HOW GRATITUDE DEEPENS YOUR FAITH AND LIFTS YOUR MOOD
There is a particular kind of heaviness that comes from only ever noticing what is wrong. The unanswered prayer. The diagnosis. The relationship that did not heal the way you hoped. It is real, and God never asks you to pretend it is not. But there is also a quiet miracle that happens when, in […]
A SIMPLE MORNING ROUTINE TO START YOUR DAY WITH GOD
You know that feeling of grabbing your phone before your eyes are even fully open, and suddenly your heart rate is up before you have said a single word to God. It happens so fast that most of us do not even notice we are doing it. We are letting the world speak first. A […]
REDISCOVERING YOUR PURPOSE
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” — Ephesians 2:10 (NIV) Introduction There are seasons in life when purpose feels clear. We wake up with direction, confidence, and a sense of meaning. Then there are seasons when purpose feels distant. […]
WHEN STRUGGLE BECOMES IDENTITY
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!”* — Isaiah 43:18-19 (NIV) Introduction Struggles have a way of shaping the way we see ourselves. The longer a challenge lasts, the easier it becomes to believe that it defines who we are. What starts as a difficult […]
IDENTITY BEYOND MENTAL HEALTH
“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!” — 1 John 3:1 (NIV) Mental health plays an important role in our overall well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and navigate everyday life. Yet while mental health is an important part of our lives, it […]
MORE THAN YOUR STRUGGLES
“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair.” — 2 Corinthians 4:8 (NIV) If you’ve been battling anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, or emotional exhaustion, it’s easy to begin measuring your life by your struggles. After all, when you’re carrying a heavy burden every day, it naturally takes up […]
BEYOND THE DIAGNOSIS
Scripture: “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them.” — Genesis 1:27 (NIV) Have you ever noticed how quickly a diagnosis can become an identity? What begins as an explanation for what you’re experiencing can slowly become the primary way you see yourself. Instead of saying, “I’m […]
YOU’RE NOT ALONE: GOD’S PRESENCE IN SEASONS
“The Lord is close to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” — Psalm 34:18 The Particular Cruelty of Hard Seasons Hard seasons have a quality that is difficult to describe to someone who has not experienced them: they make you feel invisible. You can be surrounded by people — at church, […]
BE STILL: LETTING GOD CALM YOUR THOUGHTS
“Be still, and know that I am God.” — Psalm 46:10 The Invitation Behind the Command When we read “Be still, and know that I am God,” it is easy to hear it as a demand — a divine instruction to achieve a state of quiet that feels, on most days, completely out of reach. […]
FAITH AND MENTAL HEALTH: BREAKING THE SILENCE
“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”— James 5:16 The Quiet Struggle in the Pew Sunday mornings can be the loneliest places on earth for someone who is struggling. The music swells. The smiles […]