Hide your Crazy and Start Acting Like a Lady
As a newcomer to the church I just moved to, I thought I should make some connections. So when I heard about a Bible study at a popular lady’s house, I thought it couldn’t hurt. When I rolled up to the McMansion in the hills and saw all the perfect ladies, I thought, well, maybe this could hurt. Our hostess announced we were all there to be transparent and share our stories, and strive for authenticity. I couldn’t wait to hear Barbie’s story.
We gathered outside(!) in the hot Texas summer sun, and I was already mostly done with it. Due to my likely in-bred, lily-white, European heritage, I have extremely sensitive skin and can’t wear anything scented, including laundry detergent. So immediately I start to emit eau-du-outside, combined with hot unscented deodorant and old sweaty baseball cap stench. The lovely caramel skinned ladies around me were also sweating, but they smelled like someone left the heat on in a beauty salon. These women even sweat pretty.
Not sure what authentically transparent issues I would have in common, I sat down to listen to a few ladies tell their stories, followed by scripture and discussion time.
I was surprised that, while some did have relatively comfortable lives without the same experience with trauma as I, they all expressed suffering in various ways from all manner of distress, all of which I could identify with on some level.
When you struggle to get your mind under control, and truth becomes subject to emotions, you have a health issue. A mental health issue. Not all mental health situations are a crisis like Alzheimer’s or paranoid schizophrenia. Not being able to reconcile your identity in Christ with your self-image is a health problem, as your mind is the very battlefield on which your salvation is contented. When you are making decisions based on your past wounds and current fears, you are likely not making healthy choices and you need to get to the root of why you think the way you do… it’s driving too many choices that could cost you your physical health, relationships, or dreams for the future.
For minor mental health issues, we need to be connected to one another and support each other. We should set mental health goals just like fitness goals and have accountability partners who don’t treat transparency like weakness.
For more intricate mental health issues, we need to see treatment as a Holy endeavor that brings us closer to truth and the ability to operate in God’s word with freedom and authority.
In that way, we can demolish every deceptive fantasy that opposes God and break through every arrogant attitude that is raised up in defiance of the true knowledge of God. We capture, like prisoners of war, every thought and insist that it bow in obedience to the Anointed One.(2 Corinthians 10:5, TPT)
Personal reflection:
1. What core beliefs about yourself may be in opposition to who God says you are (which is Holy, righteous, blameless, healed, beloved, forgiven, and purposeful, to name a few)?
2. Where might you find a support team to encourage your growth in this area?
3. Howmight neglecting your mental health hinder you from achieving your dreams, or the other Created Woman goals of healing, identity, purpose, health, or inside-out fashion?
Goal setting and sharing: List 3 goals that you would like to accomplish (at home, at work, with family, etc.) that will allow you to live out your purpose regarding mental health:
One-on-one speed coaching ~ Lounge Sessions ~ Shopping ~
Fashion Show ~ Food & Drink ~ Fun
Entrepreneurs, dreamers, philanthropist & fashionistas, will come together for a day packed with power lounge session and one-on-one speed coaching featuring speakers and mentors from every generation. At Style Speaks, you will leave with a plan and next steps for your dream, business and faith walk.
