living new Archives • New Nostalgia

Emotional Health/ FAMILY/ Music Renews/ Spiritual

When Grief Hits

Grief.

It is a word my counselor used at the end of our first session, “I see someone who is grieving.”

2015 was a year of grieving. It was a year I lost my voice and this blog took a bit of a standstill, which had not happened since I started it back 2007.

CS Lewis says of grief in A Grief Observed:

“No one ever told me that grief felt so like fear. I’m not afraid, but the sensation is like being afraid. The same fluttering of the stomach, the same restlessness, the yearning. I keep on swallowing.

Other times it feels like being mildly drunk or confused. There is sort of an invisible blanket between the world and me.

I find it hard to take in what anyone says. Or perhaps hard to want to take it in. It is so uninteresting yet I want others to be about me. I dread the moments when the house is empty. If only they would talk to one another & not me.”

This puts words to what I was feeling. Grief brought on anxiety and the enemy ran with it. I lost who I was as I became a person with no words to type.

I felt like another person as my introverted self who was used to craving moments of a quiet, empty home now felt lost, I didn’t know what to do in the silence.

I was coming out of grief after years of fighting cancer and multiple surgeries and medications and all the loss that it brings. I was embracing what it was to live new.

But then my hardest of hard grief hit, grief over our sweet daughter whose story took an unexpected and abrupt turn and hit extra hard due to her young age.

Her story is her story and will not be told in full here, but illness of her own took over our girl and she was not recognizable to us, or herself. A severity of illness, taking us all by surprise, and into a battle that felt much harder than my previous cancer battle.

Mess with me, I can deal, at least so far. Mess with my precious baby, and I battled hard to stay strong through her battle, but in the end, anxiety sank me.

I wrote about the sinking here, and along with my prolonged anxiety, I found also found myself in a pool of sadness, swimming in grief. Anxiety and depression can often go hand in hand.

I am acquainted with anxiety, but never of that severity & had not experienced it accompanied with depression. Deep sadness was a new experience for me.

Together anxiety and depression are a brutal duet that brought my life music & happiness to a halt. It was survival time. I was a survivor learning what survival really meant.

Ecclesiastes says there is a time for everything. A time to weep. A time for grief.

Those months of grieving in 2015 were long and hard. I look back and remember the tears that would just appear sudden and silent, falling down my cheeks anytime I would hear the words “how are you?” My mouth would open but tears would replace words and I would try to answer but mostly kept silent & went inward.

I could not hold the flow back. It was not a sobbing type of tear, but a quiet, constant flow that would just come whenever I would try to speak of my inward pain–which was almost never–unless someone asked those 3 words “how are you?”

The words would be asked and there were the brave that would continue to come toward and were able to get me to talk even while tears flowed. I remember the saltiness of tears tasted when I would open my mouth and speak.

I remember the relief I felt after months passed, medications were found, and I could speak without the saline taste of tears.

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens….a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance… Ecclesiastes 3:1,4

I think of the song, the one below:

Turn Turn Turn

A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep

A time to build up, a time to break down
A time to dance, a time to mourn
A time to cast away stones, a time to gather stones together

This summer, 2016, for me, has been one of dancing & laughing, but I will not soon forget what it is to mourn & grieve. I know God bottles our tears & will not waste a single one.

I know there is meaning and purpose in pain when one knows the kindness of their Maker & chooses to turn their tear-stained face to Him.

God and His promises were the only lasting hope I could find while grieving, and it was one that held. I was held.

Are you grieving? Know that Your Maker loves you so very much, and holds you and your tears, too.

Remember: there is a time for everything, and as the world turns so does everything and relief will come as all turns, turns, turns. Remember while in the spinning He’s got the whole world and YOU in His hands.

{Turn, Turn, Turn by The Byrds}

Update: Since writing this post, I have learned that a sweet friend’s cancer has returned & I find myself reading these words I wrote about grief and thinking hers.

Yes, this is a summer of dancing for me, but I still and enter into the spinning grief of others, for we are made to mourn with those who mourn and I do. My heart is so sad for her.

Will you pray for my sweet friend? She has 2 young kids and wants to see them grow up. I won’t share her name here but God knows it and when you speak of her and lift her up to Him. I would be so appreciative if you do.

…………..

More From New Nostalgia:

Severe Anxiety Symptoms – Words From My Journal

14 Ways To Find Relief From Severe Anxiety

Top 5 Ways To Relieve Stress

Going There–Mental Illness

PMDD Seeking Treatment

FAMILY/ Featured

My Favorite Necklace & Why I Get One Every Year

{this post is was written for my one word of 2015. Stay tuned for an upcoming post with my one word for this year!}

Every year I choose one word to keep close to my heart throughout the year. This year my word is ‘COMPLETE,’ and I literally keep it close to my heart by wearing it on a special necklace. I have a tradition of getting a one word necklace each year with my ‘word’ on it from our dear Krafty Kash, and it is always so special to me.

Let me tell you why I chose the word ‘COMPLETE.’

Almost 1 year ago I was at a conference called Refresh My Heart that was put on here in Nebraska by my friend Lelia Chealey. I was looking forward to the retreat for so many reasons. My sweet pink sister Karen, whom I met through this blog, was coming all the way from California to be with me and attend the retreat. She was there to support, for I was speaking on “How To Fully Live While Facing Death.” I am a two-time cancer survivor, one whose chances of living a long life has been cut short by cancer.

When we arrived to the conference, at the sign in table there were tiny little boxes that had each of our names on them. We were to carry them with us and NOT to open them until we were told. The anticipation was super fun and I wondered what was in the box…

…I’m writing about my one word choice from last year over at Krafty Kash today. Join me for the rest of the story of how I am living ‘complete’ & to see how the necklace looks on me over there?

………………..

Want your own one-word necklace? There is a great deal going on now. Use olw2016 for to receive 20% off your order. The offer is good through 1/18/16.

FAMILY/ Spiritual/ Sponsored/ Uncategorized

Really Living In The Dash | Where Hope Grows Movie

“This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Godspeed Pictures, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #wherehopegrowsmoviehttp://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV”

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to preview a super inspirational and touching movie called “Where Hope Grows.”

It is a movie about redemption, faith, love and hope. It was exactly what my heart needed.

“Where Hope Grows” is about an ex-baseball player, Calvin Campbell, who is also an alcoholic and pretty much ruining his relationship with his adorable teenage daughter. While grocery shopping, he bumps into a kid named Produce who has a disability, Down Syndrome to be exact, and is intrigued by how happy he always is. They end up slowly building a friendship, and through that hope, faith, & love abound.

There were many touching moments in the movie, (even a touch of romance) but a moment that really got to my heart was when Campbell asked Produce, while shopping at the grocery store,

“How Are You Doing?”

Produce answered:

“I’m Doing Good, Even When I’m Doing Bad, I’m Doing Good.”

Oh be still my heart. My heart just melted when he said that because it reminded me of my sweet nephew who has autism–what one would consider a disability. Over the last year before my sister put him on a special diet, he had severe tummy aches. You could tell he was in so much pain, and he would stop his day to cry out, but then his little resilient self would go back to what he was doing and in no time his smile would com back. Even when he was doing bad, he was doing good.

My nephew is 4 and really amazing when it comes to learning to speak well. Every time I see him I’m amazed at his communication skills. That phrase above, the one that says “Even when I’m doing bad, I’m doing good,” I can just hear my nephew saying that someday when he is older because that is the type of human being he is growing into. Thanks to the great love of his parents and our great God, he has this smile that just never quits, and a heart that is just full of joy. Oh how I love him…can you tell?

I learn so much from my nephew’s resilience, and I learned much from this movie.

I’ve been struggling quite a bit the last few months with physical symptoms related to medications I have to take due to my cancer history. It has been really, really rough and continues to be on certain days. I have not talked a whole lot about it here at the blog as it has just been too raw to do that yet, but I do talk a lot about living new and living well here at New Nostalgia and although I am doing my best to do just that, I sure needed the inspiration this movie brought. It was a beautiful reminder that optimism goes a long way, that choosing joy is possible when you have faith that God will work all things out for the good of His children, and that redemption is always offered no matter what ones’ life looks like or feels like.

If you too, need some inspiration, or just want to see a movie that is uplifting and joy-giving, view the movie trailer below and make sure you check your local theaters for availability and showtimes and go see the movie! The movie comes out May 15th.

At the very end of the movie, I was struck with what was said. They were talking about how life is meant to be lived and how there are dates on a tombstone that everyone will have, we will all have a start date and an end date, but we also all get a dash. We must make that dash count. We must live, really live.

Here’s to living, truly living, in the dash!

Counting Gifts/ FAMILY/ Featured

My New Way Of Counting Gifts

Thanks to Ann Voskamp’s book One Thousand Gifts, I have been counting gifts for years.

The most helpful time to count gifts was when I was going through cancer treatment. I know during that trying time it helped immensely to focus on the blessings in life. I even got my girls involved and we together we looked for ‘treasures’ to count. The good even in the bad.

When I become mindful of all of the wonderful things there are to discover in a day, it changes me. It changes my attitude, my heart, & my perspective. It is hard to have a bad day when you are looking for gifts to write down.

I love having and using tools to help this process. The camera in my phone is one such tool. I often take photos of things I see as blessings, big or small, and store them on Instagram. I call them ‘Captured Life Tidbits‘ –they are just all the ‘goodies’ of life that I find beautiful. I have also used the notes app in my phone to list gifts, but I found I’m more successful when they are written on paper.

I’ve been thinking a lot about listing the gifts and being faithful in keeping track of them day by day. Because it has been on the forefront of my mind, I was delighted to find the perfect tool for listing all the wonderful tidbits of life.

Enter Moleskine 2015 Weekly Diary/Planner

I am a huge Moleskine fan, and have over 10 Moleskine journals that I have written in throughout the years. They are a well-made classic. I know there are so many cute journals out there, but I’m a pretty simple girl who loves plain & classic. I picture how a journal will look lined up on a bookcase, and I always end up grabbing a simple Moleskine.

I’ve always bought the hard cover journals, but lately I’ve been crushing on their soft cover journals that come in a package of 3. I keep them in my bag. I use my phone note app for a lot of things, but for certain things (like my Christmas list) I like having a paper journal to write in.

The 2015 Moleskine Weekly Diary/Planner

It has the perfect amount of space to list gifts each day. The new 2015 journal gives you a few days before the new year to start, which I have taken full advantage of.

I will pull it out of my bag during the day when I am at home, and have it in a central location or close by to jot down a gift when I notice one. I will also take it with me in my bag for on- the- go gift listing, but if I forget to grab it, I use Siri to help me list the gifts while I’m on the car or out and about. I then grab my journal right before bed and transfer any lists of gifts that i mad during the day on my phone. It then is right there by my bed when I wake up, ready for me to find my perspective for the new day.

Can you see why I need something that is well made and durable? This book will be by my side and on the move all year!

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So there is my plan.

What do you think?

Have you ever counted and listed the amazing goodie- tidbit gifts of life?

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Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.

Emotional Health/ Kids/Family/ Spiritual

On Fall, Life, Family Dinners, Homeschooling, Health, Husband & Winter

Sometimes I just want to reach across this computer divide and see your faces and touch your hands and say a genuine hello. To this day, I am in awe of the fact that thousands of you visit this little corner of the world-wide web and care to check in a see what I’m up to here at New Nostalgia.

I decided to take a break from the usual posts and just take a day to check in, say Hello, and open up my heart and life.

I sure wish we could have a two-way conversation, but since the closest thing we come to that is on Facebook or Twitter or your words in the comments, I will just blab today and fill you in a bit on life. I sure would love you to blab back in the comments or any of my social media channels. Please do!

Fall Weather Bliss

I live in the Midwest and the fall weather has me in awe everyday! The trees seem especially beautiful this year, the oranges, reds, pinky maroons, yellows and greens. It has been absolutely breathtaking. For me, the beauty of nature is a constant reminder of the Creator & how He just cares for the details and makes all things beautiful in time. Our weather has been amazing and I just can’t get over it! It places this unexplainable joy in my heart every time I’m out and about, and can make the hardest of days beautiful again. Why am I surprised that God’s ever-changing art can do that?

I Live In My Car

Speaking of “out and about” I –as I’m sure many of you– feel like I am in my car more often than not lately. Todd and I have always been very careful to keep balance when it comes to our kids extracurricular activities & involvement in anything away from home. That was much easier to do when they were younger. Our girls are now 15, 13 & 11 and their lives are full! Cross-country running, soccer, youth group, guitar lessons, tutoring & more.

It feels busier than I’d like it to be, but honestly it feels right for this season. I find myself so thankful for their gifts, talents, abilities and the amazing friends God has graciously given to my 3 lovelies. These are the blessings that keep them busy, and for that I am thankful.

A Recommitment To Family Dinners at The Table

Despite the busyness, I have recommitted to family dinners at the table. I find that we are able to eat at the table at least 3 times a week, and that is better than none! Even if there are only 3 of the 5 of us home (many times Todd and my youngest are off at soccer practice right at dinnertime) I still commit to calling them to the table to eat. For awhile we lost this simple but powerful routine. I have a daughter who has been walking through some hard emotional things included a Sensory Processing Disorder (which I will be posting about in the future) and there was a period of time where it was just too hard to even be at the table together. I am so thankful for direction from above in treating our sweet girl and that she is now capable of joining the family at the table in a healthy manner. If you find yourself in a crisis situation with one of your kids, let me encourage you that it will not last forever. Do your best, Momma’s, and fight for your kids. Provide as much support for them as you can, and when you cannot, pray your hearts out. God is there and hears our Momma- heart- prayers for our children.

{photo taken of my Colsie girl by Laurie Cosgrove}

Me? A Homeschool Mom?

This sweet daughter I speak of is now homeschooling. Sitting in a classroom caused much suffering for her before we found treatment for her, and it was a necessity to pull her out. I myself homeschooled during my high school years, and have always said God did not bless me with the abilities it would take to homeschool my children. I wrote it off as something I would never do. Friends, I recommend never saying never!

I do know myself well and after a couple of weeks of trying to do it myself, we recognized we needed more help for our girl. My amazing Mother-in-Law and Sister-in-Law have come to our rescue and committed to teaching my girl. They are both teachers – so honestly we couldn’t be more taken care of. We split her time up between the two 5 mornings a week, and I get her in the afternoons for other things like physical activity, photography class & reading time. It is working beautifully. I cannot tell you how relieved I am. I cannot tell you what a gift it is to have these two amazing women in my Colsie’s daily life. Not only am I not a natural teacher, but adding the dynamics of her disorder just made it feel impossible to school her myself. God is in the business of providing, and even calls himself by that very name –Provider. It has been a long and stressful process of finding the best life for my girl, but God has been there every step of the way. He is very much our faithful Provider.

My Physical Health

The last couple months have brought quite a bit of turmoil when it comes to my health. My cancer is still in remission, but the ongoing treatment I need has proven itself very challenging. 7 months ago I switched cancer meds and honestly it has rocked my world. Just recently I switched again due to unbearable joint pain I was having. These meds mess around with hormones, and if you are a woman you know hormones are never a fun thing to mess around with. Not only did I switch cancer meds, but also at the same time switched mood meds, as they also had side effects of joint pain. Friends, that month and 1/2 of detoxing from meds and slowly getting back on new ones were hard. Excruciatingly hard. Hard on my body, hard on my mental health, and especially hard on my family. I am on my way back up and doing so much better. Joint pain is almost nonexistent, which feels like a miracle! Before, I felt joint pain in joints I didn’t even know I had! My feet, ankles, hip & elbow and shoulders all hurt beyond and affected me much more that I even realized, especially on those rainy days when weather changes made them all double- flare. I am so relieved to be relieved of this pain.

My Mental Health

As far as my mental health, I am due for a post to fill you in, but we are still in the process of figuring out what is best for me right now. What I can tell you is that God Works All Things Out For Our Good, especially the very hardest of things. The last few months have been super humbling to say the least, and so painful that we had to bring my in-laws into the loop to help us get through it. Their gentleness and mercy toward me was the most beautiful picture of how God deals with us. They have seen me at my lowest & instead of running away, they moved towards me with a love that showed me they are for me and willing to walk through the hard. They have been a huge part of keeping our family healthy and whole. They have gently led me in a direction I needed to go and provided the means to get there.

It is still early in this process of discovery and healing when it comes to me…and I cannot wait to share with you how we are finding answers. Sometimes it takes a humbling, a bringing down to our knees, before we can clearly see the direction we need to go. This is what has happened with me recently & though it was painful, I am so THANKFUL. I am finding the best answers for what is needed and I am feeling pretty giddy excited about God’s revelation and provision–given through the help of my sweet in-laws AND with the help of the most gentle and wise psychiatrist. More to come on that in another post.

My Sweet Husband

Oh my sweet Todd. I sit here and tear up when I think of this good, good man and all that he has had to carry. He will be the first to admit he has not always reacted the best in dealing with all of the pain and turmoil in our family..especially that which comes from me. Being an extreme introvert he has a tendency to go inward when life is pressing hard… BUT.. he truly has carried these heavy burdens in a way that is admirable and faithful. He has been through much, has watched both his wife and daughter suffer in different but frightening ways, and his steady faithfulness to me and our family has been a healing gift to me. He has been burden- bearer. He has been provider. He is willing to walk through the hard, admit when he is messing up, and take my hand to try again. It might take him awhile to come out of his inwardness, but he always does. I am forever committed to this good, good man of mine, and I am super excited to be heading upward after being in the valley–hand in hand with my man–for he deserves a dang good view!

My Mentor

I read Titus 2:4,5 years ago. It talks about how the older women in the church should mentor the younger women. I have always loved that concept and idea. I have had a longing and stirring in my heart for a mentor in the form of an older-than-me and wiser-than-me woman for years. I have prayed for this for years. I have even asked a couple of women who I thought might be the perfect match for me, and nothing ever panned out…until recently. My mentors name is Kim and God is so funny how He brings about things. I will fill you in on the fun story in another post, but for now let me just tell you, God can make His purpose come about in strange ways–like elderberry hunting. Yep, forging for elderberries caused my forging for a mentor to be fulfilled.

Needless to say, my Kim has been so perfect for me. She, too, has 3 girls–all beautiful and grown. She has a husband whom she loves dearly, and has walked through much life and gained amazing wisdom in the process. She has taken me straight to God’s Word and I am seeing things in it that I never have before. We. Just. Click. She is one of the most precious gifts I have ever been given. We have only met together 4 times but our hearts are entwined and she has taught me so much already. I can’t help but squeal about it…WEEEEEEE!

If this is a desire of your heart, start asking God for it. He WILL answer in His time. It might be years down the road, but believe me, it will be the most perfect of time.

The Upcoming Winter Season

Usually when one thinks of winter, we think of cold & nature put to sleep. I choose to look toward the winter season ahead with an anticipating excitement. I know God will continue in His faithfulness to our family, and when I think of winter coming, I think of a cozy candlelit home, warm hoodie sweatshirts, and glistening snow. I will use the blanketed snow as a beautiful reminder of how God’s love covers the dead and dying, how seasons come and go, how God promises new mercies everyday, and how He has made and continues to makes us pure-whiter than snow! My prayer is that He would take this hurting, rag-tag- BUT stronger- than- ever family and carry on in His work of refining. It is a scary prayer, to ask to be refined, but I know that His only purpose is to make us ready for the next season, so that we might glisten like snow. A glistening to glorify Him. Only Him.

Spiritual

Relieved. Redeemed. Renewed.

{sign for sale via Dear Lilly}

Inspired by Pastor Clark Sunday Sermon on Ephesians 1, & the hymn “In Christ Alone.”

Happy to be sharing this with ‘Hear It On Sunday, Use It On Monday” with Michelle DeRusha.

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When all else fails, it is You who remains.

My Cornerstone, firm through the fiercest drought and storm

Your opinion of me never changes.

Your grace is lavished.

You have given me every spiritual blessing needed.

You have given and will give all I need to be all you have said I am.

Precious. Princess. Bought. Chosen. Grafted. Adopted.

I chew on this truth, sitting in this place–Your house.

The elements are passed, bread broken.

I hesitate to chew, for when I do, I’m reminded of how you broke.

You know what it is to break.

You know rejection, a broken heart.

Your body splintered

Blood poured out, God’s wrath satisfied

I drink, a communion

Remembering what it took to establish this union.

Father, we are one.

Father, make us one

I cry out …make us one.

Lord! Lord! Hear my cry.

Let me feel the release

A precious blood transaction

I reject the lies

Sins grip is loose, an easy slipping through fingers

I am free to let go, grip released

Darkness goes, light comes

I enter the Light room

Yes, I am free, released but held

In Your Hand, never to be plucked out

A God-hand hammock for my heart,

Heart healed with your words, “It is Finished.”

Here I rest, help me find rest

Relieved, Redeemed. Renewed.

You wrap me up

Cacooned in light

I hear your whispers of truth

I am yours, you are mine. We are one.

I remain until released– that day you call me home.

You command my destiny, from my first cry to my last breath.

I will remain.

Lord, help me to remain.

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Christina Grimmie is amazing. Here she is singing my favorite hymn, ‘In Christ Alone’ –her voice blew me away.

Emotional Health/ Kids/Family/ Parenting

Going There — Mental Illness

May is mental illness month, and I couldn’t be more pleased about that. I’ve been wanting to write this post all month–leave it to me to procrastinate until the very end of the month!

Mental illness has become a subject that I have become passionate about. I am passionate about awareness. I am ready to join the brave voices already talking about it.

Where does this passion come from? I myself have fought an anxiety disorder for years, and for way too long– especially in the evangelical community that I identify myself with– it has been something that is not talked about very openly Until now.

I see a movement. I see people getting real with others, opening up about pain and sickness in their lives. I see people finding hope and healing in these conversations that are taking place, and I want to be a part of that. I have been part of that at some women’s conferences I have spoken at, and these said moments are some of the most meaningful of my whole life. Women opening up, exposing their struggle or the struggle of their loved ones, finding hope in each others stories, & trading tried and true ways to get through the many obstacles mental illness creates.

It is about time there is more openness on the subject. Here is why, from Time.com:

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), 60 million Americans experience a mental health condition every year – that’s one in four adults and one in ten children. People of every race, age, religion or economic status are affected. Whether we are aware of it or not, we all know someone who is living with some form of mental illness.

My passion also comes from watching some of my closest family and friends suffer. Some in silence. Some publicly. Some sharing with only the closest of friends. Some too young to even know there is a stigma associated with the label of mental illness– quite frankly–these young ones are the bravest and most inspiring. A young teen, one so dear to my heart, who in a matter-of-fact way says “I have bi-polar, but I’m learning how to live with it. It does not define me.” Words of truth from the mouth of babes.

I will get into my own journey with an anxiety disorder in coming posts, but for today, I want to address those of us who are called the Church.

Pastor Rick Warren, who lost his precious son to the disease of depression & suicide, was recently on The View. I set my DVR to record it, as I was very interested in what he had to say and I know he shares this passion of mine to help the church see we are missing the boat when it comes to caring well for those who suffer with mental illness. I hung on ever word of his.

Here is the entire segment from ABC. Pastor Warren and his wife talk about marriage, which really is priceless {grin–you gotta watch it to get that comment} and towards the end he talks about his son’ mental health, and how the evangelical community needs to do a better job at loving and understanding those who are suffering.

Here are some of my favorite things Rick Warren has said:

“There is no shame in diabetes, there is no shame in high blood pressure, but why is it that if our brains stop working, there is supposed to be shame in that?” said Warren, who said the family kept Matthew’s illness a secret from the public not because of shame, but “because it was his own story to tell.”

“There’s no shame when any other organ in your body fails, so why do we feel shame if our brain is broken?”

“If a bird falls and breaks its wing, we don’t say to it,””read your Bible and pray until you get better”” no, we fix its wing”

‘It’s OK. I’m not OK, you’re not OK, but that’s OK because God’s OK.’”

And these heartbreaking words about their son:

“Our hilariously funny, immensely creative, intensely compassionate son struggled to make sense of his life and the mental pain he was experiencing. His anguish was our anguish,” Rick and Kay Warren wrote in a recent Time op-ed. “On April 5, 2013, impulse met opportunity in a tragic way. Our beautiful son ran into the unforgiving wall of mental illness for the last time.”

Mental illness is a complicated matter, but it is a matter that needs to be talked about. There are too many suffering, especially our young people, with parents at their wits end not knowing what the best decision is for their children. An estimated 20 percent of U.S. teenagers have some mental-health irregularity, including 10 percent who have some behavior or conduct disorder, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. If there is history of mental illness in both sides of the family, the chances of children suffering is multiplied and extremely high. Genetics plays a huge part, as does trauma, which means this subject is not going away, and we must keep talking about it.

Survey results from the Southern Baptist-affiliated nonprofit Lifeway Research, released in September, found that close to half of evangelical, fundamentalist and born-again Christians believe prayer and Bible study alone can solve mental illness. Among Americans as a whole, about one in three shared that view. Nevertheless, 68 percent of Americans said they believed they would be welcome in church if they were mentally ill.

“It’s just not the case that faith or religious belief will inoculate or immunize a person against mental illness,” said Aaron Kheriaty “We want to convince Christians that psychiatrists, religious leaders and mental health advocates, all of us can work hand in hand.”

I personally suffered way too long without the medication I needed due to well-meaning advice from others– “Have more faith” “Be obedient to Christ, read the Bible more & pray more” ” “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, goodness, & self-control, submit to the spirit” “No meds unless you absolutely cannot get out of bed (I had anxiety, not depression. I was always able to get out of bed, but walked around sick.) “The pharmaceutical companies are corrupt, don’t take meds, they don’t work” –all of these things and more were said to me. I am so thankful I was able to work out details, think clear enough for myself & along with God’s direction (can’t wait to tell you the story of this) of what medication my body needed to make me able to be who God created me to be. My true self.

I am eager to write more on this topic in coming posts.

What are your thoughts? Do you know someone with mental illness? How do you feel the church is doing with those who are suffering with mental illness?

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