The dream lied buried deep in their hearts. For they held onto it…year after year. Praying. Hoping. Believing. Surely, the gift of life does not seem too much to ask. Does it? And then it happens. God announces that the dream has been freed from it’s deeply burrowed place. “The Lord took Abram outside and said, “Look […]
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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 […]
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 […]
Why “Back to School Season” is Not Exciting For Some of Us
It happens every year around July 5th…..As we walk into a store, the former 4th of July/Seasonal section transforms in the blink of an eye to shelves filled with notebooks, markers, crayons. Fall beckons even though the temperature bathes us in swelting heat. And the dread begins. School will begin soon. For some parents, the […]