Category Archives: gifts

Are There Benefits to Being Bipolar?

Posted on September 23, 2016 by

Originally Published on July 20, 2010 in “Psychology Today” Let me start by acknowledging what is well known: Manic Depression or Bipolar disorder can be a devastating illness. Affecting at least 1% of the population, it can, untreated, result in … Continue reading →

Posted in advice, believer, bipolar disorder, birds, broken believers, delusions, depression, despair, difficulties, giftedness, gifts, life lessons, madness, mental health, mental illness, ministry, outside source, personal comments, pleasing God, psychologists, Serving Mentally Ill Christians, spiritual lessons, understanding, wisdom | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Still Figuring It All Out, [Hopeful Wisdom]

Posted on July 26, 2016 by

And I’m Still Learning I’ve learned — 1 that you cannot make someone love you. All you can do is be someone who can be loved. The rest is up to them. I’ve learned — 2 that no matter how … Continue reading →

Posted in 2:00 a.m., advice, alert, Bryan's comments, clueless, discipleship, encouragement, faith, friendship, giftedness, gifts, glory of God, grace, guest teacher, hope, humor, imagination, internet, lessons learned,, life, life lessons, love, meaning, music, my limitations, outside source, peace, people, promises, quite useful,, quotes, regret, Serving Mentally Ill Christians, spiritual lessons, transformation, truth, understanding, Very helpful, wisdom, writer | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Why the Church? [Fellowship of the Saints]

Posted on June 20, 2016 by

It is easy to become cynical and hard about the Church. We easily see failure and defeat permeating our local churches. That is a serious problem, if we look too close, or for too long. The sins of the Church … Continue reading →

Posted in believer, church, church life, community, discernment, discipleship, encouragement, fellowship, fellowship of the saints, flock, following Jesus, gifts, God, grace, Jesus Christ, ministry, mocking, personal comments, Satan, Serving Mentally Ill Christians, spiritual lessons, spiritual warfare, understanding | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Just One More Dance [Scandalous Joy]

Posted on May 21, 2016 by

“14 And David was dancing before the Lord with all his might, and David was wearing a linen ephod.” 2 Samuel 6:13-15 When I start to dance, you had better head for higher ground!  I am without question the world’s worst and the … Continue reading →

Posted in affliction, believer, blessings, complete surrender, creativity, dance, devotional, disability, discipleship, distinctiveness, encouragement, faith, first-love, gifts, glory of God, God, grace, Holy Spirit, humility, Jesus Christ, joy, kingdom of God, lessons learned, lessons learned,, life, life lessons, love, mental illness, mental or physical illness, my limitations, personal comments, physical disability, praise, presence of God, pride, romance, seeking God, self-deception, selfishness, Serving Mentally Ill Christians, spiritual lessons, trust, unconditional love, understanding, Very helpful, will of God, worship, zeal | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Without a Wound? [True Ministry]

Posted on May 12, 2016 by

The subject of “the pool at Bethesda” alludes to the following excerpt from the Thorton Wilder play, “The Angel that Troubled the Waters”.The play is based on the biblical verses of John 5:1-4, but it changes the end of the … Continue reading →

Posted in affliction, angels, battle, battle wounds, believer, bipolar disorder, blessings, brokenness, Bryan's comments, caregivers, christlikeness, compassion, decisions, deliverance, depression, despair, desperation, devotional, discipleship, encouragement, following Jesus, frustration, gentleness, giftedness, gifts, God, grace, Holy Spirit, humility, Jesus Christ, lessons learned,, life, life lessons, lost causes, love, mental illness, ministry, miracle, pain, personal comments, quotes, Serving Mentally Ill Christians, sickness, sin, spiritual lessons, suffering, tangled up, understanding, waiting, weakness | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Ignoring a Mentally Ill Believer

Posted on February 29, 2016 by

45 “And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’” Matthew 25:45, NLT The truth of the matter is that the Church … Continue reading →

Posted in a pursued soul, advice, affliction, an intense love, availability, battle, battle wounds, believer, Bible promises, bipolar, body life, broken believers, challenges, church, church life, correction, deliverance, delusions, depression, despair, despondancy, difficulties, disability, discipleship, encouragement, faith that works, Father God, fellowship of the saints, forgiving sin, gifts, God's acceptance, grace, handicapped, healing, intensity, Jesus Christ, kyrie eleison, lessons learned,, life lessons, lost causes, love, madness, manic depression, medications, mental illness, mental or physical illness, ministry, mood swings, my limitations, oblivious, patience, personal comments, pilgrims and strangers, pleasing God, psychologists, psychotherapy, rascals and strugglers, scars, schizophrenia, Serving Mentally Ill Christians, shepherd, sons and daughters, spiritual lessons, spiritual warfare, stigma, struggle, taking risks, trust, truth, unconditional love, understanding, unreality, Very helpful, willingness, wisdom, Word, worship | 6 Comments

Caregivers: Improving Your Serve

Posted on February 26, 2016 by

One of the weightiest issues of caring for a mentally ill spouse, child, or friend, is that it is so phenomenally relentless.  The disease is so unpredictable, in its intensity and its spontaneity.  You think you have the situation in hand, and … Continue reading →

Posted in affliction, battle, battle wounds, believer, Bible, Bible promises, bipolar disorder, BPD, broken believers, brothers, Bryan's comments, caregivers, challenges, church, church life, community, confusion, counseling, despair, desperation, devotional, discipleship, encouragement, endurance, fellowship of the saints, following Jesus, gifts, glory of God, grace, helpful, Holy Spirit, humility, Jesus Christ, joy, lessons learned,, life lessons, love, mental health, mental illness, ministry, personal comments, quite useful,, rest in God, servanthood, Serving Mentally Ill Christians, transformation, understanding, Very helpful, watching and waiting, will of God | Tagged , , , , ,