LIVING ROOM – MY STORY We called the group “Living Room,” a name coined by Dr. John Toews, a proponent of better church support who inspired its organization. The founding of Living Room became an outreach project in partnership with the Mood Disorders Association of BC (MDA), who trained us how to facilitate. We advertised […]
Read More...UNCONDITIONAL LOVE – Psychiatrist Harold Koenig, M.D., in his book, New Light on Depression, wrote: “Love—unconditional love—is the ultimate long-term antidote for depression, for at its core love is connected with faith and hope.” I’ve liked that statement ever since I first read it. I have found out how important it is to have the love […]
Read More...EXAMPLE OF SPIRITUAL FOOD – Stories like this about individuals to whom Jesus brought healing can do wonders for those who are feeling the effects of stigma. Ask a person you’re supporting to put themselves in the place of the person in this story, and they will most likely be able to relate to her. […]
Read More...EXAMPLE OF SPIRITUAL FOOD for a person who feels rejected by the world When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan […]
Read More...YESTERDAY AND TODAY Long ago, on May 29, 2011, I wrote the following in my journal: My devotional planner posed the questions: What is your goal? What do you want to win? Will you gain the prize? You know what my goal is, Lord. Removing stigma. Christian support for mental illness. But it is a […]
Read More...I SURRENDER ALL MY STORY My journaling, which I started in May 2006, consisted mostly of prayers. I wrote to God at all hours of the day, telling him of my passion, my hopes, and my dedication to serve. During the summer and spring of 2006, while preparing to begin Living Room, I was greatly […]
Read More...STIGMATIZED . . . STILL? MY STORY 2011 was a busy year for me as a mental health advocate, offering quite a few speaking engagements, something I welcomed, even though I was sometimes nervous about it. I’m just so very grateful that God has given me the passion and the desire to speak. So grateful that […]
Read More...EXAMPLE OF SPIRITUAL FOOD Messages like the following can bring healing to those who are experiencing the pain of stigma. Followers of Christ could deliver similar scriptural messages to those who feel rejected by the world. Think of Jesus. Wrap your head around what it must have been to be him, giving his all for […]
Read More...EXAMPLE OF SPIRITUAL FOOD Consider what it must have been like to be Jesus—hated as he was, though having done so much good. How unfair it must seem to those who feel the hatred of others! Sometimes it helps to consider Jesus and his suffering. To try and sort out the great chasm between the […]
Read More...EXAMPLE OF SPIRITUAL FOOD Effective spiritual food for individuals dealing with emotional pain or mental health challenges often includes a view of Jesus that might not be heard elsewhere. This example shows him listening to a lonely person’s heart, feeling their pain, in tune with their loneliness. How good it would be to show a […]
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