Christianity

I needed to hear this today. Hopefully it encourages you too.

Shed a lot of tears in church this morning. I hate crying but the service was so emotional this morning. My daughter spoke about the hymn, “It is well with my soul”. One of my favourites.

My Wife shared about when our daughter was born after a 36 hour labour, our baby wasn’t breathing. The doctors frantic intervention wasn’t working, so in desperation my Wife started singing the song she would frequently sing over our unborn baby, “Jesus loves me”.

As soon as she started singing our baby lifted her head a little and started breathing.

When our daughter was a seriously ill teenager a doctor told us to stop seeking a solution to her chronic health issues and to take her home and “let her rest and enjoy her short final days”.

We ignored that advice. Doctors said she would never work, marry, have children or live a long life. Today she owns her own business, employs 15 people, has two children and is a Pastor in our church.

We triumph in it until we triumph over it. Life hasn’t been easy for her. A few years ago when I was hospitalised for bad mental health I got the news that my daughters son, Tobias, had passed away. Such unimaginable grief and pain.

Yet, in those days of formidable pain, we experienced the great love, comfort and presence of God.

Be encouraged today. You are loved. There is hope. It is well.

As many of you know some years ago we went through a serious legal fight that went for over two years. Someone, aided by a sibling made an allegation that I assaulted them back in 1983. They went to the police with an elaborate accusation that was full of very specific minute details.

Covid kept delaying the case so we couldn’t get specifics of the accusation until about a few months before the trial. When we did get the details everything changed. The year I was supposed to have committed the crime I was either overseas or interstate. We were also able to prove many other lies.

The police once they received this information withdrew the charge, one week before the court date.

My lawyer always said that the whole case resolved around money. We were received communication from a third party asking how much we would pay to make it go away. Turns out our lawyer was correct.

This week we were advised the liars have gone to the police and now said they had the wrong year. My lawyer believes the police will do nothing because a) they wasted so many resources b) the credibility of the liars was exposed c) They were so specific about everything it’s highly doubtful they could get the year wrong.

It was still a disturbing phone call to get and it has rattled my mental health a lot.

I need to focus on God, my defender, and believe that once again the truth will prevail.

After a long period of denial I am now seeing a psychologist. The warning signs were quite evident for awhile but like a lot of men I ignored them hoping they would eventually go away, but they only got worse.

I have been quite short tempered whilst driving and isolating myself from people as much as possible.

There might be some people who are shocked that a Christian would need psychological therapy. And many think that surely a Pastor would be ok without it?

He truth is my faith is often strong but I am as human and vulnerable as anyone else. I regularly see my podiatrist and cardiologist for routine treatment. Seeing a professional for my mental health is no different.

I honestly thought I had processed the events of the last 4 years ago but clearly I haven’t. For those who don’t know 4 years ago I was charged by police with assaulting someone in the early 80’s. Just before we were due in court the police withdrew the charge after we could prove conclusive that I was overseas and interstate the whole year of the alleged crime. We were also able to prove a litany of lies from the accuser and they were eventually investigated with the view of laying perjury charges for their false accusations.

Then a misdiagnosis after open heart surgery saw me 12 hours away from losing a leg and 24 hours away from death. My Wife was with me when she heard the words “code blue”. She hasn’t been able to go inside a hospital since then, it’s too triggering for her.

The therapist I am seeing is very well qualified and I am quietly confident this will be a huge step forward.

Should there be shame or embarrassment in seeking help for your mental health? Never!!!

I’m back, kind of. It’s quite challenging typing this post as my hands are still very painful and unable to bend much but the desire to post is stronger than the pain.

My doctor is waiting for the results of more blood tests and X-rays before there is a definitive diagnosis of what is causing my crippling hand pain. I joking said to my Wife the other day that “I feel like cutting my fingers off”. Later that day I sliced the top of a finger off doing a maintenance job. Ouch. The fingers will remain in tact.

The thing about pain is it wants to be in charge. It wants to dictate what I do and don’t do. And to some extent it has a point, but, I have a life to live.

So, I am trying to maintain my previous work load as best I can. I am being wise. As winter sets in I am wearing gloves a lot and using what medical pain relief I can. At the end of the day the truth is I have eternal life but this pain doesn’t. I am being held, tightly, by Jesus. And so are you.

Hi everyone. Apologies for the radio silence of late. I am praying for you all. 4 weeks ago I suddenly developed severe pain in both my hands. The doctors are still not sure the cause. One possibility is I picked up a bug whilst in Asia recently.

Treatment is not straightforward seeing I am allergic to anti inflammatories. So for now typing is not easy. However, this disease doesn’t have eternal life but I do. I will do my best to monitor the group but know I am praying for you all and proud to be amongst such champion people.

Happy Easter! On this holy day, I hope you know that you are worthy of being loved, and that Jesus loves us all no matter what.

Have a peaceful and blessed day ✝️ 🩷

#christiansonthemighty #Christianity #MentalHealth

Have you ever been told that battling a mental illness is something that reflects badly on your faith? Have you ever beaten yourself up because you battle mental illnesses when Christians are supposed to be “victorious”?

Let’s address this elephant. Let me say straight up that illness is illness. Whether it’s physical or mental, it’s all the same. We don’t criticise people struggling with hypertension so why should people battling depression etc be criticised?

Shame, condemnation should NEVER be part of Christianity.

If anything I think Christians dealing with mental illness are champions. They are dependent on God and demonstrate that we are as human as others are but we triumph in it until we can triumph over it.

I have posted about this before but I feel inspired to start a series about “Elephants in the room” that Christian’s might encounter. Let jump off with a big one, suicide.

I’ve been told, often, by well meaning Christian’s that suicide is selfish and that people who take their life go to hell. They are both falsehoods.

The desire to live is very primal. How often have you seen people who have received a terminal diagnosis do anything and everything to live. If attacked we go to any length to survive. Suicide therefore is very counterintuitive. Now the family of those who take their lives suffer enormous pain.

Four years ago I walked out to my car with the intention of driving away and taking my life. I knew that 12 tablets of this medication is generally fatal. I had 60 stashed under my spare tyre. I was shocked when I lifted the tyre to find them missing. A dear friend in Thailand knew of my plan and notified my family.

The reason for my suicide was I had been falsely accused of an historical crime and charged by the police. After a 3 week stay in a mental hospital we started the long process of proving my innocence. The legal system is faulty. I knew that intellectually but I was stunned that even having irrefutable proof I was overseas the year this crime is supposed to have occurred it still continued. One week before the trial the police admitted they had made a serious error and it was all withdrawn. This however took over 2 years.

I am in a good place today.

As to hell and suicide. It is definitely not Gods will we take our life. Yet, in Gods eyes, sin is sin. The murderer crucified next to Jesus had no opportunity to do good. Yet Jesus assured him he would be in heaven that very day.

Christians battling mental illness need love, support, compassion and help. Not false condemnation.