#158: Our Daughter's Mental Health Battle and Faith that Pain has a Purpose

This is a very personal episode, as I open up about the struggles and mental health crisis that our daughter and family has gone through for several years, telling these stories with their permission to hopefully anyone who listens. We shouldn't just talk about this during Mental Health Awareness Month, and we're getting better at that, as we hear about overcoming mental disorders in Ted Lasso, even from inspiring Disney quotes, More than 1 in 5 adults and youth live with a mental illness, sometimes debilitating. If you are considering suicide or know someone who has, get help. You are seen and loved. Our daughter Olivia, who's now 20, has battled chronic illnesses and mental disorders since she was 9 years old, but it was hidden for years. I talk on this pod about the path to therapy for her and us as parents. It's been a difficult road, but we are all still alive and working through the pain. She has also written a lot about this journey on a Christian Instagram and blog filled with vulnerability and Bible verses to inspire you to be courageous in the darkness...and that it's ok to be broken and God will comfort you in the mess. It's called "Your Pain Has A Purpose." Check it out: https://bit.ly/3J161ZW. I read some of the brave things she's written about herself and Jesus and mental illness and faith and discouragement. There's also a lot in the Word about worry, hope, God's protection. We dive into that with some scripture, plus some wisdom for Christians about how to talk about mental health without judging or offending. As we "just keep swimming" through the struggles or pain, God is there. I close the pod, as always, in prayer. Thanks for listening to the #RunTheRace podcast, which I hope you'll subscribe to! Share it with your friends. Also, write a quick review about it, on Apple podcasts. For more info and listen to any previous episodes, go to www.wtvm.com/podcast/.