Friends, my heart hurts as I type this. My heart hurts for myself and the countless others out there who struggle with any kind of mental illness. I hurt for those who have walked in darkness alone. I hurt for those who don’t see themselves the way that God does. My heart is absolutely broken for those who see no other way out than to take their own life.

If you see no other messages today, see this one: YOU ARE LOVED. You are valuable. You are worth everything to the Father who calls you his Beloved.

I hate that it has become taboo to talk about these things in church, as if we can’t have real life struggles while also having hope in Christ.

I’m here to boldly and shameless say that it is ok to love Jesus and to also see a therapist. It is ok to love Jesus and also take antidepressants. It is ok to love Jesus and not be ok for a while, because Jesus meets us where we are in whatever state of darkness that we are in. He loves us enough to meet us where we are, and loves us too much to let us stay there.

If you struggle with mental illness, please know you are not alone. You have the God of the universe ready to protect you and a church family ready to fight for you.

Please reach out to us.

If you are not someone who struggles with these things, find ways to lift other people up! For example, members of our youth ministry team spent all of this past Saturday getting coffee with students and watching their dance competitions and performing arts. It doesn’t seem like much, but we were so glad to support our students who need to feel loved.

Be someone who makes others feel loved and valued. Spread kindness into the world, because people are fighting really hard battles that you might not know of.