Mental Health Meets Faith
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of the world but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. (Rom. 12:2) One night as I was dozing off into sleep, an image came to my mind of one of those old computers, the kind that extended from floor to ceiling and took up a […]
I’ll fight to be a woman with a little girl’s heart. -Joanna Gaines You have received the “Spirit of full acceptance,” enfolding you into the family of God. And you will never be orphaned, for as he rises up within us, our spirits join him in saying the words of tender affection, “Beloved Father!” For the Holy Spirit makes God’s fatherhood real to us as he whispers into our innermost being, “You are God’s beloved child!” (Rom. […]
And now what the law code asked for, but we couldn’t deliver is accomplished as we, instead of redoubling our own efforts, simply embrace what the Spirit is doing in us. Those who think they can do it on their own end up obsessed with measuring their own moral muscle but never get around to exercising it in real life. Those who trust Gods action in them find that God’s Spirit is in them-living breathing God! (Rom. […]
Perfect love. Perfect love expels all fear. (1 John 4:18) I’ve known a lot of imperfect love in my lifetime. Conditional love, selfish love, love that wasn’t really love at all. I’ve known what it is to fear being intimately known, to be known with all my faults, my fears, my insecurities. I’ve known what it’s like to fear that if my weaknesses and vulnerabilities were to be uncovered, I’d be abandoned…rejected, alone. I have been blessed beyond […]
Have you ever gotten caught up in a season of life where you feel like nothing ever changes? Have you ever felt disappointed due to thoughts that you should be somewhere different or doing something different than you are right now? Have you ever felt shameful of your progress, wondering why you haven’t achieved more, healed more, etc.? I think we have all been there at one point or another. This week I have been mediating on this […]
Recently, I wrote a creative piece entitled Letting Go of Control and Splashing into Life. This piece was birthed out of a recent experience I had, during which I felt the Lord speaking to me about the role control has played in my life. This was not a new theme for me, as I have dealt with “control freak” tendencies over the span of my life. However, it did uncover a new layer of a familiar subject and brought […]
I stand at the precipice of all that’s comfortable and familiar. Around me are trees that tower over me. They create shade that block out discomfort. Through their leaves and branches, I can still see glimpses of light streaming through. The shade keeps me from experiencing the full strength of the sun and keeps everything around me shrouded just enough that I can hide away in my comfort zone. As I stare out over the edge of the cliff, […]
I’m a girl who knows what it’s like to be led around by my feelings. Prior to getting married, I came to grips with the fact that I struggled (hard) with anxiety and had for all of my life. I pursued therapy, talked with friends, and started processing the sorts of things that lead to fear dominating my life. It was the beginning of my healing journey, and it has been a transformative experience. However, for a long while, […]
With a clear purpose and destination in mind, I continue my journey. As I travel, the way becomes unclear. Before me is dense fog and confusion enters my mind. The thought, “You are lost. You’re too far gone,” causes fear to spring up into my heart. Still, I hear a gentle whisper declare, “This is the way. Walk in it.” I take another step. Peace washes over me and a bit more of the path comes into view. As I walk, I encounter noise […]
Recently, in worship, I saw an image of myself standing in a completely white-washed room. The accompanying words that I heard within were, “As if it never happened.” Although, I knew this word was for me, I felt it was also a word for the body of Christ. A word for those of us who have borne the marks of trauma, of past wounds, of things that have altered our minds and our daily lives […]