I am doing a new thing. It feels like The Next Right Thing, if you know what I mean. But I have taken forever to take the first steps to get started because sometimes the first step can feel huge and daunting, you know? But today’s Five Minute Friday prompt, “Question” feels like the best way to start.

this feels like an appropriately cheesy pic of me looking forward

I am going to begin dedicating my writing to three topics: Faith (as always), Mental Illness (this is a new focus!), and Spiritual Practices (I’ve dabbled with this). Here is why: I have been a Christian basically my entire life. Since I was 15 years old, over half of my life, I have struggled with several mental health “disorders”: social anxiety disorder, postpartum depression, generalized anxiety disorder, to name the most predominant ones.

I have struggled with the stigmas surrounding these disorders. I have fielded comments about my faith (or lack of faith) as well-meaning friends and family have tried to understand where I am coming from, have tried to help, have tried to fix it for me. I have done the work of seeking therapy and medications. I have sought balance and self-care and, yes, Jesus’ healing. And the struggle remains.

I have been writing about it on my Instagram profile for months and have used the hashtag #RestoringMamasSoul to mark my experience, but it is time to devote this space, this blog, to a more thorough examination of how faith and our connection with God interacts with our mental health.

I am wondering, what are YOUR questions? What do you wonder about mental illness when a Christian is affected? I would love to start my devotion to this topic with a series answering the questions you have. Please, leave a comment with a question. Ask on Facebook or Instagram. Or, if you prefer, send me a direct message or email at leverson16@gmail.com.

I look forward to hearing from you. I look forward to seeking the goodness of God in our thoughts, feelings, and mental health together.

I leave you with this psalm to contemplate today:

Psalm 13 (NIV)

1 How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?
    How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
    and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
    How long will my enemy triumph over me?

3 Look on me and answer, Lord my God.
    Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,
4 and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”
    and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

5 But I trust in your unfailing love;
    my heart rejoices in your salvation.
6 I will sing the Lord’s praise,
    for he has been good to me.

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