“And I am certain that God, who began the  good work within you, will continue his work  until it is finally finished on the day when Christ  Jesus returns.” Philippians 1:6 NLT On the wall in my office hangs a picture of Crazy  Horse Monument in South Dakota. Crazy Horse was a Native American leader, and the sculpture  was commissioned to celebrate the spirit of the Native American warrior and hi...  Read More

For roughly 6-8 months of my own diagnosis, I  could only think about surviving the next hour ahead of me. It was all I could do to get through a day, and it was exhausting. But after time and  with a lot of hard work with all my care professionals, I realized that my anxiety no longer controlled every moment of every day. I  started to find a healthier rhythm to life, and for the first time in a ...  Read More

Several years ago, I was talking to a member of  my faith community who had been stuck in a  pattern of thinking for quite some time. Years  ago, she had hurt another person and was  struggling to forgive herself for what she had  done. After years of beating yourself up, it’s hard to  start thinking differently. You likely need a  mental health professional to help you identify  your negative thi...  Read More

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray  about everything. Tell God what you need, and  thank him for all he has done. Then, you will  experience God’s peace, which exceeds  anything we can understand. His peace will  guard your hearts and minds as you live in  Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4: 6-7…verse of the  week) The most common response I received from  people when I was diagnosed was to pra...  Read More

As I exited the church I worked for one Saturday,  I saw a woman sitting at the back of the  sanctuary. She looked like something was  weighing on her, so I stopped, introduced  myself, and asked her if everything was okay. She said, “Yeah, I don’t think I can return to this  church.” Worried that someone had said or  done something to her that led her to that  conclusion, I kindly asked, “Why, wh...  Read More

First, thank you to my wife, Tricia McCoy, for her  contribution to this week’s thoughts. Tricia is a  licensed social worker who serves as a mental health  facility counselor.  Secondly, I write about what I know, as you’ll see  unfold as I contribute to the first week of this series  guide. About 17 years ago, I was diagnosed with a  mental health challenge that threatened to take my  life. By t...  Read More