Years before I was born, my mother’s oldest brother found a secluded location and ended his life. So, I grew up under the shadow of this event. In my mind’s eye, I can still see the picture of this uncle on my mother’s dresser.Many have proclaimed that anyone who has committed suicide has committed the sin of murder with no opportunity to repent, and therefore, they would be lost for all eternity....  Read More

What drives suicide? What gets inside of a person that leads them to carry out a plan to end their life? What part of the person takes over and pushes for this result?In my experience, three basic scenarios drive a person toward suicide: loss of purpose, loss of hope, and when one part of the person is trying to prevent another person from harming someone else.When a person loses their purpose for...  Read More

When a son or daughter, brother or sister, or close friend takes their own life, we naturally want to assign blame. We want to know what could have been done to prevent this from happening. So, it’s common for us to blame God for not sending someone to prevent the problem. We blame ourselves for not paying closer attention to what was happening in the person’s life and stepping in to prevent this ...  Read More

It took real courage for Elijah to go to Israel’s king and declare that there would be no dew nor rain for the next few years. Kings did not tend to accept lousy news well in those days. The phrase “shoot the messenger” comes to mind. But Elijah was faithful to his calling and delivered God's message to Israel’s king.Then God miraculously provides for Elijah by sending food by ravens until the bro...  Read More

What to do When You Suspect Suicidal Thoughts, Part 2Once you’ve established that someone is having thoughts of ending their life, and you’ve explored their plan and access to the materials needed to implement their goal, it’s time to find their strength. The reality is that they have not yet ended their life, so it’s time for you to get curious about what has kept them up to this point from actin...  Read More

What to do When You Suspect Suicidal ThoughtsIf you suspect a loved one might be struggling with Suicidal Ideations or SI, what can you do? Directly asking someone you care about if they are about to end their life can come across as a bit harsh and accusatory. However, the question must be asked, and I find it helpful to soften the question like this: Are you having any thoughts of wishing you we...  Read More