Blog
Elmo’s Wholesome Question That Broke the Internet
Elmo (yes, the red fuzzy puppet from the show Sesame Street) tweeted on the 30th of January: “Elmo is just checking in! How is everybody doing?” The answer? Not good, Elmo. Not good at all.
It's a New Year, but I'm Exhausted
I don’t know what you’re facing. Maybe you’re looking forward to what’s coming. Maybe you’ve written the lists and set the goals and so far you’re actually sticking to them. But, if you’re like me, you’re feeling a little worn out. A little on the back-foot.
10 Surprising Things I’ve Learned About Having Good Mental Health
I’ve never struggled with depression or anxiety – until a few years ago. I had a panic attack on a small aircraft as it was flying through a storm, bouncing around like a dodgem car. And for a good year after that incident, I felt incredibly anxious whenever I boarded aircraft. But I sought help and began the journey of responding well to anxiety.
What is Mindfulness and How Can It Help Us?
We wanted to find out from Dr Katherine Thompson what “mindfulness” is, where it comes from, whether it can be used by Christians, and if there could be harm in engaging with these practices. She also takes us through a scripture-based meditative exercise towards the end!
Is Self-Care Biblical?
Some people's alarm bells may go off as soon as the topic of self-care is mentioned. It may be because you think that because it has the word ‘self’ in it must be selfish, and therefore not good or from God. But here’s the thing; looking after ourselves means that we build our capacity to cope with the stresses of life and better love those around us.
What the Bible Says About Peace
There’s so much going on in the world, and it can be overwhelming. Whether we’re struggling with troubles in our own lives or feeling the barrage of bad news every time we look at the headlines, peace can feel elusive – if not impossible. All that can leave us wondering, “How can we find peace with everything going on?”
How to Create a Suicide Safety Plan
We’ve recently been sharing the stories of people with firsthand experiences of suicide; whether they’ve lost someone to suicide, helped someone navigate that dark period, or have struggled with suicidal thoughts themselves. Through all those stories, you might be left wondering, ‘What can I do about it? How can I help?’
Filling Our Bellies With the Bible: A Guide to Biblical Meditation
Many people associate meditation with the idea of ‘emptying our minds’, achieving a state of inner peace, or a focus on ourselves and not others. But biblical meditation is different. Biblical meditation is pondering the words of Scripture with a receptive heart, trusting the Holy Spirit to work in you through those words.
As a Christian Bloke, Here’s What I’ve Learned About Dealing With Difficult Emotions
Most of us have been in situations where we’ve felt the tidal wave of negative emotions–especially anger or sadness–wash over us, and carry us along. We can’t think straight. And anything we say is propelled by our negative emotions. The emotion greets us in the morning and shapes our thoughts for days.
How I Learned to Find Beauty in the Chaos
God rescued me from a dark time in my life a few years ago. I was struggling with life and in survival mode, both mentally and physically. My relationships suffered because of it. I even remember admitting to my husband one day, “I’m just not a happy person.”
What Do We Do When We’re Paralysed by Choice?
There are important decisions we all face that are wise to deliberate on, of course, like what to study, which job to take, and if/who to marry. But what do we do when we’ve prayed about it, written the pros and cons list, and we still can’t choose?
It’s Hard to Be Open About Mental Illness as a Guy
However you define a true-blue Australian man, there seems to be one universal agreement: Men should not be weak. Not surprisingly, men are far less likely to access mental health services than women, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Sadly, this desire to be strong does not dismiss our mental suffering. Instead, it exacerbates it.
Dating Someone With Anxiety: What I’ve Learned
I’d been exposed to mental illnesses, but had never walked that journey intimately with someone. I won’t lie; it was hard. But I’m now three years (and a wedding) down the road, and have learned so much about what it means to be in a relationship with someone who struggles with their mental health.
A 5 Part Series on Rest
We all need a break sometimes; we all need rest. Work, church, caring and studying can physically tire us out. But sometimes, our need for rest goes deeper; sometimes, our very souls feel weary. We’ll be exploring how God’s gift of rest not only meets our needs, but is also something to delight in.
I’m Anxious, My Partner Isn’t
It was somewhat disconcerting to begin with, being with someone who’d never felt the tumble-drier effect of a panic attack, the crippling waves of anxiety or the unexplained heaviness of depression.
Why Is Vulnerability So Important?
For me, being deeply honest about my feelings and struggles comes easily. I feel freed when I speak those things out into the open. But I know that isn’t the case for a lot of people.
4 Steps to Untangling Your Emotions
Sarah describes our relationship with mental health like a beach ball. As humans, we have a natural drive within us to avoid feelings of fear or pain. We don’t like sitting in uncomfortable emotions, and so we suppress them; we hold them under the water with all our energy, hoping they won’t come up so we won’t have to face them.
God... I'm Feeling Burnt-Out
Jordan describes himself as a “pretty chill, stoic, level-headed guy” – that is, until he faced burn-out and depression that sent him spiralling. In Jordan’s second year of paid ministry, he felt the pressure mounting.
The Labels God Gives Us
We’ve all been labelled with something in our lives. Maybe it’s a good label, like hard-worker or kind. But maybe, it’s another kind of label: Overthinker. Worrier. Anxious. Depressed.
A Conversation About… Dealing with Anxiety
We spoke to Dr Sarah, a GP here in Australia, who helped us learn what anxiety is from a medical perspective. Sarah shared with us four things we can all be doing - eating well, sleeping well, exercising regularly, and connecting with others.