Discipleship and friendship in the journey of depression and anxiety is not typical ministry training topic. Here’s what I wish we knew and can help you!

How do we find a hope that is genuine and authentic? How do we discover a hope that is true even in the midst of repeated disappointments and the painful circumstances of life? I found myself asking these very questions as I stood in the aftermath of my husband’s twelve-year battle with clinical depression and his ultimate suicide.

What if I told you negative thoughts can be healthy? Negative thoughts can actually act as a natural self-preservation filter to avoid danger. For example, when my kids ask me to do a backflip on the trampoline, it's healthy for me to have negative thoughts and tell my kids, “No way!” It's not an issue of not believing in myself or trusting God enough, it's a valuable negative assessment to avoid harm and loss.

Within many Christian circles, the topic of taking antidepressants and similar medications for emotional or mental pain often comes with a lot of embarrassment and guilt. Why? Because when it comes to our hearts and minds, we hear an underlying message that says, “Jesus is enough.” Here’s a simple, and Biblical way to look at this topic!

While scrolling through the internet the other day, I came upon this funny quote: “Old Farmer’s Advice: Your fences need to be horse-high, pig-tight and bull strong!” Well, I thought that was great advice, if only I were dealing with horses, pigs and bulls.  But the reality of the situation is that I’m trying to learn how to set boundaries for myself, and for other difficult people (like me) whom I love but I’m not quite sure where to draw the line. 

The Serenity Prayer, written by Reinhold Niebuhr many years ago, contains powerful, timeless wisdom that is now being validating by research. Being able to accept what we cannot change is a key component of our emotional, psychological, and spiritual well-being. We need God’s wisdom and grace to know what can and cannot be changed, and we can trust God to show us the difference.