Mental Health Meets Faith
They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. (Isa. 61:3) When I think about the woman that I desire to be, rooted is a word that resonates deeply with me. When the storms of life come (and they do), my desire is to be a woman whose roots are dug so deep that I am ultimately unshakeable. I recognize that throughout our lives, every storm, trial, or […]
To bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair (Isa. 61:3) Beauty, joy, praise…. would you say these words describe some of the core ingredients of your life, as it stands today? I can recall long seasons of my life where I felt these words were far from me. There have been times in my life that […]
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners. (Isa 61:1) Jesus read these words in a synagogue on the Sabbath in his hometown of Nazareth (Luke 4:18-19). According to the scripture, He read these words not long after he was […]
Right now, as I type, I am listening to the sound of fireworks going off through the night, as people celebrate our freedom as a nation. This is the perfect kind of day to ponder on things like independence, freedom, and victory. Recently, I was reading in 2 Kings 19 about a time in Israel’s history when the King of Assyria threatened to conquer Israel. In the words that unfold in this account, the people […]
This morning as I was driving to church the beauty of the day struck me. The sky was amazingly bright and blue. I found myself thanking God and filled with joy. Along the ride, I began to notice that up ahead were massive gray clouds that appeared as a wall before me. Even though I was surrounded by blue sky, clouds loomed up ahead. As I arrived at my destination, at first glance, I could no longer see the sun. Dark […]
Recently, I left Home. I use the word Home loosely, as a reference to a place I’ve become quite familiar with and one in which I’ve spent much time throughout my life. It’s been a place of safety, one in which I’ve found comfort. Although it has changed throughout the years, it is a place of predictability. In some ways, it has been a place of stability. I run this place, nothing escapes my notice […]
Wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Freedom. (2 Cor. 3:17) Yesterday was an ordinary day. I woke up, got ready and went to work. I came home relaxed, made dinner and did some house cleaning, just like I do most Wednesday nights. Although yesterday was just an ordinary day, I found myself bursting with joy and gratitude. I found myself content. I found myself loving life and loving myself. Although yesterday was […]
But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. (James 1:6-8) I used to look at this verse so differently. I used to read it something like this: “But when you ask, you better […]
“He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying.” (Matt. 28:6) He isn’t here. He is risen. Risen from the dead. Although He took the sin, the disease, the hurt, the pain, the trauma and the wounds of the whole world, He has risen where He is now seated in the Kingdom of love with our heavenly Father. He has risen. Risen […]
Lately, I have been studying and reading about the brain. Dr. Caroline Leaf has amazing materials regarding brain science and how it correlates to scripture. Right now, I am reading her book The Perfect You, which I highly recommend. Dr. Leaf speaks a lot about how we always have the power to think, choose and feel. Our brains are very amenable to change. By thinking about what we are thinking about, we have the power […]