Jordan Crossings Blog
Navigating the Waters of Faith & Mental Health
Are You a Roadblock or an On-ramp for Jesus?
Recently, I was talking to a new Christian who was sharing how she doesn’t understand much about Christianity. She wants to. She believes in Jesus. She has the desire to dig deeper into her faith, but there’s a roadblock to her understanding. This struck me because the message of Jesus is simple. It should be accessible to everyone, no matter their level of education. However, here she was, an intelligent woman struggling to understand the sermons at church, struggling to understand Christian customs and behavior, and, as a result, struggling to live out her faith.
5 Tips for Battling Seasonal Depression
As the days get shorter, darker, and colder many of us are struggling. Seasonal Affective Disorder is real and probably more common than most of us know, especially in northern, colder parts of the world. So what can we do about it?
Restore Your Joyful Heart-A Reflection for Women of Faith
I sat across the table, not knowing what to expect, eagerly awaiting the results. The doctor pulled up my test results and asked, “Brittany, have you ever been to therapy?”
A staggered response, “Yeah, it wasn’t really my thing…"
What a weird way to start a doctor's consult.
She continued, “Tell me what you do for you.”
Silence.
“Brittany, you have to make some changes. And if you don’t make them quickly, you will literally have a stroke.”
Trigger word.
Stroke.
Possibly death, possibly permanent disability, if I continued to ignore my need for peace.
How to Change Your Unhealthy Thoughts
I sat in my car sobbing ugly tears. The angry thought running through my head repeatedly was, “Why do I ALWAYS mess EVERYTHING up?”
“I’m a failure.”
“I suck.”
“I just can’t do anything right.”
I was feeling defeated. I was ready to give up. I was stuck in an unhealthy thought pattern.
Working From a Place of Grace
“You don’t have what it takes to make it as a writer.”
“You are too much of a perfectionist.”
“You are not smart enough.”
The accusations about my work snowballed, leaving me anxious about my work ethic, writing abilities, and basically anything related to my performance. But, while these thoughts were especially pervasive that Friday morning, they were not new. My work-related doubts have haunted me ever since I could make out a grade on homework assignments, dubbing me either smart or hopelessly incompetent. I believed the old, passed-down tale that my work defined my value. Yet the gospel tells a different story.
Now Seeking Guest Blog Posts!
Are you a writer? Do you have a story to tell? I am currently looking for guest blog posts about personal experiences with mental health and recovery from a Christian perspective. Whether you have a message or a testimony to share, I’d like to hear it! Fill out the form below or contact Megan for more details: meganjean@jordancrossings.org
