In What Ways Is Mental Illness A Good Gift From God?

                              

Whenever I tell people that mental illness is a good gift from God, I initially get a lot of strange looks. I fully understand that this is a controversial subject, but I am convinced of its truth. In this blog, I shall discuss why I believe that mental illness is a good gift from God. However, I would like to say that I am not in any way  trivializing human suffering. Suffering, in whatever form it takes, is horrible. But, amid human suffering, we can see how God is working gracefully in our lives. In this way, human suffering is actually quite a beautiful thing. The purpose of this blog is twofold: I want to persuade those who deal with mental illness to see their illness as a blessing from the Lord and I want people who do not have mental illness to see those of us with mental illness as people of high value. I openly admit that I have an agenda with this blog, but everyone who writes something has an agenda. Agendas are not necessarily bad things; we should all be open and honest about our agendas. In my own experience, I have found three ways that mental illness is a blessing from God. They are the following: 

1) It Keeps Us Humble 

2) It Makes Us Better People

3) It Causes Us To Love Christ More 

I will elaborate on these points in a minute, but I would like to note that there are by far more ways that mental illness is a good gift from God, but these are the main points that I'd like to address. If you can think of more, please feel free to let me know in the comments below. People have asked me if I would like to be healed of my mental illness and people have told me that they are praying for my healing, but honestly, I am glad that I have my mental illness and wouldn't have any other way. It is for these reasons that I am glad and after you read my reasoning, you will think the same way as I do. But, first, I'd like to take you to a key text on which I am basing my thesis on. That text is James 1:17, which says, 

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change" 

As you can see from this text, every good gift comes from God above. This is not to be questioned. Every blessing we receive in this life is a blessing from the Lord. But, is mental illness truly a blessing from God? I am glad you asked because now I will get into my three points. 

It Keeps Us Humble

Mental Illness keeps us humble and dependent on Christ. The reason why I say this is because we understand our own failings and we understand that there is nothing inherently good within us. As 2 Corinthians 12:7 says, 

"So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited" 

We do not know what Paul's "thorn in the flesh" exactly was, but we do know that it was given to him to keep him humble. In the same way, I believe that some people are given a mental illness to keep them humble. I know that in my own life, my mental illness causes me to rely more on Christ because I fully understand that I cannot trust my own thoughts, feelings, and perceptions. It is for this reason that I throw myself before His throne daily because there is nothing else for me to do. 

It Makes Us Better People 

Now, I know that this is probably going to get me in some hot water with certain people. I do believe that those of us with mental illness are in fact better people because of our illness than if we did not have mental illness. The reason that I say this is because we tend to be more compassionate and patient toward the shortcomings of other people. We also seem to endure things that most people would crumble under. The Apostle Paul sort of hints at this in Romans 5:3-5 when he 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 would like to stress the point that the Apostle Paul says that we "rejoice in our sufferings". Why do we rejoice? It is because we understand that in enduring suffering we are being made into better people who are created in the Imago Dei and who belong to God. Our mental illnesses create in us a genuine character which we rarely find in people who do not deal with mental illness. I think this is because we understand our own struggle and it causes us to be able to identify with other people's struggles as well. 

It Causes Us To Love Christ More 

I know that this may sound strange and I admit that I do not have a Scripture verse to justify this claim. All I have is my personal experience for this one. However, please do not disregard personal experience. In a lot of ways, personal experience can be just as credible. In my own experience, I have found that because I acknowledge that there is nothing good in me since I see my own failings and struggles, but then I contemplate the sacrifice that Jesus made on my behalf, it does cause me to love Him even more. I do not think that I would love Christ if it weren't for my mental illness because I would think that I am better without Him in my life. However, since I do have a clinical mental illness, and I acknowledge that I struggle daily with it, it causes me to trust in Him more for my life and salvation because I know that He is my life. My identity is found solely in Him alone and not in my mental illness. For this reason, I love Him all the more. 

I do want to thank you for taking the time to read my blog and I hope that you better understand my position on why I believe mental illness is a gift from God. Even if you still disagree with me about this, maybe you can appreciate my take still. I hope that this blog both edified your faith and challenged you to see mental illness in a whole different light. 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

Check out the other Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website

How To Support Someone With Mental Illness

 

According to the National Association of Mental Illness, about 20% of the population suffers from some kind of mental illness. Some estimates say that the number is about 50% of the population. This means that mental illness is very common. Since mental illness is so common, you'd think that the Body of Christ would be better at helping those who struggle with mental illness, especially when you consider that we are called to minister to the weak and needy amongst us. However, history and the present time have proven that the mentally ill are not always treated the best. The mentally Ill have actually been abused by the Church on many occasions. This is why there needs to be something that shows people how to properly support and care for the mentally ill. In this blog, I shall carefully explain how you can support your mentally ill loved one. If you follow the advice in this blog, then you will prevent yourself from hurting anyone who struggles with mental illness. The advice I am about to give is things that I wish Christians would do for me. From my own experience, I have found five different ways that will help you support your mentally ill loved one. They are the following: 

1) Listen To Them 

2) Make Your Presence Known 

3) Pray For Them 

4) Don't Argue With Them 

5) Keep An Open Door 

I will elaborate on these five points in a minute, but first I'd like to say that these are not the only ways that you can support your mentally ill loved one. These are just some ways that I am choosing to focus on for right now. If you can think of any others, please feel free to let me know in the comments below. 

Listen To Them 

This may seem pretty basic, right? However, I have experienced so many Christians who assume they know more about my mental illness than I do. This is not only offensive to us, but it is also extremely ignorant. No matter who or what you are, you do not know more about one's mental illness than the one who personally has to deal with it on a day-to-day basis. So, it would be in your best interest to just be quiet and actually listen to your loved one tell you about what they are experiencing. If you do that, it will go a long way in formulating a bond of trust between you and your loved one. 

Make Your Presence Known 

One of the best things that Job's friends ever did for Job was sat by him in complete silence. Actually, as soon as they opened their mouths they ruined everything. We do not need advice or platitudes from you. All of the time, all we need is to know that someone is there who cares for us. If you can just take the time out of your busy life to extend some time to be around us then that will be very helpful because most of us do not want to be alone. You can spend time with us playing a video game or talking on the phone or you can even just sit with us in complete silence, it does not matter to us as long as you are there. 

Pray For Them 

I cannot stress to you how important prayer is for a Christian. We have a direct line to the Almighty God through Jesus Christ. So why would we not pray? I have found that if you are praying daily for your mentally ill loved one, the Lord will soften your heart toward us and enable you to have more compassion. This is very important because I understand that a lot of times we can be hard to deal with. So, if you make an intentional effort to be in prayer for us, then it will rejuvenate your soul and help you be better prepared to be around us. 

Don't Argue With Them 

Again, this may seem pretty basic, however, so many Christians mess up on this point. I have found a lot of Christians who thought they knew about my illness better than me try to argue with me about it. This is definitely not good because not only is it completely offensive, but it is also very triggering for us. You arguing with us can send us on a downward spiral that we cannot get back from. So, you must refrain from arguing with us at all costs. 

Keep An Open Door 

This is a very important point to make because we have been shunned by not only society but sometimes even our very own family members. For so many of us, we are completely alone. As a result, a lot of us struggle with trusting people. If you can demonstrate your care by always being available when we need you, then that will go a long way in establishing a rapport. We all need someone who we can call in the middle of the night whenever we are feeling depressed or suicidal. We also need someone who can talk us down from an episode of mania or someone who can be there for us when we are in the midst of a severe panic attack. If you can be that person, it will mean the world to us. 

In closing, I would like to end this blog with some Scripture concerning our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Hebrews 4:15 says, 

"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect was tempted as we are, yet without sin." 

Jesus Christ was someone who truly understands what we are going through, whether you have a mental illness or not. The reason that He can sympathize with us is because as a man He was tempted in every way that we are tempted. As those who follow Christ, we should in the same way be able to sympathize with others, especially those of us who deal with various mental illnesses. As it says in 1 John 3:14-15, 

"We know that we have passed out of death into life because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. Whoever hates his brother is a murderer and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him" 

This is a serious point the Apostle John is making here. He is basically saying that if you do not love your brothers and sisters in the faith, regardless if they have a mental illness or not, then you are not even a Christian. Those of us who profess to belong to Christ should heed this warning. 

I thank you for taking the time to read my blog and I hope that it helps you properly understand how to better support your mentally ill loved one. We definitely need your support because mental illness is very much stigmatized in society and the Church. As a result, many of us feel alone and abandoned by others and even God. So, whatever you can do for us, even if it is small, will mean everything to us. May the grace of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ richly bless you all!!

-David Lee Chu Sarchet 
Christian Mental Health Advocate 

Click here to check out the Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website

Click here to check out the other C.C.M.H Ministry Website

Why Transgenderism Is TOXIC For Mental Health

 

There is much confusion in today's society about what exactly is gender. Those on the political Right say that there are only two genders, while those on the political Left say that there are thousands of different genders. Only one side can be right while the other side is completely wrong. But, which side is correct? In this blog, I shall be discussing how Transgenderism is bad for one's mental health and then I will discuss how the Bible addresses this issue. However, first I'd like to discuss what exactly is transgenderism because not many people seem to understand what that disorder is or even means. The Diagnostic Statistical Manual 5 (DSM-5) lists eight defining characteristics for what it calls Gender Dysphoria and to be labeled with this disorder one must meet at least six of these characteristics. These characteristics are the following:

1) A strong desire to be of the other gender or an insistence that one is the other gender (or some alternative gender different from one's assigned gender)

2) In boys (assigned gender), a strong preference for cross-dressing or assimilating female attire; or in girls (assigned gender), a strong preference for only wearing typical masculine clothing and a strong resistance to the wearing of typical feminine clothing

3) A strong preference for cross-gender roles in make-believe play or fantasy play 

4) A strong preference for toys, games, or activities stereotypically used or engaged by the other gender

5) A strong preference for playmates of the other gender 

6) In boys (assigned gender), a strong rejection of typically masculine toys, games, and activities and a strong avoidance of rough and tumble play; or in girls (assigned gender), a strong rejection of typically feminine toys, games, and activities

7) A strong dislike of one's sexual anatomy 

8) A strong desire for the primary and/or secondary sex characteristics that match one's experienced gender 

I would like to note that transgenderism is first and foremost a clinical mental illness, which means that those suffering from this disorder are not in touch with reality. The answer to helping these people is not to treat them with disdain. They are still created in the Imago Dei so they should be treated with dignity and respect. They need to see a good psychiatrist and a good therapist, but one who will not affirm their "gender identity". Personally, I struggled with Gender Dysphoria myself when I was younger. I have always enjoyed being around female friends instead of male friends and to this day I still prefer to be around women rather than men. I also have been known for wanting to be a woman at one time because I did not like being a man. I thought men were horrible people. I say this to show you that I completely understand this mindset very well so that you can understand that what I am about to say is out of love for the people in the transgender community. 

As I have stated earlier, people who struggle with Gender Dysphoria are claiming that they are another gender other than the gender they were born with. These people will claim to be either the opposite gender they were born with and they will claim to be one of the many genders that the Liberals have concocted. These people are delusional and we should not validate their delusions. As someone who deals with Schizoaffective Disorder Bipolar Type, I find it remarkable how quickly society is all too willing to affirm these people's delusions. If I had a mania episode today where I believed that I could fly like a bird, I shouldn't expect society to automatically believe that I literally could fly like a bird. Instead, society should seek to get me some professional help via a psychiatrist and therapist. In the same way, transgenders should not expect society to affirm their delusions. These people need to understand that they are not the opposite gender from what they are born with. Liberals will try to say that gender and sex are not the same things, but this is a distortion of the truth. Gender and sex are in fact one and the same thing, regardless of what anyone says or believes. 

So, what does the Bible say concerning this topic? If we turn to Genesis 1:27, it reads, 

"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God, he created him; male and female he created them" 

As you can see from this text, God created a male and a female from the beginning of creation. The text does not say, "God created them male and female and other". What this means is that from the beginning of time, God already established gender identity by declaring that there are only two genders! Some LGBT activists seem to have an issue with this rendering, so they decided to rewrite the Bible and make it more transgender-affirming, but the so-called "Queen James Bible" is not an actual translation and is instead a distortion of the Word of God. These people are playing fast and loose with the text of the Holy Scripture. In case you may say that "Well, that was in Old Testament and we live in the New Testament now", Jesus Christ reiterates this sentiment in Matthew 19:4. He says, 

"Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female..." 

This means that even our Lord and Savior acknowledged that from the beginning of time, God created only two genders. The reason God did this was to fully display His image. Men and women both display the image of God. This means that both men and women are equal in His sight in dignity. No man or woman can ever say that their gender is superior to the opposite gender. We should treat one another with the dignity and respect that we deserve as image bearers of the divine and thrice Holy God. If anyone mistreats another person because of their gender, then they are going against the Righteous and Holy Lord Almighty and it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God (Hebrews 10:31). 

I appreciate you taking the time to read my blog and I hope that this has shed some light on the issue of Gender Dysphoria for you. If you disagree with me on this issue, then I suggest that you take it up with God's word because your issue is with Him and not me. I am merely the messenger. I hope that this blog was a blessing to you. 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

Check out the Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website

Simply Skyler: Introducing My Wife To Jesus Christ (Part 11)

    ***The Following is a Fictional account of a man named Skyler Clark who struggles with Schizophrenia. This is not about me. There might be some triggering subject matter. If you are easily triggered, do not read this. ***

It has been a few days of marital bliss between Sarah and myself. I have really been enjoying our time together. She has the next few days off from work and so we decided to take a walk in the park together. Maybe Mr. Romero will be there. I really would like to see him again. I have not seen him since I've gotten out of the hospital. As we are getting ready for our day at the park, I am preparing some picnic food. I am packing some bologna sandwiches, some bags of chips, and some other miscellaneous items. Sarah is in the bathroom cleaning herself up. I love how she always wants to be clean. She takes good care of herself. I start to daydream about how our day is going to go and then I begin thinking about how I am going to share the Gospel with her too. I really would like for her to become a Christian. However, I do not want to be too pushy about it. The Lord will draw her in His perfect timing. 

"Honey, are you ready?" She says and I turn around to see her standing at the door in a beautiful sundress. My jaw drops. She looks absolutely stunning in that dress. I did not even know she had that in the closet. I tell her that I am and grab the picnic basket full of food. We then head out of the front door and begin the long walk to the park. As we are walking and talking, I see a flicker of the flying cat flying in the air, but I just shake my head it disappears. She notices that and asks me if I have seen another hallucination. I honestly say yes and she just gives me a hug and tells me everything will be alright. I love this woman. 

Once we are at the park, we find a nice spot to lay down our blanket to have our picnic. We sit down on the blanket and I hand her her sandwich and chips and drink. Then, I grab my food and drink too. As we are eating, we are chatting about everything under the sun such as the weather, the Denver Broncos, and politics, and then finally we get to religion. I see this as an open door from the Lord, and I silently thank Him for it. 

"Sarah, do you know why I have been such a changed man?" I quietly ask her. She shakes her head and says that she has been wondering about that. I tell her that it is because of my encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ. She looks really confused by this. 

"What do you mean? I mean, I know that you have been reading the Bible lately..." Her voice trailed off. I tell her about how I have realized how much of a sinner I truly am and I asked God to forgive me of my sins and then I trusted in Jesus for salvation. She definitely looks perplexed right now. I decided to start from the beginning. 

"You see, about 2,000 years ago God came down as a man. This God-Man performed many miracles and then was sacrificed on a Roman cross for our sins. Then, miraculously about three days later, He rose from the dead!" I say this with much excitement in my voice. She just looks at me strangely. I continue on with, "Now, God commands everyone everywhere to repent and trust in Jesus Christ for salvation"

"What does it mean to 'repent'?" She looks confused by that word. I tell her exactly what Mr. Romero told me about how it is a literal turning away from one's sins and turning to God. She asks me what is a sin and tell her that it is breaking God's Ten Commandments. I tell her that we all have broken them and she tells me that she hasn't. I ask if she would be willing to take the Good Person Test and she asks me to explain what that is. 

"I'll ask you a series of questions to gauge if you have lived up to His Standard or not," I explain and she agrees to do it. I then ask her if she has ever lusted for another man who was not me. She honestly says yes and I immediately feel some sort of way about that, but I continue on. I tell her that Jesus said that if you even lust for someone then you've committed adultery. She looks pained by this. God is obviously convicting her heart already. 

"Have you ever told a lie before in your life?" I ask her and she answers with an "Of Course, who hasn't?" Then, I ask her if she has ever used God's name as a swear word and she says yes. 

"So, what you are telling me is that you are a liar, adulterer, and blasphemer. If God were to judge you by just those three standards, where do you think you'll end up?" I ask her and she tells me that she does not want to do this anymore. Then, she gets up and smoothes out her dress. I ask her where she is going and she says she is going back home. She looks upset and I feel confused. Why is she behaving this way? I thought that when I tell her the Gospel, she would immediately accept Christ as her Savior. What did I do wrong, Lord? I pray for her, as I start packing everything up. 

As soon as I come into our home, she apologizes for how she behaved and tells me that she just did not want to hear about religion today. She just wanted to have an enjoyable outside date with me. I tell her that I understand, but then I tell her that Jesus is much more than a religion. I tell her that it is a relationship with God. She looks at me with disbelief and I tell her that if she promises to come with me to church tomorrow morning, then I will drop the whole Jesus talk tonight. She agrees to come with me to church and we kiss and head to the bedroom, where we make out again until we fall asleep. 

The next morning I woke up feeling rejuvenated and I head to the kitchen to make my morning cup of coffee. On the other hand, my wife does not look so energetic this morning. I ask her what is the matter and she tells me that she did not sleep well. However, she promises that she will stay true to her word and come with me to church. After we eat a hearty breakfast, we start getting ready. I change into my best suit and tie and she changes into another sundress. Then, we both head out to the car. As we are driving to church, she asks me what is the name of my church, and I tell her. She then asks me who the priest is. 

"His name is Pastor Tom" I politely correct her with a smile. She looks like she feels a little sheepish. As soon as we arrive at church and walk inside, we are greeted by the Ushers, who shake our hands and hand us our bulletins for the service. We then take our seats in the back. I prefer sitting close to the front, but since this is Sarah's first time I am fine with sitting in the back pew. The sermon this morning is about the roles of men and women in marriage. The irony. Pastor Tom gives a very compelling sermon about what exactly it looks like for husbands to lay down their lives for their wives and for wives to submit to their husbands. I really enjoy this sermon. 

After the service, we leave the sanctuary and spend some fellowship time with the other congregants. I go around introducing my wife to everyone until I see Mr. Romero. Then, I walk up to him and begin a conversation. My wife gets approached by an elderly woman who introduces herself as Eleanor. My wife smiles and introduces herself. 

"Are you from around here, Sarah?" Eleanor asks gently. My wife tells her no she is from Denver. Eleanor looks surprised and asks her what brings her to Colorado Springs. 

"Basically, my job," Sarah says and Eleanor asks her where she works at. After about ten minutes of chit-chat about some small things concerning work, being a wife and mother, all of sudden Eleanor mentions that her husband has Bipolar disorder. Sarah looks surprised by this. She tells her about my illness. 

"I am sorry to hear that, darling," Eleanor says, "I am sure that life has been tough for the both of you." Sarah says that it has been. Eleanor says that it has been tough, but that if it weren't for Jesus they would not have made it. Sarah is astonished by this and asks her how Jesus has helped her and her husband. 

"Well, when I think about how much God loves us that He'd send His only son to take the punishment we deserve upon Himself and how patient He is in drawing us, it helps me to be patient and loving toward my husband when he is behaving erratically." Eleanor calmly explains. Sarah immediately feels a sense of conviction about what this woman is saying. She has never thought about how much she has been a sinner before. She always assumed that since she has been so patient with me that God would give her an automatic pass into Heaven. Now, she finally understands what she must do. She looks Eleanor straight in her eyes and says, "How can I be saved?" Eleanor's eyes light up at this and she loudly proclaims that she needs to repent and believe the Gospel. This gets my attention as I turn to look in my wife's direction. 

"I believe the Gospel," Sarah confidently says and Eleanor leaps for joy and hugs her. I leave Mr. Romero and walk quickly toward Sarah and Eleanor. I ask my wife if she just made a profession of faith. she proudly nods her head and tears of joy come running down my face. I am so very excited about this and I praise the Lord for His goodness and mercy toward us. This is an answer to prayer, for sure. As we are driving home, Sarah says that she needs a Bible, and I tell her that I will get her one from the local Christian bookstore tomorrow while she is at work. I want to get her a good one that she will like, but I want to surprise her though. We drive the rest of the way home in silence as I am thinking about how our life is blessed by God. 

If you want to see how this story ends, please order the book from  Amazon on June 2023. 
Click Here To Access Book On Amazon

-David Lee Chu Sarchet 
Christian Mental Health Advocate 

Check out the Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website

Check out the other Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website

Simply Skyler: Making Things Up To My Wife (Part 10)

    ***The Following is a Fictional account of a man named Skyler Clark who struggles with Schizophrenia. This is not about me. There might be some triggering subject matter. If you are easily triggered, do not read this. ***

It has been a few days since I have been discharged and things have been great. My mind has been much more clear and the hallucinations have not really been bothering me as much either. I mean, I still have breakthrough hallucinations from time to time, but they are much easier to disregard. I praise the Lord for modern medicine. I have accepted the fact that I will be dealing with this mental illness for the rest of my life, but I am glad that I have a good psychiatrist and a good church, and a great wife. I do not know what I would do without my support system. Things between my wife and I have gotten a lot better too. I can help out more around the house and my wife is even enjoying bonding with me more too. This morning when I woke up, my wife and I made out for about ten minutes before my alarm went off signifying that I need to take my morning dose of medication. I groaned because I was really enjoying our time together. 

"It's alright, babe," She coos, "Take your medication and come back so we can continue this make-out session". She winks at me and I hurry to the bathroom to get my medication. As I am coming back to the bedroom, I see my wife still laying down on her side of the bed. She pats the bed with her left hand, beckoning me to join her. Sarah is so sexy. I jump into the bed and we begin making out again. After about twenty minutes, she says that she has to get ready for work. She then gets up and starts to get dressed. I sigh and she tells me that she will be back home later today and we can make out again. I get excited at that thought. 

As my wife is leaving the house, I decide that it is time for me to get on the computer to start filling out that application for Social Security Disability. I walk toward the desktop computer and then I hear Bill Gates' muffled voice. 

"...Skyler... you.... moron," He says, but I intentionally choose to ignore him. It is getting pretty pathetic how these hallucinations will not give up no matter how much I ignore them. It is almost as if they have nothing better to do with their lives. I sit down at the computer and turn it on. It takes a minute to turn on because it is an old computer. I think we've had it for about fifteen years. Yeah, we got it as a wedding gift. Ah, I remember those days. Sarah still looks just as beautiful today as she did back then. However, it is time for us to get a new computer, though. I think as soon as I get my SSDI, I am going to save up for a new computer for us. The computer finally turns on and I go to the Social Security website. 

As I am filling out the application, I become increasingly more agitated with all the questions they are asking. They want to know everything about me! They are asking about my wife's income, how much money I made last year, if I am currently employed, who was my previous three employers, and much more. Why the heck are they wanting to know so much? It seems a little like an invasion of my privacy, but I guess they just want to make sure that I am not trying to scam the government. They are very thorough. I decide to break for some coffee so I get up from the desk and head to the kitchen. 

As I am getting the Keurig ready, I see the flying cat, except this time he looks like he is fading. I just shake my head and he disappears. It is pretty funny how these hallucinations seem to love harassing me. As soon as the Keurig is done brewing my coffee, I grab the cup and head back to the desk to continue filling out the application. I pray a silent prayer to God that He helps me get approved. We definitely could use the money and I am being as honest and straightforward as possible. 

Once I finished filling out the SSDI application and submitted it, I decided that I want to do something special for Sarah as a surprise. So, I decided to get on the phone with the local florist to order a bouquet to be delivered to her at her job. I call the number and a female answers. 

"Yeah, I would like to order a bouquet of roses for my wife" I calmly say. I think the woman on the other hand can sense my excitement. She asks me if I would like a special message attached to it. I tell her to attach a message that says, "I thank the Lord for putting you in my life and I love you forever and always, babe!" 

"Ok," She says, "And would you like this for pickup or delivery?" I tell her it is for delivery and she asks for the delivery address. I tell her what the address to my wife's nail salon is. She tells me that the price is going to be $25.99. That's pretty steep, but completely worth it. I give the nice lady my debit card information and tell her thank you. 

"The bouquet and message will be delivered today at 5 pm," She says and I tell her that's fine. We then say goodbye and hang up the phone. I cannot wait to see her face when she returns from work. I then head to the Living Room couch and sit down and turn on the television to some Big Bang Theory. 

All of a sudden, I see the man with the bat. This time he is clear as day and I freak out because he should not be so clear. Why is he so clear? He tells me that I cannot go on ignoring him forever. I shake my head again and he disappears. I breathe a sigh of relief that he is gone and I continue watching my show until I fall asleep. 

While I am sleeping, I end up having a wonderful dream about my and my wife's wedding ceremony. In the dream, I see her in her dress and it takes my breath away. As she is walking down the aisle, I hear the song by Coffey Anderson called Better Today. That was not playing at our actual wedding, but it is a nice touch, though. I love that song because it reminds me of how my wife really does make me into a better man. 

I end up waking up to my wife walking in the house and I stand up to greet her. I see her with the bouquet in her hands and a huge smile on her face. As she places the flowers down on the table, she runs straight into my arms and we begin kissing. 

"I adore the flowers, babe!" She exclaims loudly before saying that she married the best man ever. I feel like I married the best woman ever. She heads to the kitchen and begins cooking our dinner and I head to the couch to watch more television. After about half an hour, she tells me that dinner is ready and I turn the television off and start heading to the dining room table. As we are eating dinner, she is telling me about her day and I am listening intently. She tells me about how she had a rude customer get angry because we could not give her a discount and she threatened to sue the company. I did not know that there was so much drama at a nail salon. She also tells me how she got some pretty good tips from other customers too. I told her how I submitted the application to Social Security and about my dream too. 

"I am surprised that you remember my wedding dress," She says with an excited tone of voice. I tell her that of course, I do because she looked so mind-blowing in it. I then tell her how she still looks just as beautiful today. She tells me that she loves me and I tell her that I love her too. After dinner, I offer to take care of the dishes so that she can get relax a little. She tells me that makes her relieved to hear me say that and then she heads to the Living Room and puts on a ten-minute workout video. I guess that is her version of relaxing. 

As I am washing the dishes, I am imagining what life would be like once I get approved for SSDI. Maybe I could officially afford to take my wife out to one of those fancy restaurants she always enjoys. Maybe we could rent a log cabin for our anniversary too. That would take both of our incomes, though. The possibilities are endless. I know that the Lord will provide for us because He already has provided greatly. I realize that my wife is not a Christian so I start thinking about how I am going to share the Gospel with her. I'd love nothing more than to be the one to lead her to the Lord. I pray silently for the opportunity to be able to tell her the Gospel. 

After I finish the dishes, my wife and I head to the bathroom together to brush our teeth and then we change into our sleeping clothes. Once we are ready for bed, we both turn off the lights and climb into bed together. Then, we begin making out for what seems like an eternity. An eternity of bliss that I do not want to end. This is what Heaven probably feels like. Afterward, we end up falling asleep in each other's arms. I dream that night about taking my wife out to a Murder Mystery Dinner. It is a good dream because I know how much she loves those. For the very first time in a while, I actually sleep the whole night peacefully. 

Stay Tuned For Part 11 Of The Series... 

-David Lee Chu Sarchet
Christian Mental Health Advocate 

Check out the Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website

Check out the other Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website

Simply Skyler: Back On My Medication (Part 9)

   ***The Following is a Fictional account of a man named Skyler Clark who struggles with Schizophrenia. This is not about me. There might be some triggering subject matter. If you are easily triggered, do not read this. ***

It has been a day and a half since I've accepted the fact that the Lord has not healed me of my mental illness. I am taking my Risperidone again, but this time the doctor has prescribed me a new medication called Abilify. The medication combination seems to be working fine, but I notice that I zone out a lot though. The doctor wants to hold me in this hospital for a couple more days just to see how I am doing. This kind of aggravates me because I just want to go home already. I feel like I've suffered enough in this place. However, I understand that the doctor just wants to make sure that I am safe to go home. I do feel safe, but I am deeply ashamed of how I behaved right before I got taken to the hospital this time. I also feel really embarrassed too. I made a fool of myself in front of my neighbors and I wonder what they think of me now. If they did not care for me before, they probably definitely hate me now. They probably see me as the neighborhood crazy person. I am going to have to do a lot to make it up to them. And my wife. I have a lot to do to make things up to her. My wife has been so amazing to me. I appreciate her kindness and patience and love. I do not know how mentally ill people who are by themselves handle things because I do not know how I'd cope if I was on my own. 

I walk out of my room and down the hall to the Day Room. Then, I sit down in front of the pay phone and pick up the receiver. I proceed to dial Sarah's number. I hope she picks up because I really need to hear her voice. 

"Hello, honey," She says, "How are you today?" I feel excited to hear her voice, but it causes me to get a little sad because I miss her terribly. I tell her that the doctor added a new medication for me along with Risperidone. Then, I tell her that it seems to be working and that he is talking about discharging me in two days as long as everything is going fine. She seems to be happy with this news. I love this woman so much. 

"I met your friend Mr. Romero today." She tells me and when I ask her how, she tells me that he brought his wife to the nail salon she works at. She tells me that they talked for a while and he seems like a really nice man. I start to think about how much I'd like to talk to him again. I have some questions about Christianity for him. But, I keep them to myself for now because I know that Sarah is not a believer yet. She is a good person, but she would not understand my questions, though. I proceed to tell her that I am thinking of applying for Social Security Disability so that I can help out with the bills. 

"Oh, really?" She seems surprised by this because she knows how much I love to work, "How long have you been thinking of this?" I tell her that I've been thinking of this for a few days now because I realize that I cannot work a traditional full-time job because of my mental illness, but that I still would like to contribute to the home somehow. She seems pleased with this plan and says that she will help me with the application process if I need it. I tell her I appreciate it but I do not think that I'd need help. How hard could it be? I've known other people who have applied and got approved with no problem whatsoever. After about ten more minutes of conversation concerning how her day went, the nurse on the intercom says that it is time for group therapy and so the phones are turned off. We quickly say our "Goodbyes" and "I love yous" and then we hang up the phone. I decide that I actually want to go to group therapy today so I walk to the room where it is being held and take my seat. 

The people in this group seem like a very friendly bunch. There is Chad, whose wife cheated on him and he attempted to commit suicide. Then, there is Eric, who is addicted to heroin and struggles with Bipolar Disorder. There is also Amy, who has a bunch of cut marks all over her arms. And also, there is Jessica, who deals with very intense Anxiety and is prone to having severe panic attacks. I feel comfortable around these people because I do not feel like such a freak of nature. Finally, I am around people who truly understand me. The group leader is talking about the importance of self-care. He asks us about what we like to do to help us cope with life's daily struggles. I contemplate this. 

"Intercourse!" Eric blurts out immediately and everyone laughs. However, the group leader tells us to keep it appropriate. He does not seem to have appreciated Eric's attempt at humor. I tell the group leader that I enjoy walks in the park while listening to music and watching television and reading my Bible. The group leader says those are all good things to do. I feel relieved to have some sort of validation. Everyone else goes around the room talking about what they like to do. Some people say things out of humor, but others are genuine. After about thirty minutes, the group leader closes the group by having everyone recite the Serenity Prayer. Then, we all leave the Group Therapy room and head out to the Day Room for dinner. Today for dinner I am having two cheeseburgers, green beans, and a chocolate iced brownie. 

"Can I sit here?" Eric asks as he stands by me with his tray of food. I politely tell him that he can and he pulls out his chair and sits down. As we are eating, he decides to make a casual conversation with me. 

"So, you are a Christian, huh?" He asks and I tell him that yes I am. He then proceeds to tell me that he is pagan. I am not sure what that means but I just nod my head. We continue eating and then he looks up from his tray. 

"So, if your God is so good, why did He command so many people in the Bible to be killed?" He asks out of nowhere and I shrug my shoulders. I did not sign up for a Bible trivia contest. He tells me that this is something that I need to think about because I am worshiping a genocidal deity. I must admit that this does bother me more than I cared to admit. I was not too familiar with the Old Testament because up until now I have only read the New Testament. I decide that I am going to start reading the Old Testament starting today. I will begin with Genesis. I do not honestly understand how a good and all-powerful God could tell His people to kill others and it does confuse me. I resolve to add that to my many questions for Mr. Romero later. 

After dinner, we all have some free time and I decide to sit with some of the people to watch some television. Spongebob Squarepants is currently on and it drives me crazy because I hate cartoons, but I want to be social. I am tired of being in my room. Chad is sitting there next to me and he tells me that this is his favorite show. Well, good for him. I think it is a bit childish but then again to each their own. As we are watching, something strange happens. I notice that I have not had any hallucinations for quite some time. It sort of makes me feel excited and I praise God for allowing the medication to work. However, I also feel saddened because I actually miss them. I miss Mr. Gates and the flying cat. I can do without the man with the bat though. Does it seem strange to miss my hallucinations? I think I miss them because I lived with them for so long and now it feels weird to not see or hear them anymore. It is almost as if I lost some close friends of mine. Sanity is going to take some time to get used to. However, I am ready to live this new life and I am not ever going to stop taking my medication no matter what. I do not like the man I become when I do not take my medication. 

Stay Tuned For Part 10 Of This Series...

-David Lee Chu Sarchet
Christian Mental Health Advocate 

Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website

Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website

Simply Skyler: Darkness Inside The Psychiatric Hospital (Part 8)

  ***The Following is a Fictional account of a man named Skyler Clark who struggles with Schizophrenia. This is not about me. There might be some triggering subject matter. If you are easily triggered, do not read this. ***

It has been a few days since they have been forcing me to take my medication because I have been trying to refuse them I must admit that my mind feels more clear. I do not feel as erratic as I have been before. Maybe I have not been healed of my mental illness after all. But, why hasn't God healed me yet? I thought Jesus Christ was a miracle worker. I guess that the Lord must be angry at me for some reason and He decided to bring my illness back as a way to punish me. Maybe he was disappointed in my Gospel presentation to Alex. But, I thought I made a pretty good one though. I mean, he accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior, did he not? Why is God punishing me? I am feeling very depressed; all I have been doing is lying in bed. The nurses keep coming by to check on me and they keep trying to encourage me to go to the group therapy. I do not want to go to group therapy. I just want to die because if I have to live with a mental illness, I'd rather not live. I think about harming myself, but I am not sure how I am going to do it while in this place. They are keeping such a close watch on me. I decide to read my Bible instead. I turn to Psalm 88. I find it remarkable how much it speaks to me. 

"For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to Sheol. I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am a man who has no strength, like one set loose among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, like those whom you remember no more, for they are cut off from your hand. You have put me in the depths of the pit, dark and deep regions. Your wrath lies heavy upon me, and you overwhelm me with all your waves. You have caused my companions to shun me; you have made me a horror to them. I am shut so that I cannot escape, my eye grows dim from sorrow. Every day I call upon you, O Lord, I spread out my hands to you. Do you work wonders for the dead? Do the departed rise up to praise you? Is your steadfast love declared in the grave, or your faithfulness in Abaddon? Are your wonders known in the darkness, or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness? But, I, O Lord, cry to you; in the morning my prayer comes before you. O Lord, why do you cast my soul away? Why do you hide your face from me? Afflicted and close to death from my youth up, I suffer your terrors; I am helpless. Your wrath has swept over me; your dreadful assaults destroy me. They surround me like a flood all day long; they close in on me together. You have caused my beloved and my friend to shun me; my companions have become darkness." 

Oh, how I feel this so much right now! My companions literally are darkness. Why have you done this to me, Lord? Did not I make you happy when I made the decision to believe the Gospel? 

"Skyler, you have a visitor." A female nurse comes to tell me. Finally, someone has come to see me in this abyss. I do not particularly want to see anyone, but I am glad to have something different going on to break the monotony. I slowly get up from my bed and walk out of my room and down the hall. I see Sarah sitting at a table in the center of the Day Room. I get embarrassed because I do not want my wife to see me like this. She looks concerned. I take a sit at the table after she stands to give me a hug. 

"How have you been, baby?" She asks me with concern in her voice. I feel a sense of relief to hear her voice. However, it does nothing to lift my spirits, though. I sigh. 

"I have been struggling," I tell her honestly, "I am not sure why Jesus has not healed me of my mental illness." She merely nods her head to let me know that she understands. 

"Sometimes what does not kill us only makes us stronger, babe," She says. I know she means well, but the platitude only serves to grate my nerves. But, I choose to sit there in silence. She asks me how the nurses have been treating me and I tell her about how they have been forcing me to take my medication. 

"Why have you been refusing?" She seems pretty upset about this and I just look down at my feet. I feel like a child preparing to be scolded by their parent. I think she realizes that she is being too hard on me because she softens her demeanor. She quickly apologizes and tells me that I need to take my medication because it is in my best interest. Best interest? I am not sure what is in my "best interest" anymore. 

"Have you been eating?" She asks me. I tell her that I have been and she smiles. I can tell she is glad to hear that. She then begins to drone on about how life has been at home. I hear something about chores, bills, and other things, but I end up tuning her out. I keep hearing Casting Crowns' song "Does Anybody Hear Her?" in my head. It seems like the visit is taking forever but about an hour later, the nurses announce over the intercom that visitation is over. My wife and I stand up and give one another a hug. She then tells me that she loves me and I tell her I love her too. She then walks away as I am watching her. Then, I walk back to my room. I just want to die. 

As I approach my room, I hear Bill Gates' muffled voice telling me something about how he is going to murder me. However, I just ignore him because I understand that he is not real. I am tired of these hallucinations. The nurse introduces me to my new roommate. His name is Adrian and he is a thin Caucasian man with blonde hair and blue eyes. He is also pretty tall too. He looks like a movie star, so, surprisingly, he is in the looney bin. I wonder what he did to end up here. I tell him hi, but I do not tell him my name. I am tired of meeting new people. As it turns out, he has a Bible too, so I get excited to see another Christian. I wonder what church he goes to so I decide to ask him. 

"I do not go to church because the church will dull your mind. I choose to worship God in my own way." He says and I feel perplexed by this. I ask him to elaborate on that. He tells me that the concept of an organized church is actually not found in the Bible. He says that they are man-made religious activities and the Bible actually condemns that. I have never heard of this teaching before, but I definitely am interested in hearing more. However, he says that he wants to go to group therapy, but he says that we will continue this conversation later. Then, he gets up from his bed and walks out of the room. I just lay down on my bed and close my eyes. I say a silent prayer to God, begging Him to just take me home because I do not want to live anymore. 

Eventually, I fall asleep and had an awful dream. In the dream, my wife is telling me that she is going to work and I end up sitting in our Living Room to watch television. I put it on Two and a Half Men. As I am watching the show and laughing hysterically, I see a portal to hell open up in the room. I immediately get scared. All of a sudden, a demon comes out and reaches for me and I try to get up to run away, but my legs are frozen. The demon grabs ahold of me and starts to pull me toward the portal. I begin yelling, but I have no voice. As I am being pulled closer to the demon in the portal, the demon is licking his lips. I end up waking up from the dream in a very heavy sweat. I decide that I am not going back to sleep. I hear on the intercom that it is time for dinner. Good. I've been feeling famished for a while now. I get up and start heading to the Day Room. Dinner is pepperoni pizza. I love pizza. 

Stay Tuned For Part 9 Of This Series... 

-David Lee Chu Sarchet 
Christian Mental Health Advocate 

Check out the Christ-Centered Mental Ministry Website

Check out the other Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website