I see a trend in the Church that troubles me. The response of much of the Church to mental illness is to over-spiritualize both the problems and the solutions.
No shame to ask for prayer.
The thing is, it’s not like faking being sick to get out of school or work. I’ve been having to fake being well.
Negative self-talk and other perils of life.
As Christians, we believe that we are created in the image of God and that God loves us unconditionally. However, sometimes we forget this truth and allow negative self-talk to take over our minds. This is a pretty nasty deal.
Return to wholeness.
Through my service in Christian ministry for 40+ years, I’ve seen so many believers stall out in their faith – they spend their days frustrated, defeated, and even desperate. Broken, in other words. The fulfilling Christian life that others seem to experience eludes them.I know what I’m talking about – you could count me among that number.
7 things out of my control (Part 1).
There are some things that take up too much headspace for me – specifically, things that are out of my control. I realized when I started writing this particular blog that I had way too much to share in just one sitting. So this will be continued next time, okay? (Teaser!) Fact is, there are […]
Brokenhearted: A biblical meditation.
Look. I don’t know of anyone who would willingly choose to experience a broken heart. The jaw-dropping reality, and what all my ponderings today hinge on, is that Jesus willingly suffered and died in our place so that He could reign as high priest in heaven.
He knows just exactly what it’s like to be brokenhearted. He’s been there. Isn’t that something?
10 things never to say with someone dealing with mental health issues.
Here are 10 things never to say with someone dealing with mental health issues I can’t find the quote or source, but it goes something like this: “Some people pretend to be sick. Those with mental health issues pretend to be well.” Depression, anxiety, fears … they are part of the human experience. Fact is, […]
When you just don’t care anymore.
“I don’t care” is an alien phrase for me. Lord knows that I tend to care too much, if that’s possible. Or, maybe, I don’t care in the way I should.
The Dead Parents Society.
Are you a member of the Dead Parents Society?
What is odd was that I’ve found that leaning into grief is more helpful than ignoring it or tucking it away. It sounds morbid to talk about embracing pain, but that may be part of the healing process.
I am a hot mess.
“I am a hot mess.” You ever feel that way? The ever helpful Merriam -Webster Dictionary defines hot mess as 1 informal : something or someone that is emphatically a mess: such as a: something in a state of extreme disorder or disarray, and b: a disorganized, disheveled, or self-destructive person So there’s the official word. For […]
Why am I stressed out?
“I’m stressed out.” You ever said that? Is that where you’re living right now? I watch people I know and love in recent days teeter on the verge of a “come apart” (and if you’re not a Southerner, I don’t know if that communicates well. If you’re one of my foreign readers, it just means that you are about to break down, have a fit, or conniption, or whatever.) They are legitimately stressed out.
Stop pretending.
I can’t cite the source (someone want to help me?) but I recall reading somewhere that one out of five of us will struggle with some sort of mental illness in our lifetimes. If this isn’t an issue for you, it most likely is for someone you know. It’s okay to struggle. Stop pretending if you do struggle.