Tag Archives: Gillian Marchenko

For such a time as this… Mental Health and the Church

Does God have a place for you in his movement to transform the way the church loves persons touched by mental illness? Has he positioned you to be an agent of change in your church? Is he calling you to serve people in your community hurting as a result of mental illness? Has he positioned you to come alongside someone with mental illness to help them to overcome challenges that make it hard for them to be part of a worship service, small group or Bible study?  Continue reading

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The Gospel and Depression…Gillian Marchenko

I speak about depression. I write books. But shame exists deep within. Part of the reason (outside of the battle of the mind) is because the stigma is alive in churches. “You are less spiritual than others,’ my illness whispers in my ear. “You can’t be a Christian and depressed,” I believe the enemy chimes in.
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Five thoughts regarding marriage and depression…Gillian Marchenko

Couples fighting mental illness often ask us what they can/should do when one spouse is depressed. Continue reading

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Gillian Marchenko…Re-engaging into life after a depressive episode

Allowing myself to thaw, I find, takes way more guts than staying frozen. Frozen means no emotion. Frozen means lost days and weeks. Frozen means standing still, not thinking about others or myself. But now, the more I know, the more I work the program, the more I heal, the more I thaw. I drip emotion. I realize the toll my problems take on people around me that I love. And it hurts. Continue reading

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6 tips on how to help a friend with depression…Gillian Marchenko

Don’t judge or assume that if your friend can’t ‘pull her life together’ then she just isn’t trying hard enough. Depression isn’t laziness or a lack of faith. It is a disease that requires treatment and care. Continue reading

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Motherhood and depression guilt…

I may not be the best mom. I may not even get back to being the average mother I once claimed to be. But I’m here. I’m getting back up. I’m not leaving. And I’m the mom God ordained for these four souls, and therefore I am their best mom.
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The joy of the Lord and clinical depression…Sergei Marchenko

How can we make sense of the “joy of the Lord” in the context of depression? Continue reading

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Life with depression is not a waste

God intimately knows the days I can’t function. Regardless if they are lost to me, they are not lost to him. He is not unaware of my numbed mind and aching limbs crawling towards the next minute. No, he is right there with me. He is sovereign. He is the one providing the next patch of light in my life. Even if his purpose escapes me, purpose exists nonetheless. Continue reading

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5 things to do after someone you love receives a special needs diagnosis

Sometimes friends and families stay away from loved ones with a new diagnosis because they don’t know what to do. Showing up and letting the family know you care makes a huge difference in their lives. Continue reading

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Five strategies for maintaining hope if you’re struggling with depression

Through my years of therapy for depression, I’ve acquired some strategies that help me hope in the future more often. Continue reading

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