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Finding Peace During Loss
Finding Peace During Loss [Editor’s Note: This is a guest post by Ivy Michelle. It is Maundy Thursday. I had Ivy’s beautiful post on grief and loss scheduled for today before I even realized this. When I did realize it, I thought that it was a perfect fit. When I go to Maundy Thursday services, they are always very solemn and moving and truly make me feel grieved.] It is popular belief that cloudy days make people sad and depressed. People tend to spend more time inside on cloudy, rainy days. While on sunny and bright days, people are more active and spend more time engaging in outdoor activities. It’s amazing…
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Riding Waves of Faith
[Guest Post by Emily Rose Massey – When she asked if she could share her story, it was hard to narrow it down because this girl has gone through so much! Her testimony is as huge as her heart. I know you will be encouraged by her story. If you currently feel stuck under the waves of life, you are not alone. Stand and have faith with Emily today!] Our faith is tested under waves of faith, and in the weight and pressures of life. It’s in the fire, the trials, and the storms of life that we are truly strengthened. We can choose to rise above the chaos or…
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As Though You Already Are
[Guest Post by Jennie Goutet – Have you ever wanted to share your story, but it’s taken you months to put pen to paper only to realize it’s more difficult than you thought? I’m so glad Jennie didn’t give up and after a few months of asking if she could share, she put herself out there and shared from the heart. If you’re struggling with being accepted as you already are — be encouraged today!] Twenty years ago, I was living in Taiwan when my younger brother committed suicide. I did not yet follow God, although I had already been invited to church in Hawaii and in Manhattan, and would…
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Why Not Celebrate?
[Guest Post by Heather Von St. James – When Cameron, Heather’s husband, reached out to me asking if he could help share his wife’s story — I was inspired. I wish all husbands were excited to celebrate life with their wives. Today, if you are struggling with life — why not celebrate? Don’t wait for tragedy to strike! Celebrate today.] Fear – we’ve all faced a form of it at some point in our lives. I’ve learned that your fears don’t define the person you are, but rather how you deal with them. Humor is the way that my husband Cameron and I handled one of the most terrifying and…
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How to Treat Your Body as a Temple
[Guest Post by Amy – I love this thought from Amy today, and if you haven’t read her first article entitled The Pit of Depression, you won’t want to miss that one either! I always appreciate it when guest posters ask to post again (hint hint).] I grew up in what I like to refer to as the “The Deep South Land of Southern Baptists”. I learned the books of the Bible, about Abraham and Moses and all the other Biblical heroes, and of course that drinking or dancing would lead to complete moral destruction. I also learned about the all important Pot-Luck Dinner. One of the main theological tenets…
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Walking the Plank
Transition throws me for a loop every time – silly, of course. We all know that the only constant in life is change. But somehow my longing for comfort and control gets me to settle into a place with a deep, satisfying sigh. Close my eyes. Take a break from watchfulness. Then everything tips and I find myself rolling sideways, stumbling down a new ramp of transition. Looking for a new normal. Some transitions are instantaneous. In 2003 my husband collapsed on his favorite street in San Diego, Shelter Island Drive, just outside the bank. From that moment on, he never drove his truck, never wrote a check, dialed a…
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3 Reasons to Share Your Story
Recently I shared my story about why my dream died. I already wrote that I can’t sugar coat things anymore. And now? The gloves are off. “What kind of God would stand back and watch a dream–a good dream, for ministry and impact–fall apart?” That’s what I just read in Me, Myself, and Bob by Phil Vischer (the creator of VeggieTales®). I devoured his 80,000 word memoir in less than half a day. Seriously couldn’t have come at a better time. (Thanks Brett Burner for the recommendation). Phil continues. “Why would God want us to let go of our dreams? Because anything I am unwilling to let go of is an…
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Mental Health Boot Camp
[Guest Post by Anonymous – My heart goes out to people who feel like they have to hide their story. Obviously it’s a good thing to protect your child(ren) or family, but I hope this person’s courage will help you find true healing in Christ.] As a mom with a physical chronic condition I am familiar with the complexities of having a demanding disease. I have long admitted that although I could see how God has worked through my physical ailment, I still did not understand mental illness. It was a world I had not been a participant of, a language I did not speak. And then my young sons’s struggles…
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Life, life, and more life
[Guest Post by Wendy van Eyck – When my good friend from South Africa told me that she published her first book–Life, life, and more life–AND is giving it away for free at ilovedevotionals.com, I asked her to share with us. Enjoy and be encouraged.] How God found me in my darkest time I was 21 when I realized that I did not want to kill myself anymore. After months of struggling with depression the darkness was beginning to lift. For months my soul had been in a place where light didn’t penetrate and I couldn’t see hope. When I was growing up–blowing bubbles, climbing jungle gyms and jumping on…
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Mental Illness Does Not Define You
Over the years I have learned a very important lesson that mental illness does not define me. It does not define you either. Yes! There are days, weeks, months, and even years when it doesn’t feel that way–but it’s true. Pastor Rick Warren said in a recent sermon, “Your [mental] illness is not your identity, your chemistry is not your character.” That quote means even more when you realize he has lived it. His son Matthew recently took his life. He was only 27 and struggled with mental illness his whole life. I highly recommend that you watch the video sermon in its entirety here. I wanted to share the 6…
