Conversations for Change

  Ed Welch, in I have a Psychiatric Diagnosis: What Does the Bible Say? tries to give those of us who are helping people who have been given a psychiatric diagnosis discover what God says about it and how the Bible speaks in ways that can help counselors find wisdom, rest, and hope in Jesus. He explains what the human heart is, how it functions, and how the Spirit changes our hearts. Welch argues that psychological categories help people see human struggles while spiritual categories include these struggles as well as how God speaks in every detail in our lives. He then goes on to the practical by looking at how we can help people who have been given specific diagnosis. These being anxiety and panic attacks, trauma, depression, and narcissism. This book does not argue theory about the DSM. It is a helpful and practical book for counselors looking for insights into how to help those they meet with who have been diagnosed

  Angry with God is written to help people who are angry due to suffering in life. Brad Hambrick encourages the reader to map out their lives to see the impact of what they are going through on who they are. From here, he uses Psalm 44 as an example of how to bring your suffering and pain to a God who understands and is compassionate. Hambrick urges the reader to go to God with their pain. He emphasizes the importance of relationship with him, this being in contrast to well-meaning others who can (mis)use the Bible to try to get you to feel better and in the process are quite dismissive of your suffering. The main strengths of the book are its understanding of the emotional impact of suffering and pointing people to God

  It is an incredibly painful experience to lose someone you love. This is especially true if you lose your spouse. When you are grieving, you go through a whole range of things from constant crying, to crying at unexpected times, times of deep loneliness and sorrow, and even experiencing literal heartache. Everywhere you go, you are reminded that your husband has gone. He is no longer sitting at the table at meal times, is not there when you come home, you no longer sit next to him at church. When you go out with friends, the others are couples, while you are on your own. Throughout your marriage, you divided the responsibilities. Now he is gone, you have to learn to do the things he always took care of. Perhaps this included the garden, car maintenance, and finances.     The horribleness of your experience is normal. When God made us, death did not exist. It was only after people rebelled against God, that suffering and death became part of existence. The grief of losin...

  It is deeply painful for a woman to be abandoned. Perhaps she was rejected and deserted by someone who was supposed to love and care for her. She might have been left all alone. Maybe she has to raise her children by herself. The pain is especially hard if she was abandoned for someone else. If this has happened, I would expect her to struggle with anger, resentment, shame, guilt, and a low view of herself. She will probably wonder where she went wrong and what the other woman has that she does not. She might wonder if anyone cares for her and if God cares for her.   In chapter 16 of the first book of the Bible, Genesis, we read about how the Lord cared for an abandoned woman. Abram, the Father of the people of Israel, used his servant Hagar, in an attempt to ensure that he had a male heir. After Hagar conceived, she looked on Abram’s wife, Sarai, with contempt. Sarai responded by making treating Hagar so harshly, she fled. Hagar was on her own and in a place of grave ...

  In days gone by, women in the U.K. were not allowed to vote. It is only in recent history that it has been illegal for men to physically abuse their wives. Countless women have or are being treated as inferior to men. This has led to many women asking the question – does God care about women? To answer that question, we have to look at the place where God communicates with us – the Bible. If we go to the first chapter of the first book, Genesis, we already see the answer. We discover that God made both men and women in his image. Men and women both are made to, in some sense, be like him. That raises the question: how come so many women are discriminated against? We find the answer to that in the third chapter of the same book, Genesis. There we discover that both the man and the woman rebelled against God and chose to do their own thing. One of the many repercussions is that there is tension in relationships. Sometimes this is expressed by men selfishly ruling over women...

  Last time, we discussed the importance of what we are thinking, what is going on in our minds. This time, I would like to go a bit deeper and look at what is behind the thought. Perhaps an example will help. If you remember, way back in the beginning, we talked about how depression is often linked to suffering. A middle-aged woman had always hoped in some way that her parents would acknowledge the cruel ways that they had treated her and come to love and accept her, like normal families. When they died without that happening, she couldn’t get out of bed. She thought • I am unwanted • Nobody cares • What’s wrong with me that people don’t treat me right • What do I lack that other people do have, who are loved by their parents If we go deeper, we can see the desires behind the thoughts: • I want my parents to love me • I want to be loved • I want to be accepted • I want the wrong way I am treated to be acknowledged • I want to be treated right • I want to have normal relationships...

  We’ve been talking about depression… It is very important that you get medical advice and follow it. Sometimes the feelings of depression are caused by medical issues, so it is vitally important that you get medical help and follow the advice that you have been given While acknowledging the suffering that you are going through, there are practices that will help you as you face your depression and try to pick up daily life again For example, decide a time that you would like to get out of bed by. For example 9 a.m. You might feel that it takes everything out of you and that you are going against every fibre in your body to do it, but please do. Then the following week, as well as getting out of bed by 9 a.m., make your bed as well The week after that, as well as getting out of bed at 9 a.m. and making your bed, be dressed by 10 a.m. It is very helpful to get physical exercise. Try to go for a walk for about 15 minutes. Now, I know this sounds like the impossible to yo...