rebelling against low expectations
The first time I encountered mental illness, I was twelve. By fourteen, I’d witnessed physical, mental, emotional, and social abuse that we now call trauma. Today, Millennials and Gen Z are 27% more likely to report mental health issues than any previous generation. But too many of us suffer alone. I did. We all know many things can impact us, from the way we think or feel to the relationships...
As a little girl, I remember the day I first met my Savior. Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, I was a tomboy in spirit. Gaming it out on Ratchet and Clank at 2:30 a.m., my Dad gave me the opportunity of a lifetime. From that moment, I dedicated myself to the sole pursuit of Christ and proclaiming His Gospel to the nations. While I grew out of the tomboy phase, my faith rose higher. No matter what...
“When you go out to war against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and an army larger than your own, you shall not be afraid of them, for the Lord your God is with you, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt” (Deuteronomy 20:1, ESV). The Israelites looked like they were surrounded. To their eyes, they were facing many more horses, chariots, and people than they had. But he who was...
I have fought the battle of anxiety almost every day since I was a little girl, and more recently, every night and day of the past two years. I get it. There is often a stigma associated with Christians needing mental help when phrases like “Just pray more” and “Jesus will fix it” is thrown around like candy. Though these statements can be factual, and I believe in God’s redemptive power to heal...
With a worldwide pandemic quickly racing across the nation, anxiety, stress, depression, sickness, and chaos are at an all-time high. Since the 2019 initial coronavirus outbreak, a threat in China has now exploded globally, including in the United States. All it takes is a simple trip to your local grocery store to tell you that we as a society are not handling this chaos well. Like a zombie...
When I was a child, I often recited The Lord’s Prayer without an afterthought as to what I was actually uttering. If you’re anything like me, the art of prayer can be a difficult spiritual principle to grow in. Some churches teach to pray out loud or inside your head, while others remark that you need to say, “Our Father,” or “Jesus,” for it to be blessed and valid. Friends of mine raise their...
It was one of those weeks. Work was insane; three family friends passed away, twelve stressful sagas occurred between Monday and Friday of my typical week, I felt like a chicken with my head cut off, and as my anxiety, depression, overthinking, PMS, and IBS began to cycle, I felt as if I had lost all control. I wrote this in my journal: Suddenly, I feel as if I have forgotten how to let go and...
rebelling against low expectations
