rough because your amygdala (which plays a key role in your emotional processing) is on overdrive and your cortex (which controls higher-level thinking and conscious decision making) is barely firing.

Protect your sleep, and you’ll need less time to get more done.

Psalm 127:2 "It is vain for you to rise up early,
To sit up late, To eat the bread of sorrows; For so He gives His beloved sleep."

Isolation is far more dangerous than most people realize.

Studies show that loneliness and isolation increase the risk of early death by over 30%, raise the chances of heart disease and stroke by 30%, lead to a 50% higher risk of dementia, and cause higher rates of depression, anxiety, and su***de.

So what’s the solution?

For years, I lived trapped in the dark web of me, myself, and I. The result? I stayed stuck in addiction, suicidal thoughts, and hopelessness on steroids.

How did I escape? The pain finally became too heavy to carry. The truth is, we are not created to bear that kind of weight. It crushes us.

I started by asking for help. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. It is a sign of strength because it means we believe there is a better life waiting for us.

I then made a decision to stop doing life alone. I had already tried that route, and it only led me to hospitals, jails, and institutions. So I made an internal commitment to get connected and step out of the dark cave of isolation. The result? My life slowly but surely was launched into the light.

It was a process, breaking free from thirteen years of lies, but the more I pushed past my insecurities and surrendered my own way, the more momentum I gained toward God’s promises for my life.

Today, I live in the freedom I never knew was possible. This is the freedom Christ purchased on that old rugged cross, the same freedom available to all of us. It begins with a choice, and as we choose His reality for our lives, we receive His promises.

He loves you, and His way will give you the deepest desires of your heart.

🚨ARE YOU A VICTIM, OR A VICTOR?🚨

What questions are you asking God and yourself when challenges come?

❗️Victim Mentality❗️

Why is this happening to me?
Why can’t I ever catch a break?
Are things ever going to go my way?
God, why are you doing this to me?

❗️Victorious Mentality❗️

What are the possibilities in this situation?
God, how can I partner with You in what You’re doing here?
What can I learn from this?
What’s the solution to the challenge I’m facing?

You can let fear defeat you, or let faith fuel you to victory. The choice is yours.

Late last night, I returned from a 10-day trip to the war-torn country of Ukraine. To say it changed me is an understatement. Summarizing it all in one post would be impossible, but I want to share a few thoughts.

We live in the greatest nation that has ever existed, yet many choose only to criticize it. Is America perfect? Of course not. But the freedoms and safety we enjoy are unlike anything most of the world will ever know.

If you were in Ukraine and saw the pain in a widow’s eyes as she sobbed while you prayed for her, you’d be more grateful for America. If you handed food to hundreds of refugees who whispered “thank you” through tears, you’d be more grateful. If you sat with a grieving mother whose son was killed on the front lines of a war he never wanted, you’d be profoundly grateful to live in this country.

Being an American doesn’t make me better than anyone else, but it should make me more thankful. And that gratitude should move me to love and serve those who don’t share the same privileges we so often take for granted.

We are blessed. And blessing should always lead us to serve others.

Madame C.J. Walker (1867–1919) is recognized in the Guinness Book of Records as the first female American self-made millionaire. She was also the first in her African American family to be born free, and she rose to become a powerful, influential businesswoman during a time when women (especially black women) faced constant opposition.

Her journey began with a severe scalp infection, made worse by limited access to doctors and medicine. Instead of giving in to defeat, she sought answers herself, experimenting with different products and remedies.

She later recalled how her breakthrough came in a dream:

“He answered my prayer, for one night I had a dream, and in that dream a big, black man appeared to me and told me what to mix up in my hair. Some of the remedy was grown in Africa, but I sent for it, mixed it, put it on my scalp, and in a few weeks my hair was coming in faster than it had ever fallen out. I tried it on my friends; it helped them. I made up my mind to begin to sell it.”

Madame Walker didn’t sit around in despair, nor did she allow the prejudice of her era to hold her back. She combined prayer with bold action, and her obedience to that dream changed not only her life, but the lives of many others. Over the years, her company employed more than 20,000 women, giving them financial independence and new opportunities at a time when few existed. The Madame C.J. Walker Manufacturing Company thrived long after her passing, remaining in business until 1981.

The lesson is clear: within the pressure of your problems lie hidden diamonds. Your struggles may hold the key to solutions, not only for yourself, but for countless others walking through the same challenges. Rise above. Be an overcomer.

When George Washington was a teenager, he taught himself reading, writing, and strangely enough manners. He did this because he wanted to influence influential people and didn’t want to make a fool of himself when the opportunity came.

He committed to greatness long before it ever arrived.

Position yourself for greatness, and when the opportunity comes, you’ll be ready for it.

Thank you Tuscarawas County Bargain Hunter for running this and allowing me to write this. God is doing amazing things in Tuscarawas County.

Faith gathering offers hope in heavy times More than 300 believers gathered in Tuscarawas County for a night of prayer, unity and hope in Christ.

I’ve been running my own life coaching practice for 11 years now. In that time, I’ve worked with hundreds of people in person and thousands more online. Many of my clients have become friends, some of them very close friends.

Coaching isn’t about having all the answers or pretending to be a wisdom-filled magician. It’s about helping people connect with God and their own hearts, clearing out the junk that holds them back, and walking with them as they step into their full potential.

I love what I do, and I’m only just getting started.

If you’re ready to step into your full potential, send me a message. Let’s start the journey together.

If you truly want to change the world for Jesus, remember this: you will face struggles and challenges, sometimes precisely because you’re doing the right thing. You will be gossiped about, misunderstood, and even betrayed.

Yet God will bless you with true brothers and sisters along the way. His peace and joy will always be within reach. His healing grace will always be available. His power will flow through you to transform the spheres of influence He calls you to, and He will bless the work of your hands. His promises are many, and He will fulfill them as you walk with Him.

He is worth it!

“If the song of your life doesn’t have hope in it don’t teach someone else to sing it.”
~Melissa Helser