Marja Bergen

author, mental health advocate, follower of Christ

Category: Day by Day (page 7 of 30)

After the fire

  Sometimes truths need to be faced, recognized as the pain they have caused. To remember how Jesus suffered too, and how he must have felt. And yet, Today is today, and God is still good, always to be remembered for what he has done. He doesn’t sleep. After a fire in the Chilcotin area of […]

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The gospel is for outcasts

FOLLOWING JESUS “The good news of the gospel comforts us because the mission of Jesus from beginning to end was, and is, to rescue outcasts. Throughout his ministry on earth, Jesus consistently acted to include the very people that had been left out. Jesus rescued women, children, foreigners, sinners, the “unclean”, outcasts, the sick and […]

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One on one support – Part 29

IN THE NAME OF JESUS I have a good friend who is a troubled person, having suffered a lot of abuse as a child and later as the wife of an abusive husband. She suffers recurring emotional pain because of this, yet I admire her for the courage she has had to survive. I love […]

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Where can you turn? Part 25

IN THHE NAME OF JESUS From a person with bipolar disorder. My roller coaster ride wouldn’t stop. I didn’t feel so depressed that I didn’t want to do anything. Just felt an overwhelming sense of sadness. Trouble with me is that I feel a need to reach out and draw comfort from others. Yet that […]

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Hungry for God – Part 24

IN THE NAME OF JESUS I have a friend who has a wide variety of interests. Using the internet, he studied various languages—not because he had to, but because he enjoyed it. And he wrote poetry—compassionate stories about peoples who were unjustly treated. He loves reading the Bible—not just bits and pieces here and there, […]

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Excluded – Part 23

IN THE NAME OF JESUS When a study group was being formed promising to promote deeper relationships, she wasted no time putting her name down. She needed friends and had been waiting for such an opportunity for years. But two days before the first meeting, she received a call saying she would not be included. […]

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An insecure friend – Part 22

IN THE NAME OF JESUS Words from a very insecure person: I’ve felt great pain at times when I sent emails to a good friend and didn’t hear back soon enough. Eventually a reply always came. Such a relief that was! I almost panicked, beginning to doubt whether she still cared about me. Such a […]

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Godly friends – Part 21

IN THE NAME OF JESUS “I’m listening.” Those are my favorite words—words repeated frequently by a friend of mine. What else can a person say when they can’t fully understand what you’re going through? When they care but they can’t help in practical ways. When they know that advising wouldn’t be helpful. When a friend […]

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The leprosy of mental illness – Part 20

IN THE NAME OF JESUS Where do you go when you have an illness that medical professionals and counselors don’t want to deal with—treated like an untouchable in a more modern world? Have you ever thought what that would feel like? It’s happening all the time to people with borderline personality disorder (BPD). In their […]

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Psychosis – Part 19

IN THE NAME OF JESUS A long time ago—before modern medications existed: One person’s experiences: I suspected there had been something strange going on with my mind for months—thoughts and experiences I wasn’t able to understand. I was confused, couldn’t make sense of what was happening around me or within me. Found myself doing bizarre […]

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