Her words resonate deeply within me. Author/speaker Jen Hatmaker says, “Lord, teach me to parent the child I have, not the child I was or the kids I thought I would have.” For me, the struggle between expectation and reality became a fierce game of tug and war. For my husband and me, the birth […]
Help! This was not in the book!
How You Can Help a Family With a Child Who is Affected by Mental Illness
Families with a child affected by a mental/neurological disorder often live a chaotic and stress filled existence. Often, the struggle is invisible to the public. Unknown to even neighbors, a series of chronic storms erupt inside the home. Furthermore, stigmas make seeking support challenging. Parents struggle to give time to all of their children […]
To the People Who Embrace My Daughter: Depression, Anxiety, and All
Words barely express the ways your actions have breathed life into my daughter. Movement into unknown territory involves risks. Your willingness to do that does not go unnoticed. Connecting with her isn’t easy. I know that. As you know, she’s not one of those outgoing social butterfly types. She’s an observer. In addition, her mental […]
Soul Care-After an Unexpected Descent Into Depression
Without warning, I found my mental state rapidly shifting. For one week in late March, it seemed to spin out of my control. Increasing anxiety gripped my soul, its force building stronger each day. Suddenly, the anxiety transformed into a deep depression. Never had I felt such a heaviness pressing upon me. After a few […]
Regarding Mental Health: How the Church Can Be Supportive
T This piece was originally posted on http://forum.covquarterly.com/how-can-the-church-be-supportive-a-response-to-amy-simpson/ in response to an article published in The Covenant Quarterly. Amy Simpson’s article, “Supporting Families Living With Mental Illness” resonated deeply with me. Her story speaks of a journey that many walk in silence; one with which I am all too familiar. I am ordained in the […]
To the People Who Embrace My Daughter: Depression, Anxiety, and All
Words barely express the ways your actions have breathed life into my daughter. Movement into unknown territory involves risks. Your willingness to do that does not go unnoticed. As you know, she’s not one of those outgoing social butterfly types. She’s an observer. In addition, her mental illness makes identifying and controlling emotions challenging. She realizes […]
