How To Respond To Someone In A Mental Health Crisis

 

For many people with mental illnesses, it is common for us to have what is called a mental health crisis from time to time. Many people who do not have mental illnesses tend to not understand how to properly respond to those of us during a mental health crisis. It is for this reason that many people react in unloving and unkind ways. Whether you would like to acknowledge it or not, there are right and wrong ways to respond to a mental health crisis. Before I get into what are appropriate ways to respond, I would like to discuss what exactly is a mental health crisis. According to the National Association of Mental Illness (NAMI), a mental health crisis is, 

"any situation in which a person's behavior puts them at risk of hurting themselves or others and/or prevents them from being able to care for themselves effectively in the community" 

Some examples of a mental health crisis are someone feeling depressed to the point of being suicidal, someone who is resorting to cutting themselves, someone in a panic attack, etc. It is important to note that a mental health crisis should be taken with the utmost seriousness. We should never trivialize someone's mental health crisis, even if we perceive it to be not so serious. Remember that what may appear nonsensical to us is very serious and real to them. We should never try to convince the person experiencing a mental health crisis that their crisis is "no big deal". In this blog, I shall discuss three important tips for you to keep in mind next time you encounter someone experiencing a mental health crisis. If you keep these tips in mind, then you will be able to help your loved ones more easily. These tips are the following: 

1) Do Not Provoke 

2) Be Present 

3) Stay Calm 

I will elaborate on each of these points, but first I'd like to mention that these are not the only ways you can help your loved one in a mental health crisis. These are just the main tips I would like to focus on for the sake of this blog. If you can think of any more, please feel free to comment below. Now, it is time for me to elaborate on each of these points. 

Do Not Provoke 

In Proverbs 15:1 we read, 

"A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger" 

Basically, Solomon is telling us that our words can either calm someone down or make them more angry. When dealing with someone in a mental health crisis, we must remember to watch how we speak to the person. Our words can trigger the person to fall deeper into their crisis. And not only do we need to mind our words, but we also need to watch our tone of voice too. For many people who are prone to having a mental health crisis, other people's tone of voice can be enough to send us off the edge. This does not mean that you need to speak to us like we are children (actually, for many of us that would set us off too). What it does mean, however, is if our tone is angry or frustrated, we will sense that and respond in anger or frustration. Once this happens, our mental health crisis will inevitably escalate. For this reason, it is best for you to approach us in a kind and compassionate way and to speak to us respectfully no matter how we are behaving. Believe me when I say that if you approach us with kindness, then that will go a long in calming us down. But, if you approach us in anger, then we just may explode. If you are someone who cannot help but get angry when we are in a mental health crisis, then it may be best for you to take a backseat while someone else helps us out. 

Be Present 

The best thing that Job's friends ever did for him was when they merely sat with him for three days without saying a word, but they ruined it once they opened their mouths. I understand that it is difficult to just sit with someone who is having a mental health crisis. We are hard-wired to always try to fix a problem. However, in a lot of cases of people experiencing a mental health crisis, we typically do not need you to "fix" us. All we need is for people to be there for us and to let us know that they care. You can do this by sitting with us during our crisis. Or you can offer to walk in the park with us or even take us out for some ice cream. You can even do something as simple as playing a video game with us to help us distract our minds. Regardless of what you decide to do, just your presence around us will go a long way in helping us remember that we do have people in our lives who truly care. 

Stay Calm 

I know that this tip will probably be the most difficult one to abide by for a lot of people. I completely understand that some people can be triggered by another person's mental health crisis. Like I said earlier, if you are one of those people, then it is okay for you to sit back and allow someone else to be there for the person. You need to remain calm so that you will be level-headed enough to know what steps you must take to help your loved one. It would probably be best for you to keep some emergency contacts on you just in case too. We can read your body language and tone of voice very well and if we sense you are being hostile, then we will either be hostile back or we will clam up and not respond to you whatsoever. It would also help if while you are remaining calm you could pray over and for us while we are dealing with our crisis. Prayer can and does go a long way in helping us because the Holy Spirit is active in our lives. As James tells us in chapter 5:13-15, 

"Is any among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of his church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven" 

If you have been a believer for any amount of time, then you should understand that there is power in a believer's prayers to the Lord. Most of us with mental illness will not be opposed to you praying over us and most likely that is what we especially need when we are in our mental health crisis. 

I would like to thank you all for taking the time to read my blog and I sincerely hope that this better equips you to know how to react to your loved one when they are in a mental health crisis. However, if you have followed these tips and your loved one is still experiencing the crisis, then you may need to take them to a local crisis center in your area or the emergency room to have them evaluated. But, hopefully, it will not come to that. May the grace of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ richly bless you all! 

-David Lee Chu Sarchet
Christian Mental Health Advocate 

Check out the Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website

How To Build A Positive Support System

 

For those of us with any kind of mental illness building a support system is vital for our recovery. We need to know that we have people on our side whenever we have a relapse or an episode. Unfortunately, for many of us, it is very difficult to build such a support system. One of the reasons for this is because a lot of us have issues with trusting people. Some of us have been seriously burned by people whom we thought we could trust. Another reason it is difficult for us to build a support system is that we just do not know where to begin. We may not be aware of any resources we can turn to for help. And still, another reason is that we are much too prideful to admit that we need other people in our lives. We tend to think that our burdens are our own and we should never involve others with our burdens. All of these reasons are detrimental to building a support system and thus building stable mental health. The truth is, we actually do need each other. As it says in Genesis 2:18, 

"Then the Lord God said, 'It is not good that man should be alone...'" 

While this text is primarily about Adam needing a wife, I believe it also speaks about the fact that we were created to be a part of a community None of us were meant to travel the Christian road on our own. As I always say, God did not create any lone Christians. However, I do acknowledge that for many of us, building a support system is terrifying. We do not like to appear vulnerable in front of people. I know this feeling all too well because, for the longest time, I felt the same way. As a matter of fact, it was not until very recently that I became comfortable with allowing my church community to know about my mental health struggles. So, believe me when I tell you that I can sympathize with you in this. However, I have found that when I open up to people about my struggles, it creates an atmosphere of loving and caring relationships. This does not mean we should open up to anyone. As always, we should get to know people before opening up to them and that can take some time. But, in the end, it will all be worth it. In this blog, I shall give you three solid tips on how to build a positive support system and if you apply these tips, I believe, you will go a long way in creating a support team for yourself. These tips are the following: 

1) Get Plugged Into A Solid Church

2) Go To A Support Group 

3) Find A Good Therapist 

I will elaborate on these points in a second but I would like to point out that these are not the only ways you can build a support system. There are many other ways, but these are the main ones I want to discuss because they are the main ones that have specifically helped me out. If you can think of any more, please feel free to let me know in the comments below. Now, it is time for me to elaborate on my points. 

Get Plugged Into A Solid Church 

There is real wisdom that the writer the Hebrews says in Hebrews 10:25 when he says, 

"...not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near" 

As I have previously said, we were created for the community. The writer of the Hebrews would have understood this and that is why he chose to encourage us to not forsake the gathering of believers. As some of you know already, I watch many videos made by professing atheists and one of the most common things I hear from them talking about how they left the faith is that somewhere down the line they first stopped going to church. I firmly believe that when we try to play the Lone Christian, we are more susceptible to the devil's attacks. There truly is strength in numbers and if we want to be strong in the Lord, we need to rely on our brothers and sisters in the faith. We are called to carry one another's burdens (Galatians 6:2) because we were not meant to carry them alone nor should we. We have a family in Christ to help us walk the Christian walk. 

Go To A Support Group

In my experience, I have found attending support groups to be very helpful. There are many different types of support groups out there too. Are you addicted to substances? There are support groups for that. Are you dealing with Bipolar? There are Bipolar support groups. Are you dealing with Schizophrenia? There are Schizophrenic support groups. The bottom line is this: there are support groups for just about anything you are dealing with. The beauty of support groups is that when you are around other people who are dealing with the same thing you are experiencing it causes you to feel a lot less like a freak of nature. The more you open up to people in these support groups, the more you will find that your experiences are perfectly normal. If you are having trouble finding a support group, you can always look for a local NAMI (National Association of Mental Illness) organization in your area. They will help you find a support group in your region. Sometimes they even have their own support groups you can attend. 

Find A Good Therapist

I know that this one is probably the most controversial point. Many Christians frown on therapy, but therapy is vital for mental health recovery. It may be difficult for you to find the right therapist that you click with, but stick with the search no matter what because when you find the right one it will be worth it. I have heard it once said that finding a good therapist is a lot like dating. The reason I say this is because when you meet with a therapist for the first time you are testing the waters by getting to know him or her to see if they are a good match for you. Do not give up if the first couple of therapists do not seem like they are good for you. A good therapist will be encouraging toward you and will even hold you accountable when you need it. But, most importantly, therapists do have keen insight into your life that you may not realize on your own. So, it is important to get an outside professional's input into your mental health. 

I thank you for taking the time to read my blog and I sincerely hope that this helps you in your journey in building your positive support system. It may be scary opening up to people in the beginning, but remember God is on our side and He is guiding us along the way. If He is for us, who can be against us? May the grace of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ richly bless you all! 

-David Lee Chu Sarchet 
Christian Mental Health Advocate 

Check out the Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website

When You Feel There Is No Hope--A Biblical Response

 

Have you ever felt like you were at the end of your rope? In other words, have you ever felt such a deep despair and that there was absolutely no way out? I know that I have felt this many times in my life. As a matter of fact, there are many times in my life when I would cry out exactly how the Psalmist put it in Psalm 88 when he said darkness was his only companion. I know that feeling all too well. What do you do in these moments of despair? Do you cry out to God or do you clam up and refuse to speak to Him? If you're like my younger self, you probably resort to self-harm or isolation. Or maybe you choose to fight people instead. However you choose to handle your emotion of despair, there are answers in the Bible of which if we seriously believe them, our whole perspective should radically change. What are these biblical answers you ask? In this blog, I shall explain what the Bible has to say concerning our darkest moments. First, I would like to say that these promises are not a magical cure-all. If you are dealing with chronic depression, then you may need to see a psychiatrist or a therapist because your depression will not go away overnight. However, if you truly take these promises to heart, they will greatly help make your depression much more bearable. For the sake of this blog, I will separate my answers into four categories. They are the following: 

1) God's Faithful Presence 

2) Overcoming Trials 

3) Endurance 

4) All Things Work For Good 

I will elaborate on each of these points, but I would like to say that these are not the only promises the Bible has to offer those of us who are in a dark place. These are just the main points I would like to focus on. If you can think of any more, please feel free to comment below. Now, I will elaborate on these points. 

God's Faithful Presence 

One of the most profound promises I have found to help during dark times is concerning God's faithfulness. 2 Timothy 2:13 tells us, 

"If we are faithless, he remains faithful--for he cannot deny himself" 

Did you notice what I noticed about this text? Even if we are unfaithful to Him, He remains faithful to us. This is an extraordinary promise to get hold of in our minds. I know for me this truth has helped tremendously because I know I fail Him daily. It helps me to know that even when I fail, the Lord is still on my side. Another promise comes from Hebrews 13:5 which says, 

"Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you'" 

The writer of the Hebrews is essentially telling us not to worry about material possessions because God has promised to always be there for us. We do not need to worry about what we will eat or drink or even how we will get our medication because He is our provider. It is for this very reason that Peter tells us in 1 Peter 5:7 that we can "cast our anxieties onto him". 

Overcoming Trials 

This truth is truly remarkable as well. 1 Corinthians 10:13 tells us, 

"No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation, he will also provide a way of escape, that you will be able to endure it" 

There are a couple of points you should draw from this text. The first one is that no matter what you are currently going through, it is perfectly normal because everyone goes through something similar. This means that you are not some kind of freak of nature. Whatever you may be experiencing, it is a guarantee that other people have experienced the same thing. I find this very comforting to know because all too often I feel like my problems are unique to me and no one else will understand. It is for this reason that we should never be afraid to go to our brothers and sisters in the faith for help. The devil tries to keep us from doing this by telling us a lie that no one will understand. The second point we can draw from this text is that God will not allow our trials to overcome us. He knows our frame and this is the reason why He knows exactly how much we can handle. I understand that at the moment we may feel like it is more than we can bear, but this is why we need to trust His word over our feelings.  Emotions are fickle because they come and go, but God's word stands true forever. He understands what we are going through and He will give us the strength to persevere. I heard it once said that God gives trials to His toughest soldiers and I firmly believe this sentiment. We are all a lot tougher than we give ourselves credit for. Finally, the third thing we can pull from this text is that no matter what we are going through God always provides a way out. We may not know at the moment what that form of escape looks like, but if we continue trusting in the Lord's sovereignty, He will make it clear to us. After the way is clear, our choice is to take it. 

Endurance 

This truth is probably the toughest truth for us to hear when we are in terrible times, but it is something we must always keep in mind. Romans 5:3-5 tells us, 

"Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us" 

I know it may sound hard to fathom that we should rejoice in our sufferings, right? However, when we are trusting in the Lord and we understand that He is faithful to the end and that He will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear, but instead provide a way of escape, how could we do anything but rejoice? According to this text, our suffering is not for no purpose either. Our suffering is producing endurance and character in us. I've heard it once said that when a refiner refines gold, he holds the gold right in the center of the flame. He does this so that the hottest point in the fire will cleanse off all the dross and purify the gold. In the same way, God will hold us in the center of our trials to purify us. It may feel nice or comfortable in the moment, but in the end, we will come out looking holy unto the Lord. Also, just like the refiner never lets go of the gold while it is in the fire, God will never let go of us either. 

All Things Work For Good 

I know that this truth may sting in some people's ears because they cannot fathom how what they are going through will work out for their good. However, Romans 8:28 does tell us, 

"And we know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose" 

I used to not understand this text myself because I could grasp how certain life events would work out for my good. As a matter of fact, a couple years ago, as I lay in a hospital bed for three months, I almost lost my faith in God. However, the Lord kept reminding me of this verse and today I can stand before you a new man. It was because of the suffering I endured that I was able to get off some medication that I was on and my relationship with God and my wife is more intimate than ever. I also no longer have an ileostomy bag either. God was truly faithful to me during my darkest moment and He will be faithful to you as well. You just have to take Him at His word and believe that somehow some way whatever you are going through it will all work out for your good. 

I would like to thank you for taking the time to read my blog and I hope that the Lord uses this to give you some encouragement. No matter what you are experiencing right now these truths are yours to keep. God's Word cannot be broken because God cannot lie. May the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ richly bless you all! 

-David Lee Chu Sarchet
Christian Mental Health Advocate 

Check out the Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website

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Mental Illness & The Artistic Mind

 

What comes to your mind when you think of mental illness? Some people think of news stories where a mass shooter just shot up some school or church. Others think of people being drugged up to the point where they are drooling on themselves. Still, others think of loved ones who have committed suicide. But, how many of you think of the arts when you think of mental illness? I am willing to guess that not many of you do. Regardless of whether you want to acknowledge it or not, there seems to be a link between creativity and mental illness. This is not to say that every person with mental illness is creative. Some of us are more analytical than we are creative. However, there is a good number of people with mental illness who seem to have some unique creative abilities. In this blog, I shall discuss six famous artists who were exceptionally creative and yet suffered from some serious mental illnesses. Afterward, I will give my thoughts on why this seems to be the case. The hope is that after you read this blog you will begin to see those of us with mental illness in a more positive light instead of thinking negatively about us. 

Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890) 

Vincent Van Gogh is probably the most famous artist who suffered from mental illness. He suffered from anxiety and depression for most of his life and even famously said, "I put my heart and soul into my work, and I lost my mind in the process". He was a Dutch post-impressionist painter of landscapes, who died from a self-afflicted gunshot wound after many years of dealing with depression and anxiety. The most familiar story about Vincent Van Gogh is the one about how he cut off his right ear and mailed it to his ex-wife. He was a very troubled man. 

Edgar Degas (1834-1917) 

Edgar Degas was a man of solitude who would stay in his studio and only came out at night to walk the streets of Paris. He had a small group of friends with whom he would visit saloons. Degas suffered from bouts of depression his entire life and remained alone. He spent the last years of his life nearly blind and wandering aimlessly around the streets. One of the reasons why he was such a lonely man was because many people did not understand his cruel sense of humor. 

Edvard Munch (1863-1944)

Edvard Munch was a Norwegian artist who suffered from anxiety and hallucinations. His most famous work of art, called The Scream, was inspired by his walk along a beach where he saw the sun turn blood red. He remarked about it saying, "I stood there trembling with anxiety, and I sensed an endless scream passing through nature". Edvard Munch's grandfather suffered from depression, while his aunt suffered from Schizophrenia. It is very common for mental illness to run in families. In 1908, his anxiety, coupled with heavy drinking, became much worse, as he experienced more hallucinations and feelings of persecution. As a result, he entered a treatment facility for eight months. He admitted that he saw his mental illness as a motivation for his artwork. It is quite astounding how he was able to see his mental illness in a more positive light than most other people. 



Mark Rothko (1903-1970)

He was an American abstract expressionist painter, who was born in Latvia, but was raised in Portland, Oregon, and spent most of his adult life in New York City. He dealt with depression while being a heavy drinker as well. It is common for people with mental illness to have what is called a "dual diagnosis", which means the person has a substance addiction and a mental illness. In 1968, he was diagnosed with a mild aortic aneurysm, but he ignored his doctor's advice to quit drinking and smoking, eat a healthy diet, and exercise more. On February 25th, 1970, he was found dead in his kitchen. The cause of his death was an apparent suicide, but there was no suicide note. 

Georgia O'Keeffe (1887-1986)

Georgia O'Keeffe was an American artist who dealt with depression, although, her depression was more situational. She was hospitalized in 1933 after she had a nervous breakdown. She stayed there for nearly two months. Her photographer, with whom she was in a relationship, was having an affair with a woman who was two decades younger than she was. She was invited to paint the women's powder room in New Radio City. At first, she accepted because she was up for the challenge of painting a mural, but then she declined later because she realized that it would not dry in time. Afterward, she became very depressed and isolated herself, wept for days, and stopped eating. Eventually, she moved to a house on a ranch in Ghost Ranch, north of Abiquiu. The warmth and beauty of the surrounding area seemed to help her heal. 

Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564)

Michelangelo was a meticulous artist who would shut himself away from society to work on his art for days without eating and getting very little sleep. He suffered from bouts of depression, but some people speculate that he had Obsessive-Compulsive disorder too. He sculpted his best-known works, the David and Pieta before he turned thirty. He lived the life of a poor man and often slept in his clothes and boots. In one of his letters to his father, he said the following, 

"I lead a miserable existence and reck not of life nor of honor--that is of this world; I live wearied of stupendous labors and beset by a thousand anxieties. And thus I lived for some fifteen years now and never an hour's happiness have I had" 

I could go on for days talking about different artists, both ancient and modern, who dealt with various mental illnesses, but I think you get the point. We should not feel alone with our afflictions because there are many people just like us. Now, before I close this blog, I'd like to discuss why I think those of us with mental illness seem to be so creative. There are really three reasons for this in my opinion. The three reasons are the following: 

1) We Have Very Active Imaginations 

2) We Are Very Emotional 

3) We Have A Lot Of Time 

I will elaborate on each of these points in a minute, but I would like to say that these are not the only points. There are many other points I could discuss, but these are the main ones. If you can think of more, please feel free to let me know in the comments below. 

We Have Very Active Imaginations 

For those of us with mental illnesses, our minds are constantly going from one idea to the next idea very quickly. As a result, our minds can think of very elaborate things in great detail. For example, my mind is constantly thinking of different plots and scenarios, and that is why it is so easy for me to write stories. Other people with mental illnesses can picture different images in their heads with great detail. As a result, they can take what is in their head and put it on paper, or a canvas. 

We Are Very Emotional 

Emotion is a powerful motivator for creativity. I say this because any work of art that is done with care will have some profound emotion behind it. We do not look at a beautiful piece of artwork and not feel moved by it. The reason we are so moved by a piece of beautiful art is because the artist put so much emotion into their work. When a writer writes a story, they tend to use situations that they are familiar with. Why? It is because they understand the emotion behind that situation, and thus it makes it more authentic. 

We Have A Lot Of Time 

As you may know, a lot of people with mental illnesses do not have regular jobs. As a result, we do have a lot of spare time on our hands. What happens when you take someone with a lot of spare time coupled with an active imagination and a lot of emotions? You get someone who can create amazing works of art, whether it be music, books, paintings, or whatever. Since we have a lot of time on our hands, we can spend that time doing something we love to do. As a result, we can put our hearts into our work. This is not to say that someone who works a traditional job cannot do the same thing. Of course, they can. However, for those of us with mental illnesses who cannot work a traditional job, we just have more time to do the things we love to do. 

I would like to thank you all for taking the time to read my blog and I hope that this helps you better understand the link between mental illness and the creative mind. May the grace of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ richly bless you all! 

-David Lee Chu Sarchet
Christian Mental Health Advocate 

Check out the Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website

What Is The Biblical Answer To Coveting?

 

There is a common phenomenon that afflicts just about every Christian, whether you care to admit it or not. I know full well that I have personally fallen into this trap many times. As a matter of fact, I tend to feel this whenever I notice that my YouTube videos and blogs are not generating the same amount of traffic as other Social Media influencers. What is this phenomenon I am referring to? I am talking about the sin of envy, or as the Bible puts it, coveting. This specific sin is nothing new. As a matter of fact, the Psalmist says in Psalm 73:3 the following, 

"For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked" 

As you can see, envy has been around for a very long time and it does not matter who you are because it afflicts all of us equally. It is for this very reason that you should never feel shame about your envy. It does not make you any less of a Christian nor does it mean that you are not saved. I want to make that perfectly clear for anyone who is struggling with this sin or anyone who has struggled with this sin. It is perfectly normal and natural for us to experience this from time to time. Actually, if you do not or have never dealt with this in your life, then you are either not living or you are just in denial. However, even though this is a natural sin for us to deal with, the Bible does offer us a remedy for how to deal with this specific sin. In this blog, I shall discuss what exactly is this remedy. My hope is that after you read this you will walk away feeling content in your walk with Christ and be able to confidently deal with your envy of others healthily. If that happens, then the purpose of this blog has been served. 

I will be separating this blog into three subsections: Being Content, Knowing The End Of The Wicked, and Looking Forward To The Future. I know that these are not the only points I can make to help you overcome your envy, but these are the main points I want to cover in this blog. If you can think of any more points, please feel free to comment below. I believe that if you truly take these three points to heart, and honestly believe them, you will be better equipped at dealing with your envy. I will not promise that your envy will go away and you will never again deal with it, however. You most likely will still get envious from time to time. On this side of Heaven, we will always struggle with sin. But, there will come a time when there will be no more sin. On that day, we will never get envious of others. But, I digress. It is time for me to elaborate on my three points. 

Being Content 

I know that this sounds easier said than done, but the Lord does want us to be content in our circumstances. As Paul tells us in 1 Timothy 6:8, 

"But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content" 

God is our provider and He knows all of our needs. If we truly believe this, then we should never desire more than the Lord provides for us. I know this is difficult because who does not want the newest iPhone or PlayStation? But, these things are not things we need. As long as the Lord provides us with the things we need, then we have every reason to be content.  As Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:33, 

"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you"

As long we our primary focus is on living for the Lord and seeking His righteousness, He will take care of us. We do not have to worry about when we will have our next meal or where we will live because He has already taken care of that. This means we can rest easy when we trust in Him. 

Knowing The End of The Wicked

This next point is probably the most difficult one to swallow because none of us want to think about where our unbelieving loved ones are going. However, the Psalmist in Psalm 73:16-17 tells us, 

"But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, until I went into the sanctuary of God, then I discerned their end" 

As hard of a truth it may be, the wicked are going to perish in eternal hell. God is not overlooking their wickedness. There will come a day when the Lord will hold these people accountable and they will have to pay for their active rebellion against Him. When we truly understand this, it should cause us to not envy them because we already know what their destiny is. Also, this revelation should cause us to feel sorrow for them and make us want to tell them the Gospel even more because we know that is their only hope of salvation. 

Looking Forward To The Future

This is probably the most important thing for us to keep in mind because those who trust in the Lord will have eternal life. Eternal life is knowing the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit intimately. But, our destiny goes even deeper than that. As Revelation 21:1-4 tells us, 

"When I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away'" 

As you can see from this text, what awaits those of us who believe is the New Heaven and New Earth where we will dwell with the Holy Trinity for all eternity. During this time, there will be no more sin, sorrow, suffering, or pain anymore. What a glorious day that will be! On that day, we will reign with Christ forever. If we truly believe this, then we should never envy the wicked because they do not have anything that compares to what awaits those who trust in God. We have an eternal reward, while they have a temporary reward. 

I thank you for taking the time to read this blog and I hope that this gives you some encouragement to no longer look at other people's success with envy. Instead, hopefully, you are encouraged to keep your eyes on the Lord. May the grace of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ richly bless you all! 

-David Lee Chu Sarchet
Christian Mental Health Advocate 

Check out the Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website

My Medicine Journey

The use of psychiatric medicine tends to be a controversial subject that divides many Christians today. Some Christians believe that there is no use for psychiatric medication for believers because we have the Holy Spirit. These same Christians tend to not have a problem with believers taking an aspirin for their headaches, however. Other Christians believe that there is a use for psychiatric medications but only as a supplement. These Christians would say that we should not idolize medication. I tend to agree with the latter instead of the former. As someone who deals with Schizoaffective Disorder Bipolar Type, I can say that I have benefited greatly from the use of my psychiatric medication. If it were not for my medication, I would either be dead or locked away in a prison today. Still, it did take me over ten years before I found the right medication that works for me. I know that may seem daunting and for many people who deal with mental illnesses that seems like a journey, they do not want to embark on. These people tend to think that if the medication does not work right away they want to give up on them. I see it all the time with people. They think that unless they see immediate results the medication is no good. However, they are taking a huge risk by not taking their medication. In this blog, I shall discuss my medication journey to give you some encouragement to continue working to find the right medication that works for you. It may take you some time, but you need to be patient with yourself. Hopefully, it does not take over ten years like it did me, but if it does your mental sanity is worth it. I suggest you be open and honest with your psychiatrist completely because if you are not then it will be harder for them to help you. My journey will be split up into five categories: Depression years, Bipolar type 2 years, Medication, Bipolar Type 1, and Present day. I hope that by the time you finish reading this blog, you will see that taking your medication is indeed one of the most important things you can do in your life. I hope that you do not feel like you are less of a Christian because you have to take psychiatric medication. God heals people frequently through the ordinary means of modern medicine. So, there is no need to be ashamed. If you have diabetes, then you will need to take insulin shots for your ailment. There is no shame in that just like there is no shame in taking medication for your mental health. 

Depression Years

When I was first diagnosed with mental illness, the psychiatrist at the time thought I had Clinical Depression. To be fair, I was pretty depressed because this was the time I was first taken from my family and put into foster care. I was thirteen years old. I did not fully understand what was going on and I really missed my mom and stepdad. They were the only family I knew. At the time, the psychiatrist prescribed some antidepressants. I do not remember exactly what I was on, but I do remember that it caused me to be hungry all the time. As a result, I gained a lot of weight, and the psychiatrist put me on a "no sugar diet" because of this. Also, I became very manic at the time. I did not know I was manic, but I did feel very energetic and hyper. I would talk a mile a minute and I was constantly getting into fights with my foster brothers. Then, I would easily slip into depression states where I felt suicidal. I was hospitalized many times because of this. No one knew exactly what was going on with me and neither did I. During this time, I would frequently have a hallucination where a giant fly with a human face would chase me down the halls of my school. 

Bipolar Type 2 Years

When I was sixteen years old, I was sent to juvenile detention because I set my foster home on fire. I am not entirely sure why I did that, except for the fact that I was feeling unloved, and I thought that if I did something heroic then people would love me. My intent was to start the fire and save everyone from dying. In retrospect, I now realize that was a mistake. Anyway, I eventually was put into a treatment center called Southern Peaks Regional Treatment Center. In that place, I had a therapist who diagnosed me with Bipolar Type 2 disorder. I was immediately prescribed some mood stabilizers such as Geodone and Depakote along with antidepressants. The Geodone made me feel very hungry and again I gained a lot of weight. The time I was on Depakote, I became like a walking zombie. I was sleeping all the time and when I was awake, I would be incoherent. As a result, the psychiatrist tried a whole slew of other medications, but to no avail. I would frequently be in manic episodes where I would stay awake most nights and be full of energy, and then I would slip into depression, where I would become suicidal and begin cutting myself. As a result, I had many hospitalizations during this time. 

Medication Free Years 

As soon as I became an adult, I decided to stop taking any and all medications. It was not because I did not think I did not have a mental illness. I knew full well that I did, but I thought that I could manage well without them. I would self-medicate with smoking cigarettes. At this time, I was smoking at least a pack a day of Menthol cigarettes. To be honest, the cigarettes did help me manage somewhat, but I still had bouts of mania and depression. Actually, my mania would cause me to either lose jobs or abruptly quit jobs. I went through jobs like a child goes through candy. Also, I had delusional episodes where I believed I was the antichrist and I also believed that God told me that I would marry three different women on three different occasions. Then, I would slip into depression where I would become suicidal. I was frequently put into mental hospitals and prescribed medication, but I would stop taking them as soon as I was out. During this time, I would always create fake Facebook accounts that I truly believed were real people. I cannot explain this phenomenon, but I honestly believed that they were real people, and they were real in my head. This went on for many years and caused many people strife with me. 

Bipolar Type 1

When I was around twenty-six, I met a woman who I began dating, and she convinced me to start taking medication again. This time I was diagnosed with Bipolar Type 1 disorder and I was prescribed medication specifically to help my mania. The first medication I was prescribed was Abilify. Abilify caused me to have a flat effect on my moods. I literally did not feel anything at all. I remember once telling her that I did not think I could get angry anymore. Needless to say, I was eventually taken off that medication and put on Trazadone. This medication made me very groggy during the day. I did not like this medication at all and eventually, I was taken off of it. Next, I was prescribed Welbutrin and that did nothing for me whatsoever. There were not even any side effects either. Eventually, I was taken off of that too. During this time, I had many bouts with mania, and one of these times I believed that it was biblically prophesied to harm former president Donald Trump. 

Present Day

Eventually, I was finally diagnosed with Schizoaffective Disorder Bipolar Type and prescribed some antipsychotics along with mood stabilizers. I was taking Lithium and Risperidone. These seemed to help tremendously. However, I still experienced some hypomania and I wanted that to cease so I had my doctor prescribe  Clozapine. However, the Clozapine ended up perforating my colon and I ended up in the hospital for three months because I went into septic shock. So, I was taken off of that medication. Finally, I ended up on Risperidone, Zyprexa, and Lamictal. This medication concoction is working the best for me. I still have some bouts with hypomania, but I do not have any full-blown manic episodes or depression anymore. I also do not really deal with hallucinations anymore, except on rare occasions. Overall, I am doing a whole better mentally because I am much more stable. I can think more clearly too and the good news is that I do not experience hardly any side effects. I am thankful to the Lord for providing me with these medications. 

I would like to thank you for taking the time to read my blog and I hope that it gives you some encouragement to continue taking your medication. As I have said earlier, it could literally cost you your life if you go off of your medication. According to James 1:17, all good gifts from God. Medication is a good blessing and thus they are from the Lord. Keep this in mind as you think about your own medication journey. May the grace of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ richly bless you all! 

-David Lee Chu Sarchet 
Christian Mental Health Advocate 

Check out the Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website

 

Simply Amy: Going To Church (Part 10)

       ***The following is a fictitious account of a woman named Amy Jamison who struggles with Separation Anxiety Disorder. Some content may be triggering. If you are easily triggered, do not keep reading. If you are not easily triggered, then hopefully you find this story to be a tremendous blessing***

Today is Sunday and I really do not feel like going to this church. I have not heard from Hank since he last spoke to me and asked for my "blessing" to start dating Catie. Seriously, what does that woman have that I do not have? Sure, she may look like his type, but I was good to him. As a matter of fact, I was really good to him. It really drives me insane how he could just drop me like a ton of bricks like that. Needless to say, I am feeling pretty depressed right now, and I feel like I want to cut myself again. I am going to resist the temptation, but it is strong. I do not even feel like praying to God because it seems like He is putting me through this hell. As a result, The Almighty and I are not on speaking terms right now. However, I did tell Chaplain Dan that I would see him at his church today. I have to be a woman of my word. I look at the card he gave me and I feel an emptiness inside. Maybe getting out of this quiet apartment will do me some good. So, I decided that I'd go to this church, but I was not going to like it. Once the service is over, I'll head straight to my car, and leave before anyone sees me. The last thing I want to do is stay in this apartment and stew over what I lost because then I will just be driven mad and probably do something I'd later regret. So, now I have to get ready. The least I can do is look my best for this church. Maybe then the people won't think anything is wrong. As I am getting ready, a sudden thought hits me. What if Hank changes his mind and comes to my apartment while I am gone because he wants to propose to me? Shouldn't I be home for him? If I am not home, he will be sad, and I do not want him to be sad. It's funny, after all he put me through, I still want him to be happy. Anyways, if he does come by, he can always call me. He does have my number after all. If he calls me while I am away, I will leave immediately to go see him. But, I am going to this church regardless. 

As I am driving to the church, I see a squirrel chasing another squirrel. It must be mating season. I began missing Hank because I remember one of our favorite things to do was squirrel-watching at the park. It sounds silly, but I always had fun doing that with him because we would make up different narratives for the squirrels. Anyway, that time is over now, so I wipe it from my mind. I pull up to the church parking lot and it is packed full of cars. I do not like large crowds so this is going to be scary. I hope I do not panic once I am inside because that would be embarrassing. I step inside the church and immediately check my phone to see if Hank tried to reach out to me. Nothing at all. I guess I was just looking for an excuse to dip out of my obligation to my word. I walk into the sanctuary and take a sit in the back pew. Hopefully, I will go unnoticed. I do not even want Chaplain Dan to see me. 

The service begins with someone standing in the front giving some announcements about different church activities going on this month and I am already bored. Then, he asks us to stand up so we can sing. I grab a hymnal, but I do not know any of the songs. I feel lost and confused. So, I just stand there and listen. Everyone here sings so beautifully. If I knew the songs, I would be singing too because I love to sing. After a few moments, the man in the front announces that it is time for something called the Corporate Confession of Sin. I do not know what that means but he tells us to bow our heads in silence to confess any sins we have committed this week. As I am bowing my head, I am trying to think of some sins I committed, but I cannot think of any. Maybe I'll just ask God to forgive me for not talking to Him. He is probably displeased by the fact that I've been refusing to talk to Him. Maybe if I ask for forgiveness, He will bring Hank back to me as a reward. I can only hope. The man announces that it is time for us to repeat something together and then he gives the absolution. I have no idea what is going on anymore. Then, they sing a couple more songs. I really like hearing the music. It is soothing to my soul. Then, another man, who I assume is the pastor, comes up to the podium. He greets everyone in the congregation and asks us to please turn to Hebrews 13:5. No way, that is the exact verse I read the other day! What are the odds that he would have us go to that verse? He begins preaching on how the Lord will never leave us because He is always faithful even when we are faithless. He cites another passage in 2 Timothy 2:13, which says, 

"If we are faithless, he remains faithful---for he cannot deny himself" 

Man, I feel like this sermon was written specifically for me. The pastor is talking about how even when we feel like the Lord has forsaken us, we must believe that He is still on our side. It seems nice, but I just do not see it because the Lord seems so distant. Why are you so distant, Lord? What did I do to deserve this treatment? The pastor cites another passage in Romans 5:3-5, which says, 

"Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us" 

I am not sure if I can rejoice in my suffering. It hurts too much to rejoice, but it does seem interesting that this passage is pretty much saying that there is a purpose to my suffering. What could be the purpose behind this, Lord? I feel so lost and confused right now. The pastor is preaching on how suffering produces character and hope in us, but I start to zone out. I checked my phone to see if Hank bothered to reach out to me. What if he lost my number and is at my place right now looking for me? He probably thinks I checked into Cedar Springs again. That would affirm in his mind that I am crazy and he might go back to Catie. I get tempted to leave the church to go back home, but then the pastor cites one more passage before closing. It is Romans 8:37-39, which says, 

"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" 

That passage really resonates with me. Does God really love me that much? Is His love so deep that nothing can separate me from Him? It seems too good to be true, but I want to believe it. This passage touches me so deeply that I actually begin to cry. I am not sad, though. I am just overwhelmed with emotions that I am not familiar with. I had no idea that anyone could possibly love me this much. How could the Creator of the universe possibly love me with such an undying love? It is truly remarkable. I realize now that since I have a God who loves me so much, I do not need Hank in my life. Hank never loved me like God does. Hank only loved what I could do for him. God loves me with true sacrificial love. He loves me so much that He sent His Son to die for me. I now understand what the Gospel message is all about. 

After the service ended, I decided to stick around and talk to some people. I actually want to see Chaplain Dan. When I do find him, I approach him and he greets me with a warm smile and a hug. It feels good to be hugged. He introduced me to his family. He has a beautiful wife and a nice-looking son and daughter. 

"How did you like the sermon?" He asks me and I honestly tell him that at first I did not want to come, but I felt like the sermon was written specifically for me. He praises God when I say that. For some reason, I feel the need to tell him what happened with Hank and he expresses sympathy. 

"Thanks," I begin "But, this sermon helped me to realize that Hank never loved anyway. At least, not in the way God does". Chaplain Dan seems to agree and he invites me over to his family's house for lunch and I readily agree. However, I do tell him that I have a pork allergy and he says that is fine because they are just having burgers and fries anyway. That sounds delicious. 

*** TO FIND OUT HOW AMY'S STORY CONCLUDES, PURCHASE THE BOOK HERE ***

-David Lee Chu Sarchet 
Christian Mental Health Advocate 

Check out the Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website

Simply Amy: Confronting Hank (Part 9)

      ***The following is a fictitious account of a woman named Amy Jamison who struggles with Separation Anxiety Disorder. Some content may be triggering. If you are easily triggered, do not keep reading. If you are not easily triggered, then hopefully you find this story to be a tremendous blessing***

Today is the day I will be getting discharged from the hospital. I am very excited to be going home. This is a nice hospital and the staff are amazing, but I cannot wait to be sleeping in my own bed and eating my own food. I cannot wait to see Hank because I have a lot I want to say to him. I wonder what he is doing right now. Is he thinking of me or is he busy flirting with Catie? I do wonder, but I feel like I already know the answer. It really does not bother me anymore because of my newfound faith in the Lord. I know that He is with me and He is better than any man, I quickly pack up my things and head out to the Day Room. I wish Jessica were here so I could give her a hug because she was such a great friend, but she was discharged yesterday. Oh, well, maybe I will see her again on the outside. I hope I do because I'd like to have her over for lunch sometime. One of the nurses comes to me with a stack of papers and hands them to me. She tells me that they are discharge paperwork that I have to sign. Then, she asked me if I would need them to set up a ride for me. I politely tell her no because I have my own car. The nurse leaves me and I begin scanning through the paperwork. I see that on one page the psychiatrist has me listed as diagnosed with Separation Anxiety Disorder and he scheduled for me to come to see him at his office next week on Tuesday, I immediately think of Adrian because I was supposed to see her this last Wednesday. She is probably wondering what happened to me. I will make sure to give her a call when I get home. The psychiatrist prescribed me a medication called Xanax, but I am only supposed to take it as needed. I am thankful for it because it does seem to calm my nerves down. After finishing going through the paperwork, I decided to sit down in front of the large television in the Day Room and wait for the nurses to tell me I could leave. Spongebob Squarepants is playing on the TV. I have not seen this cartoon since I was a child. It does bring back some old memories. 

After a few hours, the nurses finally told me that they got permission from the psychiatrist to let me go. I get excited and after I exchange goodbyes with a couple of the other patients, I walk towards the door where one of the nurses tells me to have a good day. As I head out to my car, I immediately turn on my phone to check to see if Hank ever tried to reach out to me. To my actual surprise, he did. Multiple times actually. I immediately feel a sense of excitement. Maybe he does truly love me after all. I scan through the text messages and he is saying things like, "Where are you?", "I miss you", and "We need to talk". My heart feels like it wants to leap for joy, but I instead say a silent prayer to God. I try not to get too excited, as I step inside my car. 

As I am driving home, I cannot help but continuously daydream about Hank. I wonder if he is going to propose to me. Is that what he wants to talk about? I can only wonder. As soon as I pull into my apartment complex's parking lot, I pull out my phone again and respond to Hank telling him that I am home. I also apologize for being missing in action the past few days. He calls me right away and I answer. 

"Hey Ames," He says, and the sound of his gruff voice makes my heart melt "Where have you been? I've been worried sick about you. I came by your place and you weren't home." This makes me feel so happy to hear that he truly cares about me. I tell him that I was in Cedar Springs Hospital and he asks me why. 

"Well, after you left me last time, I was feeling very suicidal and I decided I needed a short break from life" I honestly confess to him. There is a long silence on the other end. 

"Can I come over? I really need to see you" He says finally and I tell him that of course he can. I would really love to see him. He says that he will be over in about thirty minutes. I say that is fine and that I love him. He immediately hangs up the phone. That's strange. Why couldn't he tell me he loves me too? Maybe he is just so excited to finally see me that he forgot because he was in a hurry. That is what I tell myself anyway. I get out of my car and begin walking to my apartment. 

Once I am inside my apartment, I begin cleaning up. I do the dishes, do some vacuuming, and some other minor things. After about thirty minutes, I heard a knock at the door. It has got to be him. I clean up my face and brush my hair real quick. I want to look good for him. When I answer the door, he is standing there with a bouquet of flowers. I love him so much. He can be so sweet when he wants to be. I take the flowers and fall into his arms. He tells me that we need to sit down so we can talk. Oh, my goodness, is this when he will propose to me? We both sit down on my living room couch. He clears his throat. 

"Ames, this relationship has been good, right?" He asks me and I wonder why he has to ask that. 

"Well, it has not been what I expected, but sure, I'd say it is good" I honestly tell him and he looks down to the floor, then back up at me again. 

"Well, I just want to say thank you for being such a good girlfriend to me. I know it has been hard dealing with me, but you have handled it like a trooper" He says and I find it strange to be referred to as a "trooper", but whatever. He goes on to talk about how these past few days have been difficult for him because he wanted to talk to me, but did not know where I was or how to get a hold of me. I honestly do feel bad for him, but I needed this break. All of a sudden, his monologue changes because he tells me that when he was worrying about me, he sought comfort from Catie. He says that she took his mind off of me. I begin to feel a lot of intense jealousy rising up. Then, he says the unthinkable. 

"One day when I was at Catie's place feeling down from missing you, she and I kissed. That's when I realized that I love her" He tells me and my heart sinks down into my stomach. I immediately feel absolutely disgusted. If he was going to tell me this, then why the facade' of bringing me flowers and talking about how much he was worrying about me. Why bring my hopes up just to make them crash and burn. He is sick of playing these games with my heart. 

"I guess what I am trying to ask," His voice interrupts my thoughts "Do I have your blessing to date Catie now?" Blessing? What the heck is he talking about? What kind of sick and demented game is he playing here? I feel outraged and I want to explode on him, but I push down my rage. My eyes begin to tear up and I reach for a tissue. I cannot believe he would actually come to me and ask this. Was I really that bad of a girlfriend? Do I really deserve this, Lord? After about five minutes, I was able to maintain my composure. 

"Hank, you know I love you, but if you are going to insist on playing games with my heart, then you can leave. I do not need this in my life" I calmly tell him. He seems pretty surprised by my reply. He looks down to the floor and lets out a chuckle. Then, he looks back up into my eyes. 

"You think you're important enough for me to play games with? I was just being nice, but I plan on dating Catie with or without your blessing. I need a normal girlfriend, not a crazy one" He says and I feel the sting of his words, but I try not to let them affect me. 

"You do what you want. You always have done that" I tell him and he gets up from the couch and attempts to kiss me on the forehead, but I move away from him before he has the chance to. He laughs to himself and heads out of my apartment. I am left alone in my apartment and I begin to sob and pray to God. Why, God, would you allow him to break my heart like this? I thought when I came to you, you would make everything better? Why does it feel like everything just got worse? I am not sure what I am going to do now. I feel like my whole world just came crumbling down. All of a sudden, I remember I have razors in my bathroom and I am tempted to cut my arms. However, I decided against it because I did not want to go back to Cedar Springs. Instead, I pick up my Bible that Mr. Romero gave me and I open it to a random page. I read a Scripture in Hebrews. It says, 

"Keep your life free from the love of money and be content with what you have, for he has said, 'I will never leave nor forsake you'"

He says He will never leave nor forsake me? Then, why do I feel forsaken? My life is in shambles because the one person who I gave my heart to has just walked out of my life. Why did you allow this to happen, Lord? Am I being punished for something? I decided I needed a Xanax. So, I take one pill and after a few minutes, I begin to calm down. It does make me drowzy so I lay down on the couch to take a short nap. Maybe when I wake up Hank will be back because he will realize the error of his ways. I can only hope and pray. 

***STAY TUNED FOR PART 10 OF THIS SERIES*** 

-David Lee Chu Sarchet 
Christian Mental Health Advocate

Check out the Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website

Simply Amy: Day 3 (Part 8)

     ***The following is a fictitious account of a woman named Amy Jamison who struggles with Separation Anxiety Disorder. Some content may be triggering. If you are easily triggered, do not keep reading. If you are not easily triggered, then hopefully you find this story to be a tremendous blessing***

I am really enjoying reading the Gospel of John! I cannot seem to put it down because I want to know more about this Jesus guy. He really seems quite remarkable! Did he really turn water into wine as it says in the second chapter? I am not sure how that is possible, but it is really cool. Then, right after that, he drove out people from the temple with a whip! That seems harsh, but ok. I do not understand what He means by saying we must be born again. I feel Nicodemus when he questioned Jesus about that because I was confused too. How can one be born a second time? That seems really strange. I really love how Jesus talked to the Samaritan woman at the well. She had five husbands and instead of condemning her, he showed her love and compassion. That is so unlike Hank. I wish I could find a man like this Jesus. Are there any men like him? Jesus seems too good to be true. He is pretty remarkable. 

I walk out of my room into the Day Room because I want to ask the nurses something. As I approach the nurse's station, Jessica yells something at me, but I ignore her. I am focused on what I need to do. The nurse named Rebecca looks up at me and smiles. I asked her if there was a hospital chaplain I could see. She quickly tells me yes and says that she can request he see me today. I feel a sense of relief about this. I really need to ask him a serious question. I decide to go back to my room until he comes to see me. I guess I will continue reading the Gospel of John. If only Hank could see me now. He probably would be surprised because we both never read the Bible nor have we ever stepped foot inside a church before. I wonder what he would think if he saw me reading this Bible. Would he even care? Probably not. I decided to push away all thoughts of Hank far from my mind. I want to know more about Jesus Christ. 

About half an hour later, a man dressed in khaki pants and a polo shirt steps into my room. He introduces himself as Chaplain Dan. I greet him and tell him that it is nice to meet him. He seems very friendly, just like Mr. Romero. 

"How can I be of service to you?" He asks me right away with a huge smile on his face. I tell him that I have been reading the Gospel of John for the first time and I am confused about some things and I need them cleared up. He then said that he could do his best to help me understand. I really appreciate that. 

"Well, for one, how is it possible for this man Jesus to perform miracles that no one else could perform?" I ask him and he immediately brightens up. He explains to me how according to John chapter one, Jesus is God in the flesh, and as God, he can perform all kinds of miracles because He is the Almighty Creator. 

"Actually," He continues, "God performed the biggest miracle when He caused the Big Bang. So, if God could do that, then creating water into wine is not a big task for Him". I find that answer feasible. If Jesus truly is God, then miracles should not be difficult for Him. I then decided to ask Chaplain Dan about the Samaritan woman at the well. I wanted to know how Jesus knew that she had five husbands, but I already suspected that I knew the answer. 

"As God in the flesh, Jesus is omniscient, which means He is all-knowing," He says, then continues, "What is truly remarkable about that story is the compassion Jesus shows this foreign woman because back then Jews did not associate with Samaritans," I tell him that yes, I do find that very remarkable. I jokingly tell him that I wish I could find a man like Jesus and he chuckles to himself. 

"Now, I just have one more question," I say and he looks at me intently. I pause for a second so I can think of how I want to ask this next question. 

"In John chapter 3, Jesus says that to enter heaven, one must be born again. What does that mean?"  I ask him and he seems to get pretty excited about this question. He explains to me that I must humble myself before God and acknowledge I am a sinner who is guilty before Him. Then, I need to ask for His forgiveness and trust in Jesus' sacrifice on the cross for my salvation. This seems all too heavy. Am I a sinner? I think to myself about Mr. Romero's Good Person Test and how he revealed to me that I am a liar, blasphemer, adulterer, and murderer at heart, whatever that means. I guess I haven't really lived a good life and I remember Mr. Romero asked me if God were to judge me based off of those standards where would I go. I know full well that I'd wind up in hell. I really do not want to go there either. If this Jesus guy is for real, then I want Him in my life so He can save me from what I've become. I tell Chaplain Dan that I am ready to come to Jesus but I feel I need to clean up my life before I do because I've made such a mess out of it. He smiles at me. 

"We all have made a mess out of our lives, Amy. As a matter of fact, according to Romans 3:23, we all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. You do not need to 'clean up your life' before coming to Him. He wants you to come to Him as you are, but with a humble and contrite heart" He tells me and I tell Him that I am ready to do that. I tell Him that I believe in Jesus Christ. He gets very excited to hear this and asks if he could hug me. I tell him that he can and we embrace one another for about two minutes. Afterward, he asked me when I was being discharged. 

"Tomorrow morning the doctor says I can discharge," I tell him, and he pulls out a small index card and hands it to me. It says Redeemer Presbyterian Church and it even has an address on it too. He tells me that he would love to see me at church this Sunday and I promise him I will be there. Fortunately, it is not too far from where I live. We exchange our goodbyes and he leaves my room. While I am alone in my quiet room, I get on my knees and begin crying out to God. I ask Him for forgiveness for making Hank into my god and for cutting myself and anything else that I can think of. I beg Him for forgiveness. I ask Him to make me born again like Jesus said I need to be to enter Heaven. Afterward, I did not feel any different, except for the fact that it felt like a huge burden was lifted off of my shoulders. For the first time in my life, I am not feeling anxious right now. It is almost like I feel a sense of peace. Like the same peace, I saw in Mr. Romero and in Chaplain Dan. I lay down on my bed and close my eyes and within seconds I am drifting off to sleep. For the first time in my life, I am sleeping peacefully.

***STAY TUNED FOR PART 9 OF THIS SERIES*** 

-David Lee Chu Sarchet
Christian Mental Health Advocate

Check out the Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website





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Simply Amy: Day 2 (Part 7)

    ***The following is a fictitious account of a woman named Amy Jamison who struggles with Separation Anxiety Disorder. Some content may be triggering. If you are easily triggered, do not keep reading. If you are not easily triggered, then hopefully you find this story to be a tremendous blessing***

This morning I woke up feeling very depressed. I had a scary dream that Hank was chasing me with a knife that he wanted to stab into my back. I ran down the street by my apartment and tried to yell for help, but no sound came out of my mouth. All of a sudden, I could not move anymore, and he was slowly moving closer to me. The louder I tried to scream, the more frozen I became. No one was around to see me or help me. As Hank came up to me, he had this evil grin on his face. Then, he did the unspeakable. He shoved the sharp blade right into my back and I fell down to the earth and began bleeding to death. He was standing over me and Catie came onto the scene and she was laughing. Then, the two of them walked away together. That is when I finally was able to wake up. I was in a cold sweat. I never want to go back to sleep ever again. 

I overhear the nurses yelling that it is time for breakfast. So, I slowly trudge into the Day Room. Maybe breakfast will be something good like last time. At least I can look forward to that. I sit down at one of the tables, as the nurse brings me a tray. When I open it up, I see cornflakes and a bran muffin again. They really know what I like. Jessica sits down right next to me and she is smiling from ear to ear. At least one of us is happy. I have nothing to be happy about. 

"I am discharging today!" She exclaims as if I wanted to know that. I smile weakly at her and tell her that I am happy for her. However, I think she can tell that I am not in a good mood. She then asks me what is wrong. 

"Do you really think my boyfriend is cheating on me?" I decided to ask her flat out. She then lowers her head and gives me a sympathetic look. I can tell that she does sincerely care for me. But, right now I just feel like I really need to speak to Hank. 

"Hunny," she begins, "I know it is hard to accept, but yes, that man is cheating on you" My eyes begin to tear up but I wipe them away with a napkin. I then ask her how she can be so sure about that. I mean, shouldn't there be some signs or something? I do not see any red flags. Sure, Hank does not respond to my calls or text messages, but he also works all the time. Isn't that a logical justification for his absence? I do not want to start accusing him of stuff he is not guilty of just because I am hurt. That is what a bad girlfriend does. I do not want to be a bad girlfriend. Or a crazy girlfriend. 

"Look at the evidence," She says "Do you really think a good man who loves would take another woman out on a date alone?" 

"I do find that a bit strange, but at the same time he never called it a date. Can't it be him hanging out with a friend?" I ask and she laughs out loud. 

"Sure, he is 'hanging out with a friend' who happens to be a woman and he is alone with her! Come on, girl! Use your head!" She yells and I feel ashamed because everyone in the Day Room is now looking at me. When she puts it like that, I must admit that it does raise a red flag in my mind. However, I need more than just that before I begin accusing him of cheating. That is a serious accusation that should not be thrown out flippantly. I wish I had my phone so I could text Hank and ask him what he is doing. He probably would not respond to me anyway. 

"I see your point, but I need more than just that as evidence," I say and she groans out loud. I take another bite out of my bran muffin. She looks me dead in the eyes and says, "Do you think he will even come visit you while you are here? I am willing to bet you he won't!" 

"He does not even know I am here!" I shoot back at her and she seems surprised to hear that. I tell her that right before I admitted myself into here I texted him one last time and all I said was that he won't hear from me for a few days. Then, I turned off my phone, I say. She slumps back into her chair and lets out a sigh. Then, she perks up, as if she just had an epiphany. 

"How many times a day do you call and text him? How often does he respond?" She asks and then gives me a strange look in her eyes as if she just asked me a gotcha question. I look down at my food for a moment while I think and then I look back up to her. 

"I probably text and call him like every two minutes all day..." My voice trails off. As I said those words, they seemed crazy to me, but at the same time, I knew I did it because I wanted him to know that I loved him and that I was thinking of him. She then asks me how often he responds. I know she got me there. So, I confess to her that he rarely does respond, but I quickly add that he works full time.

"That does not matter one bit, honey!" She says, "You mean to tell me he never gets breaks? Not even once?" I admit that was a very good point. This conversation is making me feel very sad. I do not want to think that Hank is cheating on me, but I have to admit that he has been behaving rather shady lately. 

I decide that I want to call my brother, so I politely excuse myself from the table. I thank her for talking to me and then I head over to where the phone is. 

As I picked up the phone and began dialing Michael's number, I had a sudden thought come across my mind. What if Hank is sleeping with Catie right now? I quickly push that thought out of my head. Michael answers after the third ring and I am glad to hear his voice. I quickly tell him that it is me and he seems surprised to hear my voice. I have not spoken to him in a long while. 

"How are you doing, baby sister? Did you get a new phone?" He asks me and I tell him that I am in the hospital. He then asks me if everything is alright. 

"Yeah, I just needed a break from life. Sorta like you did a couple of years back. I remember you said this hospital was good for that" I say to him. He asks me what happened and I can hear the sincerity in his voice. I quickly explained to him everything that went down from the moment Hank got upset with me over my cutting, how he pushed me into the wall, and how he told me he was going on a date with his coworker. I begin to tear up again as I am talking. He is listening very intently to my words. 

"Do you want me to confront him for you?" He says with an angry tone of voice. I know exactly what he means by "confront" too. Truth be told, Michael could probably really put a hurt on Hank seeing how he is a golden gloves boxer and Hank is just a car mechanic with no fighting experience. However, I do not want Michael to get into trouble with the law. So, I quickly told him no. I also do not want to see Hank get hurt.

"I do love him, Michael, I really do. I just wish he would see that" I tell him and he says he understands, but that he always knew that Hank was no good for me. I am surprised by this because he never told me that before. 

"What do you mean?" I sincerely ask. Michael sits in silence for a long moment and I think we got disconnected. So, I say his name to see if he is still on the line. 

"Well," he begins "I remember when you first started dating him, he just seemed like a slimy character. He just gave me a bad vibe". I ask him to elaborate on that, but he says he can't. 

"Why did you not tell me this before now?" I yell into the phone and once again everyone in the Day Room stares at me, but this time I do not care. How could my brother, my very own brother, not tell me when he thinks someone is no good for me? How could he keep this from me? 

"You just seemed so happy and in love that I did not want to ruin it for you!" He finally says and I calm down, but I am still very upset. I cannot believe that he saw a red flag and felt like he should keep it to himself. Isn't he supposed to be my protector as an older brother? How could he allow me to fall head over heels in love with a man who is no good to me? I feel very betrayed. Not only do I feel betrayed by Hank, but now by my own kin. I tell him that I have to go and he says he understands, but he loves me still and would like to hear from me again. I say "Whatever" and slam the phone down on the receiver. 

I feel like my whole life is crumbling right before my very eyes. First, my own soul mate might be cheating on me, and now my own brother is a traitor. I thought if I  could trust anyone, it would be him. But, apparently, I cannot trust anyone in my life. I do not know who to turn to. But, then, out of nowhere I think about that man I met in the park. What was his name again? Mr. Romero? That's right. I wish I could talk to him again because he seemed like such a sweet man. I couldn't care less about his religion, but he seemed very sincere and trustworthy. I remember he was telling me about how Jesus died and rose again. It still seems farfetched to me, but I remember he gave me a Bible. I wonder if there was anything useful in that book. I could certainly use some self-help tools. Maybe it would teach me how to have better self-esteem and better judgment when it comes to people. I decided to ask the nurses if they had a Bible I could read. 

As I approach the nurses' desk, I feel an emptiness in the pit of my stomach. I do not know what that means, so I just ignore it. I asked one of the nurses if I could have a Bible and it just so happens that they have some Bibles that a local church donated. I feel fortunate. They hand me a Bible and I quickly sit down at one of the tables and open it up to the Gospel of John. That's the section I remember Mr. Romero told me to start in. I admit that I find that strange because shouldn't I begin at the beginning of the book instead of the middle. Oh, well, I begin reading anyway. 

"That book won't solve your problems!" Jessica yells from across the room, but I ignore her. If this book can make Mr. Romero into a sweet, kind, and peaceful man, then maybe there is something in it for me too. At least, that is my hope anyway. The first chapter is sorta hard to understand, but one sentence stands out to me above all. It says, 

"And the word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth"

"Full of grace and truth"? I wonder if that is referring to this Jesus guy Mr. Romero was telling me about. Hank definitely could not be described as being full of grace and truth for sure! I decided that I wanted to know more about Jesus simply because I've never known a man who could be described in this way. The two most important men in my life are definitely horrible people. If this Jesus character is better than my brother and Hank, then I want to know more about Him. I get up from the table and begin heading back to my room. I decided that I am going to spend the rest of the day reading the Gospel of John because I want the kind of peace I have seen Mr. Romero demonstrate. If there is any truth in this Jesus story, then I am going to seek it out. 

***STAY TUNED FOR PART 8 OF THIS SERIES***

-David Lee Chu Sarchet
Christian Mental Health Advocate 

Check out the Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website