Marja Bergen

author, mental health advocate, follower of Christ

Month: January 2019 (page 13 of 14)

Comment on stigma in church (2019)

Copying from previous post written in 2008 when all was good for me:  I haven’t thought for a while about stigma within the church. My life has been pretty insulated. I don’t feel the effects of such stigma. But every once in a while I hear a story that gets my blood boiling. It’s not […]

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The pain of stigma in church

LIVING ROOM MEMORIES  156  (April 28, 2008) I haven’t thought for a while about stigma within the church. My life has been pretty insulated. I don’t feel the effects of such stigma. But every once in a while I hear a story that gets my blood boiling. It’s not simple anger I feel, though. It’s […]

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What makes you strong?

LIVING ROOM MEMORIES  155  (April 25, 2008) I listened to a talk given by John Stumpo to a group of pastors at a conference. One thing he said that impressed me was this: “Your strength is not in what you do well but in what makes you strong – in what feeds you.” That’s so […]

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Focus on activism

LIVING ROOM MEMORIES  154  (April 24, 2008) My work is Living Room. It’s so very important to me. But I know there’s more to life than this. At times I think I’m living like a nun, cloistered. I don’t read the newspapers, don’t listen to the news on the radio, don’t watch any TV, hardly […]

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No alienation at living room

LIVING ROOM MEMORIES  153  (April 21, 2008) Our discussion about alienation made me think of Living Room and how that’s one place where I don’t think anyone feels out of place or on the outside looking in. In searching the web on this topic I found out that self-help groups are excellent places to overcome […]

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Feeling alienated – social phobia

LIVING ROOM MEMORIES  152  (April 18, 2008) Often I feel like an alien in the world, and even at church. As a teen I had social phobia, and it crops up again every now and then. In searching the internet I found that often social phobia is linked with mood disorders. Research published by Cambridge […]

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Comment on gift from God (2019)

Copying from the previous post: “In closing [the pastor] said, ‘The most significant thing you can do is to build into the lives of others.’ This is something every one of us can do. Peter echoes Jesus’ call to love each other: ‘…love one another deeply, from the heart’ (1Peter 1:22) This is a love […]

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Our life – a gift from God

LIVING ROOM MEMORIES  151  (April 15, 2008) When I was a teen I read a story in a magazine about someone who had done something to help disadvantaged people. I don’t remember the details of the story but I clearly remember thinking to myself how I would like to do something to make a difference. […]

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More on indispensable

LIVING ROOM MEMORIES  150  (April 13, 2008) The Living Room meeting on Friday was awesome once more. Another big turnout of 22 people and a great discussion on the topic: “No one is indispensable.” Many members took part in the discussion. One person said that Jesus is the only one who is indispensable. The pastor […]

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Comment on too much contact (2019)

I’ve learned a lot since I wrote the previous post. Yes, I was emailing my pastor too much, though he had assured me it was OK. It would have been a good time for him to set limits when I had asked. When supporting a person with emotional needs, boundaries will be necessary if it […]

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