MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS

My Story

2007 was a busy year for me: developing the broader Living Room ministry, facilitating my group, helping individuals in crisis. I was also doing the big work of pioneering mental health awareness in the Church through much speaking and writing, which included writing the book, A Firm Place to Stand.

In early June, my testimony, No Longer Alone, went online at canadianchristianity.com. In August, it would appear as an almost full page of print in BC Christian News. A part of that testimony is at the bottom of this post.

Today, I’m still building awareness in the Church, as zealously as I did back in 2007. But this time, it’s much harder to be heard. And I wonder—with the overwhelming effort put forth to reduce stigma—why people like me are not better listened to.

My purpose today—as it was in 2007—is to make Christians and their churches aware of the power of faith in helping individuals with mental health challenges find spiritual healing. My goal today is to show followers of Christ how to help such people move from low self-esteem to lives of confidence, knowing that they are loved and valued by God.

I’m trying to stop the tendency of solely looking at individuals with mental health issues as victims to be learned about from people who have not experienced such issues themselves. They should be seen as individuals who need to have their stories of pain heard from their own perspective—a  perspective that only they can know. They are our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Towards the end of the testimony, I wrote:

The urge to speak out and to support others with the disorder never leaves me. Sometimes I get sidetracked, but I always come back to this purpose I have found for my life. God has given me gifts suited to this work, and I receive great satisfaction from them. My life is full, and I’m happy knowing I’m doing something worthwhile.

I still struggle with my disorder more often than I would like. In all likelihood, I always will. But thanks to God and the support of those who love me, including a wonderful group of Christian friends, my mental health is better than it was before I became a believer.

I still have bipolar disorder; that won’t go away. I will always need medication. But I know this: “My hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation. He is my fortress.” (Psalm 62:5-6)

Now, I look upon my difficult mood swings as something I can ultimately use for good. With my understanding of what lows and highs feel like, I can help others cope with their mood disorders.

Challenging periods will always be part of my life. There will be times when I will have trouble. I may even fall. But I know that when I do, God will be there to catch me and stay with me as I recover. I’ll never be alone again.

My book, In the Name of Jesus: Spiritual Support for Mental Health Challenges, shows the pain of those who are not being heard and how Jesus and his love can come alongside to relieve that pain.

marja