Marja Bergen

author, mental health advocate, follower of Christ

Month: January 2017 (page 1 of 2)

Living Room – God’s Gift

A long time ago God showed me that something needed to be done to help people with mental illness receive Christ-centered support. I took steps to make it happen by founding Living Room, the faith-based peer support ministry. But I realized that I was – or at least, felt – far too small to build […]

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Who shall we follow?

Jesus’ authority comes from a humble place of compassionate love for others. Compare that with authority from arrogant leaders like the Pharisees in their day. In their self-righteousness they lost sight of God and what His love really means. The difference is obvious: Only One is worthy of obedience. And that One is Jesus,  God’s […]

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He will quiet us

In the past, this Scripture has been very important to me. Repeatedly reading it saw me through a very dark time. The Lord your God is in your midst,     a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness;     he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with […]

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Stigmatized

stigmatized by trusted one, teacher of God’s love, Christ’s example   I followed faithfully loved deeply those I served on God’s behalf   yet was treated as though evil disrespected in words and action the pain unbearable   why this? from one such as this?   my mental illness?    

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Not consumed

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.   Lamentations 3:22-23

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Lost no more

When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. As she stood […]

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Consolation

One consolation for pain The work God has given me To create something beautiful And to honour Him with it

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A damaged life

The emotional damage caused by stigma needs to be recognized, especially when disrespect is shown to a mental ill person by someone least likely to do so – a godly man – a follower of Christ. The effects of such violated trust increases one’s mental illness tenfold, causing unbelievable pain. It leads to a sense […]

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Illness forgiven?

Will my illness be forgiven? Cause for shame no longer there? When will Christ’s life speak forth? “Love the sick, the sinners, the outcasts.” When will your message be heard, Lord? When will your love prevail? Come to us now.  

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A person like any other

a person like any other but different feeling as others but not treated as such not respected because of her label considered unworthy to be heard or responded to not fully human so, who cares? Jesus, my friend, cares. Who will follow Him?

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