Pastor Mike Nodland of the Christian Fellowship Church in Vining, IA.

We’ve all cried at one time or another. As an ornery kid, my dad would give me well-deserved, overdue whoopins’ and I’d cry. Or have you laughed so hard that you cried?

Interestingly, the older we get, we tend to cry less. In college, I got ticked off at my dad and said some things I regretted. He heartfully asked for my forgiveness. Instantly, I broke down sobbing. Gasping for breath, I realized I hadn’t cried in many years. Yet, it was a tremendous stress reliever.

Remarkably, substances found in a teardrop are believed to carry unwanted hormones and other chemicals out of the body. Scientists believe that is why having a “real good cry” has an emotional, therapeutic, healing, and cleansing effect.

My strategy as a kid to avoid a major whoopin’ was to start crying before the punishment, screaming and wailing like a pig. My mom would tell me to stop it, or she’d give me something to really cry about!

The fact is, crying reduces stress! Is it ok to cry? The shortest verse in the Bible reads, “Jesus wept!” Overstressed? In a mess? Cry out to Jesus! He’s always there to carry your cares!