Category: depression

One Year Anniversary of Jesus Understands Trauma

~ jesusluvsall ~ 15 Comments

On May 19th, it will be my privilege to share at my church about how Jesus partners with us in our healing journey from trauma. It has been one year since my book Jesus Understands Trauma was first published on Amazon. The biggest blessing for me is to see people be blessed and helped by my book.

I still remember feeling a bit of hesitation right before publishing it due to feeling led to share things thus being vulnerable. But the theme of 2nd Corinthians 1:3-5 motivated me- comfort others with the comfort we have received.

My desire is to see more people be comforted by God in their healing journey. That is why a excited about May 19th.

In celebration of the one year anniversary of Jesus Understands Trauma and in observance of May being Mental Health Awareness Month, I am offering a sale, $1 off, on both Jesus Understands Trauma and Lifted Out of the Pit/Called to the Nations both the paperback and Kindle versions for both.

Thank you for reading. God Bless.

May Is Mental Health Awareness Month- Jesus Understands Turmoil

~ jesusluvsall ~ 17 Comments

Each year, May is Mental Health Awareness Month. In a way, I don’t like to term Mental Health because of stigma. The brain is part of our physical bodies, so just as one might struggle with asthma, another may struggle with depression, anxiety, etc.

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Question- Do you think Jesus understands emotional issues?

On the night Jesus was arrested, he shared with his disciples in Matthew 26:

Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

We also know from Luke 22 that while he was praying he was filled with anguish.

 And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

Jesus experienced anguish and sorrow while he was on earth. So when we come to him in prayer, we come to someone who understands our emotional state.

I admit to having some anguish because tomorrow is my second surgery on the same knee. I am not looking forward to what comes after.

Thank you for reading. God Bless.

Thankful for a Day of Blessings

~ jesusluvsall ~ 27 Comments

An eventful day yesterday that God blessed me with. So this post is a expressing gratitude to Jesus post.

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It was a good meeting yesterday with the counseling pastor for my church. We discussed various ideas and he will talk with our lead pastor next Monday. We both agreed that the church should not shy away from issues like trauma, depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts or other mental health issues because we have the answer- Jesus. It is how to communicate that and help people connect with Jesus for healing that is important.

Okay so here is some news. I finished my book Encounters with the Ancients. I am waiting for my proof copy to go over it and make changes if need be and then make it public next week. Finishing another book feels good, but then there is the thought of-“I hope it sells.” Now it is time to write more for my next book. More on that later.

Top it all off, one of my students in one of my morning classes surprised me yesterday evening. She had cooked some tamales and brought me some. They were DELICIOUS!!!. One of the perks of teaching ESL is the opportunity to enjoy foods from other cultures.

What are you thankful for today?

Thank you for reading. God Bless.

World Mental Health Day 2023- Jesus Understands Anguish

~ jesusluvsall ~ 14 Comments

Today is World Mental Health Day, so I have been reflecting on the fact that Jesus experienced anguish at the end of his earthly ministry.

In Matthew 26 Jesus shared what was on his heart with his disciples the night before he was crucified saying:

Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

Luke 22:44 adds more detail to what Jesus was experiencing that night.

And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

Jesus experienced deep anguish that night. Because of that, he can understand us when we experience depression, anxiety or other mental health issues. That is part of him being our Sympathetic High Priest that we can come to for grace and mercy as Hebrews 4 says:

 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

We do not need to suffer alone. Jesus wants us to come him with our depression, anxiety, worries, and more. He wants to help us in our journey in this life.

We can also seek help from pastors, therapists, and friends. It is okay to not be okay, but it is important to ask for help when we need help.

Thank you for reading. God Bless.

1 Reason Why

~ jesusluvsall ~ 7 Comments

Some years ago, there was a controversial Netflix series that aired called 13 reasons why. It was about a teen girl who shared the 13 reasons why she completed suicide. I watched it out of concern for young people I interact with, so I would know exactly what is was about in case the topic came up.

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As someone who has lived with chronic illness and chronic pain for about 30 years, I understand how the thought of death seems appealing at times and the desire for the pain to stop. However, there is 1 Reason Why that trumps any other reasons. We find it in Philippians 1:21-23:

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know!  I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far;  but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.

The 1 Reason Why is Jesus. Jesus has more for me to do in this life. Jesus gives me strength as I live with chronic illness. Jesus has helped me overcome so much in life to become his witness. If we have Jesus, we have all hope in any situation.

Yes heaven will be much better for me in the future. Being in heaven with Jesus will mean no more pain, no more doctors, no more struggles. But then there are the refugees and immigrants in my city that Jesus would have me reach out to in this life. That is my 1 Reason Why it is better, for now, for me to remain in this life. Heaven will be there for me in the future. I cannot say the same about opportunities to share Jesus with those who do not know Jesus. Once I am in heaven, I will be in a place that all people know Jesus.

If you are looking for a reason to press on past what is difficult, painful, hurtful, I would suggest one person- Jesus.

Thank you for reading. God Bless.

War of the Mind- Podcast by Girls Gone Bible

~ jesusluvsall ~ Leave a comment

I watched a podcast video by two young women called Girls Gone Bible. They talked in a recent episode about mental health and faith specifically faith in Jesus. They shared about how Jesus has helped them with anxiety, OCD, depression,.

One thing I shared in my book Jesus Understands Trauma is that Jesus understands anguish. The night he was arrested, he knew what he was about to endure, and shared his anguish with the disciples in Matthew 26:38

“My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

His turmoil while praying was so great that he sweat drops of blood.

We can come to Jesus with our struggles of depression, anxiety, mental health knowing he has sympathy for us and is ready and able to help.

Thank you for reading. God Bless.

God Meet Us-Is With Us- In Our Lowest Points

~ jesusluvsall ~ 14 Comments

Nightbirde, the young woman battling cancer who appeared on America’s Got Talent. shared a poem she wrote titled God is on the bathroom floor. It is about how God was with her during a very low point in her life.

Corrie Ten Boom, who survived a Nazi prison camp, once said, “There is no pit so deep that God’s love is not deeper still.”

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Having experienced many low points in my life, I can say that God is with us in our lowest points. God has shown me he is with me a various ways, through a friend, through a song in my spirit, through unexpected blessings.

Yesterday after my rheumatology appointment, I stopped at my coffee shop. I met a man who has experienced trauma in his life. We chatted for a few minutes. I had a copy of my book Jesus Understands Trauma. I gave it to him after signing it. Our conversation caused me to forget it was doctor day. I was ready to enjoy the free music by the band that played a little later.

Last November when I was in the hospital overnight for a procedure, a surprise one at that, my friend Robb happened to be there to visit a mutual friend and Robb came up to see me and gave me a ride to the pharmacy and a ride home.

So many times Jesus has met me on ‘the bathroom floor’. So many times I have experienced how deep God’s love is during low points in life.

Have you experienced God ‘on the bathroom floor’ with you?

Thank you for reading. God Bless.

May Is Mental Health Awareness Month- There Is Hope-Hold On By Katy Nichole

~ jesusluvsall ~ 4 Comments

Life can be difficult and living with depression/anxiety can make it even more difficult. At times the pain can seem unbearable.

The good news is that there is someone who wants to bear that pain with us and for us. Jesus said in Matthew 11:28

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. “

There is always hope even if we cannot see it. Sometimes we just need to hold on. Sometimes we need to open up and share our pain with someone. We can always pray and share it with Jesus. We can also share our pain with someone else, a friend, a counselor, a pastor.

We do not need to stay trapped in the invisible prison of our mind, our thoughts. There is hope. It is scary to take the first step of seeking help, but that first step can lead to healing and hope. It can lead to a new path in life. It is much better to take that first step than to stay trapped.

Thank you for reading. God Bless.

May Is Mental Health Awareness Month- Loneliness

~ jesusluvsall ~ 10 Comments

I watched a video by a young woman on YouTube titled- I Have No Friends So I then typed the title into the YouTube search bar and found there are numerous such videos. Loneliness is at an all time high in this social media age.

My therapist Dezi repeatedly would tell me that isolation is an aspect of depression, so that is why we need to get out and not be isolated. But a person can sit in a place like a coffee shop and still feel alone.

That is why I arrange to meet people in coffee shops such as this afternoon I will meet with my friends from Ukraine Alexey and Ruslana. We will meet at my alternate coffee shop. It will be good to sit in the outdoor seating area and talk. I also meet with my friend Todd at a coffee shop about once a month and other friends at other times. I still like sitting alone in a coffee shop to write, but make it a point to also have times I meet friends.

Having been a member of the same church since 1994, I have seen so many people come and go. But there are some who have been there the whole time that I interact with every Sunday and at other times. I value those friendships.

The friendship I value most is with Jesus. Jesus calls us friend. He said so himself in John 15:15

 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you

The creator of the universe wants friendship with us. That is so incredible and a truth we cannot fully fathom, but can accept by faith.

Jesus has also given us the church, his family, a place where we can meet people and connect. I am thankful for my friends at church.

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In this age of social media, people are feeling more isolated. Seeing people posting photos of the great times they are having when we are feeling low makes it worse. Getting off our cell phones, tablets, etc,. long enough to interact with others is so important.

What are your thoughts on loneliness?

Thank you for reading. God Bless.

My Book-Jesus Understands Trauma- Is Ready

~ jesusluvsall ~ 29 Comments

It is exciting for me to announce that my book Jesus Understands Trauma is ready and available to purchase on Amazon. I am thankful for Jesus giving me the strength and grace to complete the book in what has been a turbulent year for me these past several months. I am also grateful for my pastor encouraging me throughout the process. I am also thankful for all of the people who prayed for me.

There are three ways to obtain a copy of my book. It is available in paperback for $10.95, available for purchase as an e-book for $5.95, or if you are a member of Kindle Unlimited you can read it for free.

Here is the link- Jesus Understands Trauma.

The next few weeks will be spent on getting my other book Lifted Out Of The Pit/Called To The Nations ready for publishing on Amazon.

So it is back to my office aka the coffee shop 🙂

Thank you for reading. God Bless.