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Strong By Faith

Healing With Faith

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Homeschooling mama to two boys. Writing is a passion. Living with bipolar 1 and blogging about mental health and faith. I hope people are inspired by my authenticity and honesty in my writing and are encouraged in their Christian walk, or if you don’t yet know Him, to take that next step.
  • Recognizing God’s Deep Love for You

    Recognizing God’s Deep Love for You

    Do you ever contemplate how deep the Father’s love for you truly is? Or perhaps you may think of yourself as being hard to love or unworthy of love? No matter your relationship with the Lord – near, far, still deciding – know there is a love that does not want to let you go.

    No matter how messy you are (we all are), there is a love that pursues you.

    Let me tell you about a time I was at an event and offered to pray for someone when time for prayer came. This man had expressed that even though he’s walked with God his whole life, he’s never felt His loving presence. This made me so sad. I prayed for him to sense the love of God around him, but as he was walking away, it hit me:

    What about the love of God as shown by others?

    Scripture tells us clearly that God’s love is reflected in those that believe in Him. (“No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” 1 John 4:12, “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.” 1 John 4:7). In other words, it is our job to love the way Jesus did. We can be conduits of God’s love.

    I tell this story as a caution to you – don’t be like the man searching for something and missing what’s been in front of him all along. And, before I go on, let me just say, I don’t know all the details of this man’s story, but I simply could not believe at face value that the love of God was never felt by him through the actions of others in his life, especially given the fact that I saw just how lovingly his wife was holding him as we were praying.  

    It would be like waiting for the very audible voice of God to speak to you before you ever picked up the Bible to hear His Word or before you ever recognized the gentle nudge of the Holy Spirit.

    Please, don’t miss God’s love for you. Every day you cling to negative thoughts about yourself or when you fail to find Him in the everyday things around you, you are missing out on beautiful truths – He is everywhere, He will go to great lengths to find you, He loves you DEEPLY.

    3 Ways to Recognize the Supernatural Love that Surrounds You

    1. Steep yourself in scripture. Per my usual recommendation, search the Word. Some awesome things found in scripture include:
      * “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
      * “But now, this is what the Lord says – he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: ‘Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.’” (Isaiah 43:1-2)
      * “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
    2. Consider what may even seem like ordinary small gestures (a smile from a neighbor or a wave from a stranger) as a testament to God’s love for you. God is sovereign and in control of everything, even these small details that we may take for granted.
    3. Talk to Him. Don’t be afraid to ask for confirmations from Him or to even ask for reminders. A very special memory I have with the Lord is when I was a teenager at a youth retreat. I was praying quietly to myself and just wishing that could give Him a big hug. Moments later, the youth pastor had announced God wanted to give someone a bear hug (spoiler: it was me). I will never forget that. He can show up for you in those ways, too. Don’t be afraid to ask. 

    Let’s Talk

    Have you ever experienced the awe-inspiring love of God? Are there ways that you feel you’re missing it?

  • Accepting What I’m Not

    Accepting What I’m Not

    There is one main part about bipolar disorder that really gets me in this life. The psychosis that comes in? At least my medicine helps with that. The depression? Nope, not that, either. My medicine has stabilized me enough that I don’t have plunging downs. What about the feeling of just not caring about what’s going on? Not that, either.

    To me, the worst symptom of bipolar disorder is my lack of motivation. Without motivation for things life is left just feeling so very flat. I have zero drive to do what matters to me, big or small, unimportant or important. For pleasure or business, it does not matter. I have such little motivation that it affects everything – the way my house looks, the approach I take to homeschool my kids, how many activities I choose to take on (or, most likely, how many activities I choose not to take on), my hobbies, and the list goes on.

    So, who would I like to be? I’ve always wanted to be the mom that’s cooking everything from scratch. But then I think of the mess and shy away from that because of the energy it would take to clean it up. I would love to be the mom that can go, go, go from one activity to the next but that just ain’t me. If this even exists, I would absolutely love to be that mom that always has a clean house (ha!)… every mom’s goal, right?

    *sigh* but for now, I’ll sigh a deep breath of relief that my mental health overall is good. I’ll steep in my gratitude for my life, and I will take things as they come…

    This is where acceptance comes into play. I will have to accept that I’m doing the best I can. We bake on occasion, my kids get their activities in (selectively), and I put my energy towards teaching them about God first and foremost. Everything else follows.

    That’s the kind of mom I have to be – take it one day at a time, not fill up the books with a bunch of activities, saving my energy for one important thing at a time

    … and I think I’m finally okay with that.

    Let’s Talk

    Is there anything about yourself or life that you’ve had to come to terms with?

  • Accepting Where God Has You

    Accepting Where God Has You


    Does anyone need to hear this? God has you right where He wants you to be. You are doing His will, and this path will take you somewhere. Trust that you are being prepared for something greater according to His purpose.

    Lack of acceptance has hit me every now and then for where I am in life. I am so blessed to be a homeschooler, being able to be at home with my kiddos, yet I’ve always felt like there should be more. My ministry in my life right now is my children, and what a ministry that is. I have the ever important role of molding the young minds that He has loaned to me, but why do I search for more? Do I not feel fulfilled by what I do?

    This is a theme that comes up for me often. It is a difficult one to shake. Can anyone relate? To help me get through these moments, I have to put in some work, but it’s worth it! Here’s what helped me and can help you, too:

    Identify the Season You’re In

    What is your season? I am reminded time and time again that training my two boys up in the way they should go is my current season. Writing this blog for hearts that may be stirred is my season.

    Think About What Fruit Can Be Yielded from This Season

    The fruit of my efforts in this season could be my two boys coming to know their Savior, Jesus Christ and eventually leading others to do the same. What a win would that be! And I pray that will happen. My blogging efforts may help others feel more understood, seen and, I hope, more curious about the love of God. These things are nothing to belittle or scoff at. There is no such thing as a small win when it comes to the Kingdom of God.

    Learn how you can be more grateful for the situation you’re in

    The antidote to discontent is gratitude. Feeling unfulfilled or unhappy? Look for all the things you have to be grateful for in this season. The effect of gratitude is real, and mindful practice everyday will have you looking at your season from a different perspective. Please know, I am definitely talking to myself here, too.

    Go all in with your gifts

    What has God given to you – talents, skills, possessions – that you can use to help others today? Are you a listener? Could someone use you today? Are you an encourager? Who have you encouraged today? Use what the Lord has given to you and with all your heart. You will be sowing and seeing why in this season God has you where you are. I have to say, me blogging has been a great comfort to me (and I hope to others).

    I hope this article can help anyone who may feel stuck in a circumstance to see that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. It takes work to will ourselves to see positive perspective, but it can be done! The good news is that you don’t have to do it alone. Even when you cannot sense His presence, He is with you, helping you to overcome all things.

  • My Bipolar Story

    My Bipolar Story

    Being diagnosed with a mental illness has recently been something that I see as a gift. I have more compassion for those struggling with mental illness and mental health issues than I’ve ever had before. This is the silver lining for me. Blogging about my struggles in hopes that my story can touch others is truly fulfilling for me. If you are going through or know someone else going through mental health issues, or if you’d just like to learn more, then I pray this post will be helpful.

    Unashamed

    First off, let me start by saying, there is no shame for anyone suffering from mental health. For years, I stigmatized my mental illness and it’s because of the way so many people in the world view it. It was difficult to come to accept something seen as so strange to so many people. Difficult to accept the fact of needing medication for the rest of my life. But, ya know what? It’s a need that enhances my quality life, and my medication is truly a path of healing for me, so I have accepted it. Only once I truly accepted all this was I able to be kinder to myself and start to make real progress in my mental health goals. For anyone else struggling to accept, I pray you come to terms with it so you can find your better life, too.

    Bipolar 1: Diagnosis

    Okay, so to begin my story, let’s start with how the diagnosis came about. I wasn’t diagnosed until I was 32. I experienced my first psychotic event when I was 29, just months after having my second baby. Doctors had said I had post-partum psychosis. And while that seemed to fit at the time, the multiple psychotic events I would go on to have would show that bipolar fit the bill. It took me 4 years and 3 psychotic episodes to accept my mental illness. I don’t have an anger problem, I would think to myself. My thinking around bipolar was confined to the black and white definition many people see it as today, which is a lack of self-control over emotions, namely anger. I didn’t realize that my frequent low self-esteem was a symptom of bipolar depression. Neither my not wanting to do things too often or not looking for anything to do with my free time.

    Mental Breakdown: Psychosis

    My first psychosis took place during work. I remember my hair falling out, and I was dressing quite strangely (warm clothes in warm weather, for example). I truly thought at all times that people were talking about me, out to fire me, or even to the strangest extreme, out to get me to deny my faith. It was as if I thought people were caring about my actions, beliefs, and thoughts way more than even possible and that for every one there would be some sort of repercussion. This meant I was running on high anxiety and paranoia for most of the time. Perhaps my most frightening paranoid thought back then was that someone would take my kids away from me.

    At times I had thought I was experiencing something rather spiritual which others just could not understand. This was my mania. I would look for signs, find them and connect the dots to different ideas, forming my own very wild opinions and considering them as facts. Auditory and visual hallucinations are common in psychosis, too, and in two of my three experiences, I experienced those as well. A lot of what happened I can’t even remember. This is because in psychosis many times a person can black out and be unaware of what has been happening. My husband told me I said things, very hurtful things, when I was sick. And nope, I do not remember them, sadly.

    Family and Psychosis

    My most recent episode should have broken my marriage, but it didn’t. I truly saw my husband as my own worst enemy during my most recent psychosis, believing he was dishonest with me and out to take my kids away from me (yes, themes tend to repeat themselves with me). And to think, this is only a small glimpse of what was going on in my mind. Thankfully, I truly felt God’s grace and love through my husband after each event. However, I recognize the hurt feelings I’ve caused him for the things I’ve said or done while ill, and I seek to take responsibility for my mental health to prevent any further hurt from happening.

    My husband didn’t ask for any of this, and I recognize that. My kids, as they get older, are now also more aware of my mental health turns. One must understand there is a burden placed on a family when a spouse has mental illness. I’m very aware of this and my husband’s side of things. He does not want to go through another episode with me: me being in the hospital, him alone with the kids trying to keep a brave face that everything is okay, us having to deal with the financial aftermath of a hospital visit, us having to hedge any damage that may have been caused in relationships. It all takes its toll.

    My husband feels like he must ensure the security of my mental health but really, there’s nothing he can ultimately do other than check up on me. And so he does. It’s on me to take my meds, be diligent about my mood stability, and reporting any mood changes to my medical caregivers.

    He tells me that he doesn’t take these things personally when Im sick but rightfully so, he expects that I manage it to try and prevent psychosis as best as I can. To anyone suffering from a mental illness, I cannot stress to you how important it is to have a partner that will support you in these ways.

    How does the psychosis come about?

    I’ve learned that my psychosis tends to be stress-induced. I have experienced psychosis both on and off meds. And I’m very prone to going into it during times of high stress. My most recent episode I was off meds because I chose to be so that I could opt for a more natural way to manage my mental health, through eating, supplements, etc (mind you, I was not accepting of my diagnosis at this time, so I was not understanding the full scope of my illness). After a few months off my meds, some stressful situations occurred one after another and sure enough, I slowly escalated and then entered into psychosis.

    I have seen that on my meds I can catch myself if I’m starting to slip and then correct the situation to get back on track.

    The fear, anxiety, paranoia, depression and mania are all very real for people living with bipolar. I pray I can be stable for a long while before I experience any other psychosis. With therapy and a medical treatment plan in place, my mental illness is highly manageable.

    How do I manage my bipolar?

    In addition to taking my medication and therapy, I tend to:

    • Say “no” a lot. My low motivation to do things means I am very selective about what I put my energy towards.
    • Seek God everyday to find peace and gratitude and refocus on what really matters
    • Choose to surround myself with those that are accepting and understanding of mental health issues
    • Check in with friends and family to let others know about my mental health state, especially when I feel something is off
    • Try my best to make time for exercise, no matter what it may be, usually it’s cleaning the house or walking
    • Do my best to eat clean because when my body feels better, I’m overall feeling better (and of course we know that certain foods are brain foods!)

    I’m looking forward to this year, remaining stable for myself and my family and enjoying a years-long span without a psychosis. Let’s see if this can happen!

    Let’s Talk

    Have you known anyone that has been through a psychosis? Do you have any questions for me?


  • Overcoming Comparison

    Overcoming Comparison

    I appreciate how I no longer feel the need to compete with others. I’m simply in my place and they’re in theirs. No longer am I in an unbalanced place where I’m comparing my circumstances, situation, accomplishments or even my possessions with those of others.

    I appreciate how my mind can simply be still now and how I can look for the best in where I’m at in life and no longer look around for something else. IT TOOK SO LONG. But I’m here, and I hope to stay in this place for a good while. I owe this life change to a combination of things – faith, therapy, and medication. I’m just being honest.

    The medication helps with my racing throughts from my bipolar disorder, the therapy helps me appreciate things about myself I’ve never noticed before, and my faith – it grounds me, to the core.

    3 Ways Christianity Has Helped Me to Stop Comparing

    1. Daily Reminders to Die to Myself
      Heck, sometimes I must die to myself every hour or every minute, whatever the day calls for. Giving myself up for Jesus is the most humbling experience I’ll ever have in my life, and this simple self-sacrificing practice of Christianity has truly transformed me and my thinking. By putting others before me everyday, I’m doing my best to consider how I think towards others, not just how I treat them. I can replace thoughts of comparison with thoughts of sincere joy for those I am tempted to compare myself with and appreciation for the different walks we all have in life to get to our destination. This means I am no longer thinking comparing someone who has completed their journey of x with where I’m at in my journey.

    2. Applying biblical love to my relationship with myself
      Learning the true definition of love has driven me to seek out the right kind of love towards myself. Understanding God’s love for me has truly reshaped my thoughts of self-worth and in turn made me more capable of loving others the way that He wants me to. The easiest way for me to remember how the Bible describes love is by remembering the fruit of the Holy Spirit: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23).

    3. Practicing Contentment
      Instead of comparing, which can breed thoughts of jealousy, discontent, bitterness, and the list goes on, I’m contenting, that is I’m practicing gratitude for what I have and not fixating on what I don’t. Truly life-changing.


      These sound simple but anyone that struggles with comparison or negative thoughts towards themselves knows what a battle it can be to break this bad habit . But, with faith to lean on, it is possible.

      “With God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26

    Let’s Talk

    Do you ever fall into the trap of comparison? How do you handle it? What triggers your comparison and what helps you stop doing it?

  • Breaking Free from Fear

    Breaking Free from Fear

    Lately, I’ve been noticing the kinds of people God has been surrounding me with in life. They’re doers. Me? I do but only once I’ve procrastinated some. But why do I do this? Well, it’s as if I think I’m buying myself time from facing bad results. I have a huge fear problem.

    History of a Bad Habit

    Many, many times I have seen myself sabotage good things before they ever came to be because of this fear. I remember as far back as seventh grade, I won first place in my grade level for spelling and was nominated to enter the state spelling bee. I turned it down and said the second place winner should go. I was afraid to fail.

    I also remember in 10th grade being invited to go with my jazz ensemble to a trip to Boston but I made up an excuse and said I couldn’t go. I was afraid of failing socially.

    As I got older, the habit perpetuated. In my career, I was afraid to speak up and voice my ideas for fear of rejection. My motto was to let my work do the talking, which is great and all, but I learned how from those years how important self advocacy can be. I eventually did win over some work colleagues and was granted a new role where I could offer up my expertise. I shied away from taking lead in that role because of, you guessed it, fear of failure.

    Yes, this is a pattern in my life. But I can’t imagine I’m the only one. Let’s call out this bad habit and start taking action. The fear does not control us, and it shouldn’t keep us from pressing on.

    Breaking the Fear

    As I fast forward into my late thirties, I am forced to look at the truth. I must make moves now or let that much time pass again before I do something. Now, I don’t want to discount at all the things I have gone on to do – graduating from college with a double minor, ten year career, getting married, having kids, having some freelance work, homeschooling, and this blog! I have desires within me that have gone unfulfilled. More opportunities are arising and I want to make sure I am learning from those around me, not comparing myself to them because they are doing x,y, and z while I sit back.

    So, how can I and others like me get over this debilitating fear?

    Steps to Fight Fear and Make Moves

    1. First of all, let’s identify the lie. We must know our battle before we fight it. The battle we face is the lie of fear. What are all the ways you fear? List them out. How have you given into the fear? Write it down.

    2. Take time to think about the other side of the scenario. In what ways can you succeed? Be affirmed? Be embraced? Be accepted? Be loved?

    3. Who can you go to now to find encouragement through the fear? Know who your trusted circle is and don’t be shy about asking for some support.

      Know that aside from friends and family, the one source of truth you can go to for all these is God’s word.

      Here’s are some encouraging words from scripture:

      * Jesus “comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” – 2 Corinthians‬ ‭1‬:‭4‬ ‭

      * “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” – ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬ ‭

      * “I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.” – Psalm‬ ‭34‬:‭4‬ ‭


      * “fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” – Isaiah‬ ‭41‬:‭10‬ ‭

    4. Write out a list of all your accomplishments. Even mentioning my accomplishments in this blog post has given me a boost of confidence that I can accomplish more than that. What difference will it make for you?

    5. Make plans and take action – today. 5 years ago I thought of a blog but just didn’t make it happen until this year. Take action today, no matter how small that step be, to work towards your goal.

    6. Tell friends and have them keep you accountable. I used to go after things without sharing them. This did not help me. But now, if ever an idea pops up and I want to commit, I’ll share with a friend. It keeps me motivated to see it through and I also have a built-in accountability partner.

    7. Be okay with the possiblility of failure. I learned a valuable lesson from my time at a tech investment firm – embrace failure. Failure is the launching pad for the next success in your life. You make plans, do your best and see what happens.

    8. Leave the results up to God.
      We must relinquish control of the results and let God handle them. I encourage prayer over your work and time (and financial) investment, but ultimately, we can’t control what we can’t control after we’ve done our best.

    Benefits of Breaking the Fear

    Since I’ve started going for opportunities that arise – growing my social circle, pursuing a business venture, writing this blog – I notice:

    1. Comparison does not consume me as it used to because I’m living my own life, doing my own things, and am no longer wanting to spend my time doing it. Just because of this benefit, my quality of life has drastically improved since saying no to fear.
    2. The more I do and make time for, the more motivated I am to get it done! I have a better self-confidence around what I can do when I actually start taking action.

    I’m sure there’s so many other benefits to list here, but this is what I’m noticing on my own as I commit to more things lately.

    Let’s Talk

    Have you conquered or are you working on conquering any bad habits in your life? What’s that look like, and what impact is it having on your life?

  • Rediscovering Joy in the Little Things

    Rediscovering Joy in the Little Things

    Some days I’m just not up for it. I will be distracted, not present and zapped of joy or contentment. On days where I’m really feeling the bipolar depression, it is hard to get out of bed, and I see the worst in life.

    So, what does this mean for my role with my kids? It means at times they are, I must confess, lacking attention and the presence of their mother they deserve. Not a good thing, but something happened recently, and so far, it’s left my lack of gratitude behind. I am overwhelmed by my life experiences now. Even through the bad, I can find some good. The little things mean more than any bigger things do. My perspective on life shifted when I almost lost my youngest son.

    Thankfully and most gratefully, he received the help needed in time.

    Should it have taken such a drastic event to snap me out of my unthankful state? No.

    Is it difficult to admit that some of my problem when I feel depressed is due to lack of gratitude and thanks? Yes.

    Take Back Your Joy

    I implore fellow believers, especially those dealing with depression, to take back the authority we have in Christ and to find joy in the little things. It is truly life changing! Every interaction with my baby boy is a treasure, and to think I was taking it for granted before.

    Once we discover how fragile life is, it is then that we take stock in every moment, in every little thing as a treasure. May that fragility motivate us to love harder than ever before. May you live confidently knowing that He is with you and that even the little things are truly something to rejoice over and are God-ordained.

    “Rejoice in the Lord always” – Philippians 4:4

    How you can take back your Joy

    Luckily, it doesn’t require a near-death experience of a loved one like I had to rediscover joy. Over time, you can find your joy in the little things. Here are some steps anyone can follow:

    1. Take Inventory. What’s stealing your joy in the first place? Comparison? Lack of gratitude? Difficult circumstances?

    2. Create your battle plan. With prayer, understand what actions you can take to turn your perspective around. For those things you can control, take positive steps, such as building good habits, that can change your thinking. Maybe this looks like positive self-talk, an exercise plan, being more selective about who you spend time with, or budgeting.

      For anything out of your control, completely surrender it to God and try your best to stop worrying over it. Only then can you find rest.

    3. Make time for mindfulness. When we’re not mindful of things, that’s when we’re not being present. There is value in everything that happens to us, be it good or bad. Slow down to take in how your day is going, identify any good that can come of your situation, and meditate on that.

    4. Put on the attitude of Christ. “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5‬:‭18‬ ‭ESV‬‬)…

      Need I say more? 😉

    5. Turn to God’s word for peace and encouragement. Some nuggets of encouragement from scripture include:

      * “Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!” – Psalm‬ ‭126‬:‭5‬ ‭

      * “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” – ‭‭John‬ ‭16‬:‭33‬ ‭

      * “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.” – ‭‭Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭15‬ ‭

    6. Live out your plan and be consistent. Consistency is the key to building better habits that will stick. I will emphasize here to take special care to nurture your spiritual habits. A walk with God that is cared for will bear love, of which a fruit of that is joy.


    Let’s Talk

    What little things in life are you taking time to enjoy again?

  • Finding Your God-Given Value

    Finding Your God-Given Value


    A thought has been stirring me lately: As a creation of God, I need to see my value to Him. As a child of God, I need to really understand my sonship in Him. For me, this comes down to acceptance. Feelings of worthlessness have kept me from accepting the great value that God puts on my life, and what a tragedy that is! Once I realized this, I was taken aback but also motivated to pursue the correct self-view that aligns with God’s perspective of me. Afterall, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

    In what can be the up and down battle of self-worth, how can a constant be found?

    Where do we go from here?

    Well, not to sound like a broken record if you’ve read my blogs, but let’s turn to the Word. If you have identified a lack of acceptance for God’s view of yourself like I have, then it requires some deeper digging to hone in on exactly what that means. Now, anyone can surely disagree with me on this, but I believe that staying in a place of low thinking about ourselves is not honoring to God. If we are His followers and He is in us and we are in Him, then we must be reflecting who He is, thoughts and all. We are His creation. I believe that honoring God requires us thinking of ourselves as cherished as we are to Him. When we are not cherishing who we are, we are undervaluing his workmanship.

    Reframing Self-Worth

    Putting more value on myself for my sake honestly hasn’t been a big push to snap me out of my poor self-view. But when I think about how changing my self view is for Him (and not for me), I feel renewed and eager to change my thinking. Afterall, if all of my thoughts can glorify the King, then what a win that is for the kingdom! I wonder in what ways can I be used once I overcome this poor thinking?

    By meditating on some scripture, I begin to see what a masterpiece I am to Him. You can begin to reframe your thinking by meditating on these verses, too. It takes time, but if you recite these anytime a negative thought about your worth comes up, it does do the trick. I’m often turning my attention and thoughts towards these verses when I’m doubting my own value.

    • I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14)
    • I am His workmanship (Ephesians 2:10)
    • I am adopted into His family (Ephesians 1:5)
    • I am sealed for redemption (Ephesians 4:30)
    • I can do all things through Him (Philippians 4:13)

    Even more encouraging are these verses in scripture, “I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you’ve been called, with all humility and gentleness, patience, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in this bond of peace.”

    Here’s how I’ve applied this to my life: The manner we are called to walk in are also descriptors of walking in love. I am called to LOVE myself so that I can love others. Finally, the bond of peace I have with Christ assures me that I can have internal peace. In order to combat low-self worth issues, I can remind myself of God’s promise for peace over me and pray for that peace.

    I wouldn’t want to ever diminish the creation of my Lord, the great Creator, or doubt the love and worth He has given me. I wouldn’t want to let him down or dishonor him. And if healthy thoughts about myself edify what a great and wonderful Creator my God is and His perfect love for me, why wouldn’t I want to change my thoughts?

    Let’s Talk

    Do you struggle with thoughts of low self-worth? How do you cope? Are you ready to go deeper and learn how God views you?

  • The Lie I Keep Believing

    The Lie I Keep Believing

    Do you struggle with one lie about yourself that just seems to be harder to shake than others? Well, I do.

    This lie tells me that I’m not memorable, that I just fade into the background. This lie tells me there is nothing about me that sets me apart; no talent or skill I have will make me successful. This lie tells me that I’m not interesting enough and should try be like someone else. “I’m not unique” is the lie that rings through my brain (especially when I’m in a crowded room).

    I am by nature an introvert, and so being in the spotlight is not something I’m good at, and to be honest, I’m not really sure I crave it. I do blend into the background but I speak up when I feel it’s important enough to say. I don’t really feel I’m a master at anything, and so I do tend to believe I’m missing out on success. But I also know my definition of success is different these days. Sadly, I have tried to be unlike myself to try and win people over (it didn’t go well). But that was a learning experience that I don’t intend to repeat.

    What I do crave is to do something important, something that can have impact, even if at a small level. In this season of life, that means educating my boys and raising them up in the way of God. I have moments where, due to my bipolar depression, that I question the importance of my existence when I feel I’m not making an impact because I haven’t said or done something I deemed to be meaningful enough.

    You may wonder why I’m even sharing this with strangers, but it’s because this little blog is, to me, a way where I see honesty can make a difference. 

    Combatting the Lie of “I’m Not Unique”

    So, how do I fight off the urge to give into this thought of not being unique? Simply labeling the thought as untrue isn’t enough for me. I need to look beyond myself, beyond my own strength. So, I look to scripture. Why? Because it’s rooted in who God is, and every truth is from Him.

    Scripture tells me I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). Do you KNOW what being “fearfully” made means? It is not to be taken lightly. Being fearfully made means that God’s creation was a reverent action – full of respect, full of awe. Each creation of God is unique and set apart. Therefore, I can confidently say that I, Samantha, am unique and set apart. YOU were created with reverence and awe and set apart! Remember that!

    I pray that if you struggle with not feeling unique, you can push that thought away and replace it with “I am a fearfully and wonderfully made creation.” That is truth.

    Help with Self-Worth

    If you struggle with other self-worth issues, then learn to define your worth by who He says you are, not by the what the world tells you or what you may be telling yourself. Easier said than done. I understand. It’s the believing part that is truly difficult. And that’s why managing mental health and having faith is a journey.

    Let’s Talk

    Have you ever struggled with this? Or maybe with something else? Can I pray for any struggle you’re going through today?

  • Saying Goodbye to 2023

    Saying Goodbye to 2023

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