Bless This Brain

Bless This Brain

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Short messages meant to encourage, inspire, and challenge Christians who are living with a mental illness.

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    • Feb 4, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 6m AVG DURATION
    • 38 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Bless This Brain

    If I Can Drink THAT

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 4, 2025 4:36


    Come back with me to a far away place, the land of 1995. In this episode, I talk about a childhood experience that shaped me in a powerful way. It's...not what you think

    Watch the Corners

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 3, 2025 6:02


    We exist in a world that seeks out those who impress, entertain, and inspire us. But, as Christians, we're not meant to be a part of that world. Today we'll talk about why it's important to keep our eyes on the corners

    People Don't Surprise Me Anymore

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 31, 2025 6:39


    Why is the church often the hardest place to find out who is dealing with a mental health challenge, and how can we work together to change that?

    Back When Mental Illness Didn't Exist

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 30, 2025 4:21


    Oh, the golden age when nobody experienced depression and anxiety. Back in the good old year of never ever. Mental illness has always been around, so why do some find that hard to believe?

    The One Thing The Mentally Ill Christian Finds Hard to Believe

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2025 6:20


    Prayer blesses our brains. Community blesses our brains. Reading God's word blesses our brains. But there's something on the spiritual side of things that I've come to believe plays maybe the largest part in what keeps a mentally ill Christian from experiencing healing

    You Didn't Break Anything

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 28, 2025 5:28


    At many points in our recovery journey we're tempted to give it all up after we experience a setback, but that's not necessary. You just have to pick it back up. You didn't break anything.

    A Bridge Not Too Far

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2025 6:07


    The BTB podcast returns asking the question, to what length should I pursue recovery? What's the goal? It's going to look a little different for everybody, but there's some very basic mileposts we should be keeping an eye out for.

    For Those Days When You Feel Useless

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 3, 2024 5:08


    We are not useless because we experience depression. We're not useless because we experience anxiety. It is exactly for this reason that we are usefulBless This Brain is an organization dedicated to bridging the gap between churches and mental health help. We tear down stigma through creative storytelling, mental health first aid training, and innovative workshops. We come alongside people as they navigate their recovery journey, ensuring no one who comes to a church seeking mental health help, faces that challenge aloneBlessThisBrain.com

    For Those Days When You Feel Like Giving Up

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 27, 2024 4:45


    All of us have days when we feel like giving up. When we feel like throwing in the towel. This can be for a variety of reasons. But a bad day, a bad week, or year, or difficult start on a new path of recovery, do not define the rest of your story.Bless This Brain is an organization dedicated to bridging the gap between churches and mental health help. We tear down stigma through creative storytelling, mental health first aid training, and innovative workshops. We come alongside people as they navigate their recovery journey, ensuring no one who comes to a church seeking mental health help, faces that challenge aloneBlessThisBrain.com

    For Those Days When You Feel Like You're Alone

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2024 7:34


    Are you lonely, either because of depression, anxiety, substance abuse, sin, or another reason? Do you feel abandoned, alone, discarded, neglected, rejected? You're not alone in feeling alone. But you're not alone. Not truly. Not ever.Bless This Brain is an organization dedicated to bridging the gap between churches and mental health help. We tear down stigma through creative storytelling, mental health first aid training, and innovative workshops. We come alongside people as they navigate their recovery journey, ensuring no one who comes to a church seeking mental health help, faces that challenge aloneBlessThisBrain.com

    For Those Days When You Feel You're Not Enough

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2024 9:40


    This is the first in a short series I'm calling "For those days". In this episode, we'll discuss the fear and anxiety that comes from feeling like we're not enough. Spoiler alert: We're not...enough, that is. Not apart from Him. But in Him, we have fullness, and from Him, we can have a peace that surpasses all understanding.Bless This Brain is an organization dedicated to bridging the gap between churches and mental health help. We tear down stigma through creative storytelling, mental health first aid training, and innovative workshops. We come alongside people as they navigate their recovery journey, ensuring no one who comes to a church seeking mental health help, faces that challenge aloneBlessThisBrain.com

    When Shame Affects Our Prayers

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 23, 2024 5:22


    What a shame that...well, shame...so often robs us of what is arguably the best thing we can do at any time in our life. Commune with God. In this episode, we explore the way that shame has hurt our ability to pray, and how rethinking the purpose of prayer can invite us back into this precious time.Bless This Brain is an organization dedicated to bridging the gap between churches and mental health help. We tear down stigma through creative storytelling, mental health first aid training, and innovative workshops. We come alongside people as they navigate their recovery journey, ensuring no one who comes to a church seeking mental health help, faces that challenge aloneBlessThisBrain.com

    Am I Supposed To Be Happy All the Time?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 19, 2024 8:33


    Are we truly called to be happy all the time? That might sound silly to some, but for many of us, that's the goal. But how realistic is that goal, and is it even one worth pursuing?Bless This Brain is an organization dedicated to bridging the gap between churches and mental health help. We tear down stigma through creative storytelling, mental health first aid training, and innovative workshops. We come alongside people as they navigate their recovery journey, ensuring no one who comes to a church seeking mental health help, faces that challenge aloneBlessThisBrain.com

    A Prayer for the Heavy Laden

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 10, 2024 5:18


    This episode steps away from the familiar format. It's a short prayer inspired by the many confessions of the burdened hearts that we've ministered to through Bless This Brain. Pray it with me today and as often as you need

    Look Ma! No Meds

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 27, 2024 4:51


    It's a tale as old as time. Maybe not that old. It's a tale as old as there has been psychiatric medication. Today we're going to examine the one reason we should never have for giving up this form of treatment.

    It's Better to Sit in the House of Mourning

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 25, 2024 5:22


    We're prone to beat ourselves up for the tiniest of shortcomings, and often compare ourselves to the best we see in others. Today we're going to learn why one, however imperfect, is still better than the other

    Stop Drinking From Bitter Fountains

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 12, 2024 8:54


    In this episode I speak to what I think may be the greatest challenge to your mental health in this, an election year. It's time to ask yourself two questions. Who am I being discipled by? And Who is my God? Let's all get uncomfortable together.Bless This Brain is an organization dedicated to bridging the gap between churches and mental health help. We tear down stigma through creative storytelling, mental health first aid training, and innovative workshops. We come alongside people as they navigate their recovery journey, ensuring no one who comes to a church seeking mental health help, faces that challenge aloneBlessThisBrain.com

    The All of Life Interview

    Play Episode Listen Later May 28, 2024 23:19


    In this episode, you'll here the interview that Trish and I did at Redemption Church Tucson in April. Enjoy!Bless This Brain is an organization dedicated to bridging the gap between churches and mental health help. We tear down stigma through creative storytelling, mental health first aid training, and innovative workshops. We come alongside people as they navigate their recovery journey, ensuring no one who comes to a church seeking mental health help, faces that challenge aloneBlessThisBrain.com

    The Sin of Oversharing

    Play Episode Listen Later May 22, 2024 5:26


    You've probably been met with the downward glance, the awkward silence, and maybe the disapproving look that comes with oversharing. But what if our idea of what is oversharing is incorrect?Bless This Brain is an organization dedicated to bridging the gap between churches and mental health help. We tear down stigma through creative storytelling, mental health first aid training, and innovative workshops. We come alongside people as they navigate their recovery journey, ensuring no one who comes to a church seeking mental health help, faces that challenge aloneBlessThisBrain.com

    Lemon Sorbet

    Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2024 8:09


    Sometimes we need to refresh our palates as we seek to grow in our understanding of scripture. We do this with simple truths that ground us in our identity as a beloved child of God.Bless This Brain is an organization dedicated to bridging the gap between churches and mental health help. We tear down stigma through creative storytelling, mental health first aid training, and innovative workshops. We come alongside people as they navigate their recovery journey, ensuring no one who comes to a church seeking mental health help, faces that challenge aloneBlessThisBrain.com

    This Mask Can Be a Blessing

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2024 7:30


    Today you're probably going to smile even though you don't feel like it, and that's okay. In fact, it's more than okay. It's a gift. In this episode you'll learn why.Bless This Brain is an organization dedicated to bridging the gap between churches and mental health help. We tear down stigma through creative storytelling, mental health first aid training, and innovative workshops. We come alongside people as they navigate their recovery journey, ensuring no one who comes to a church seeking mental health help, faces that challenge aloneBlessThisBrain.com

    Reducing Our Suffering for the Good of Others

    Play Episode Listen Later May 13, 2024 4:57


    Christians don't live on an island. We live in community. At least, that's what we're called to. But what about when mental health symptoms hurt our ability to live alongside others we're called to love?Bless This Brain is an organization dedicated to bridging the gap between churches and mental health help. We tear down stigma through creative storytelling, mental health first aid training, and innovative workshops. We come alongside people as they navigate their recovery journey, ensuring no one who comes to a church seeking mental health help, faces that challenge aloneBlessThisBrain.com

    You Don't Act Depressed

    Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2024 7:05


    We often make our assumptions about the state of another person's mental health based on the symptoms we see them display in public. It's a deadly mistake.Bless This Brain is an organization dedicated to bridging the gap between churches and mental health help. We tear down stigma through creative storytelling, mental health first aid training, and innovative workshops. We come alongside people as they navigate their recovery journey, ensuring no one who comes to a church seeking mental health help, faces that challenge aloneBlessThisBrain.com

    The God Who Understands

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2024 4:38


    It's hard to imagine God hurting as we've hurt, or being in anguish as we've been in anguish, but we have a great high priest who can relate to us in our suffering.Bless This Brain is an organization dedicated to bridging the gap between churches and mental health help. We tear down stigma through creative storytelling, mental health first aid training, and innovative workshops. We come alongside people as they navigate their recovery journey, ensuring no one who comes to a church seeking mental health help, faces that challenge aloneBlessThisBrain.com

    Lexapro and Laughsapro

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2024 5:44


    Humor is one of the best God-given ways that we can help reduce stigma in ourselves and others, and strengthen ourselves for the recovery path ahead. But, it's important to keep some things in mind when putting a humorous spin on serious symptoms.Bless This Brain is an organization dedicated to bridging the gap between churches and mental health help. We tear down stigma through creative storytelling, mental health first aid training, and innovative workshops. We come alongside people as they navigate their recovery journey, ensuring no one who comes to a church seeking mental health help, faces that challenge aloneBlessThisBrain.com

    Emotions: A Helpful Tool With A Nasty Habit of Lying

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 8, 2024 5:21


    So many good things have the potential to turn bad without reason or warning. This is true of our emotions. Created by God, our brain's capacity to experience emotions serves as a helpful tool, but on occasion, those same helpful emotions go awry. Bless This Brain is an organization dedicated to bridging the gap between churches and mental health help. We tear down stigma through creative storytelling, mental health first aid training, and innovative workshops. We come alongside people as they navigate their recovery journey, ensuring no one who comes to a church seeking mental health help, faces that challenge aloneBlessThisBrain.com

    It's Not Either/Or, Coach

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2024 5:47


    It happens all the time in all areas of life. We're forced to take sides. Something or someone always having to be higher, while something or someone else has to be lower. This type of thinking is rarely helpful, but particularly unhelpful when discussing treatments for mental illness.Bless This Brain is an organization dedicated to bridging the gap between churches and mental health help. We tear down stigma through creative storytelling, mental health first aid training, and innovative workshops. We come alongside people as they navigate their recovery journey, ensuring no one who comes to a church seeking mental health help, faces that challenge aloneBlessThisBrain.com

    A Better Way to Respond to Someone Disclosing a Diagnosis

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2024 7:32


    Ever had someone disclose a mental illness to you and found yourself not knowing how to respond? That's okay. In this episode, we look at the three most common (and unhelpful) types of responses that a person who's disclosing a diagnosis may receive. We also look at an alternative way of responding that better reflects the love and presence of Christ.Bless This Brain is an organization dedicated to bridging the gap between churches and mental health help. We tear down stigma through creative storytelling, mental health first aid training, and innovative workshops. We come alongside people as they navigate their recovery journey, ensuring no one who comes to a church seeking mental health help, faces that challenge aloneBlessThisBrain.com

    If We Only Prayed More

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2024 4:17


    It's a normal part of the journey for any Christian living with a mental illness. Judging the efforts you put into prayer, and blaming yourself when your faith just isn't enough to relieve your symptoms. But, is that how God works? Is that how healing works? Bless This Brain is an organization dedicated to bridging the gap between churches and mental health help. We tear down stigma through creative storytelling, mental health first aid training, and innovative workshops. We come alongside people as they navigate their recovery journey, ensuring no one who comes to a church seeking mental health help, faces that challenge aloneBlessThisBrain.com

    Ninety-Five Percent

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 19, 2024 5:10


    Healing doesn't always look like full eradication of symptoms, and that's okay. In this episode, we examine the reality of recovery, and discover what healing from a chronic mental illness may look likeBless This Brain is an organization dedicated to bridging the gap between churches and mental health help. We tear down stigma through creative storytelling, mental health first aid training, and innovative workshops. We come alongside people as they navigate their recovery journey, ensuring no one who comes to a church seeking mental health help, faces that challenge aloneBlessThisBrain.com

    I Am Not a Firetruck

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 8, 2024 3:42


    The difference between "I am" and "I live with" can make a significant difference when we're talking about mental health challenges. Learn how we can stop thinking of mental illness as an identity, and replace it with an identity so much better.Bless This Brain is an organization dedicated to bridging the gap between churches and mental health help. We tear down stigma through creative storytelling, mental health first aid training, and innovative workshops. We come alongside people as they navigate their recovery journey, ensuring no one who comes to a church seeking mental health help, faces that challenge aloneBlessThisBrain.com

    Not a Superpower

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2024 5:06


    In our attempt to make ourselves and others feel better, we may find ways to reframe mental illness as a good thing. It's not. But it provides something even better. Learn what that is in this episode.Bless This Brain is an organization dedicated to bridging the gap between churches and mental health help. We tear down stigma through creative storytelling, mental health first aid training, and innovative workshops. We come alongside people as they navigate their recovery journey, ensuring no one who comes to a church seeking mental health help, faces that challenge aloneBlessThisBrain.com

    His Workmanship

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 3, 2024 4:21


    The mental health challenges we face can leave us feeling like secondhand citizens of the church, unsuited for ministry. It's just not true. Today we look at the way that God uses our struggles to display His works in us.Bless This Brain is an organization dedicated to bridging the gap between churches and mental health help. We tear down stigma through creative storytelling, mental health first aid training, and innovative workshops. We come alongside people as they navigate their recovery journey, ensuring no one who comes to a church seeking mental health help, faces that challenge aloneBlessThisBrain.com

    In This World We Will Have Mental Health Troubles

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 24, 2023 4:35


    Medication, therapy, exercise...there's so many ways that we can bless our brains, but the fact remains, we're still going to encounter troubles along the path to recovery. But take heart.Bless This Brain is an organization dedicated to bridging the gap between churches and mental health help. We tear down stigma through creative storytelling, mental health first aid training, and innovative workshops. We come alongside people as they navigate their recovery journey, ensuring no one who comes to a church seeking mental health help, faces that challenge aloneBlessThisBrain.com

    Why Am I Drowning?

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 24, 2023 4:40


    When Christians experience the symptoms of a mental illness, they'll often fall into a state of Analysis Paralysis. Trying to discern what may be at the heart of symptoms is something we should do, but with a bias towards action. In this episode we'll discover how the gospel informs a spiritual AND physical approach to recovery.Bless This Brain is an organization dedicated to bridging the gap between churches and mental health help. We tear down stigma through creative storytelling, mental health first aid training, and innovative workshops. We come alongside people as they navigate their recovery journey, ensuring no one who comes to a church seeking mental health help, faces that challenge aloneBlessThisBrain.com

    Opinions, Opinions, Opinions

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 24, 2023 5:49


    When it comes to the topic of mental illness, it seems like everyone has an opinion....a strong one. Take meds or don't take meds. See a therapist or don't see a therapist. So on and so on. In this episode we'll discuss what drives these strong opinions, and how we can respond.Bless This Brain is an organization dedicated to bridging the gap between churches and mental health help. We tear down stigma through creative storytelling, mental health first aid training, and innovative workshops. We come alongside people as they navigate their recovery journey, ensuring no one who comes to a church seeking mental health help, faces that challenge alone.BlessThisBrain.com

    Better To Weep Than to Wick

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 24, 2023 5:06


    If you're living with a mental health challenge, you may have experienced the shame that comes with heightened emotions that feel out of your control. In this episode, we explore a scriptural approach to feelingBless This Brain is an organization dedicated to bridging the gap between churches and mental health help. We tear down stigma through creative storytelling, mental health first aid training, and innovative workshops. We come alongside people as they navigate their recovery journey, ensuring no one who comes to a church seeking mental health help, faces that challenge aloneBlessThisBrain.com

    Lord, Bless This Brain

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 24, 2023 5:18


    Someone didn't like the name of our organization. Says we focus to much on the brain and that we should instead say, bless this heart. We say nah.Bless This Brain is an organization dedicated to bridging the gap between churches and mental health help. We tear down stigma through creative storytelling, mental health first aid training, and innovative workshops. We come alongside people as they navigate their recovery journey, ensuring no one who comes to a church seeking mental health help, faces that challenge aloneBlessThisBrain.com

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