Last Sunday at church, I got a wake up call. My heart still trembles at a close call among those I love. Believe me, it never crossed my mind my friend in the pew near me might be suffering.
With gentle dignity, she walked forward down the church aisle to ask for prayer at the end of the service. Her personality and spirit are beautiful and beloved to me and many others. In fact, she’s exactly the kind of person I wish I was; so gentle and kind to everyone. Why could she possibly need prayer? Naturally, I assumed she would ask us to pray for a loved one.
Wake up call!
Instead, she told us she had been tempted to take her own life. What a wake up call for all of us!
Fortunately, she knows her life touches many people daily. Many people love this dear woman and depend on her. She knew others would suffer if she followed through on the self-destructive idea. Her heart knew to pause. With understated dignity, she asked for help. Humbly, she invited others to comfort and support her. (Samaritan Counseling Center of East Texas offers mental wellness tips and help on their website here.)
The Comfort of Companionship
Immediately, friends hurried to the front of our church to stand with her. Tenderly, they wrapped their arms her. We all know God has entrusted her with challenging circumstances and a beautiful ministry. Certainly, we want to help her stand strong.
As women it’s so easy to become discouraged. We take care of everyone we love. Sometimes, we may even see their suffering as our problem. Women especially forget to take care of ourselves, but men forget, too. We fail to ask for the help we need. Finally, in our weakened state, the enemy begins to tempt us with destructive “solutions” to our problems.
Our pastor reassured her of our commitment as a church to stand with her. He reminded us that we all struggle and feel discouraged. If you think of my friend, please pray.
Courage and Companionship
I’m so proud of her courage. What amazing insight she showed as she spoke up about her pain! She is so wise to think of all who love her.
Plus, I’m also thankful our church offers companionship without condemnation. I hope yours does, too. This is a big deal. I hear people say all the time how churches are shrinking. But I know lots of growing churches. I suspect growing churches are getting the companionship thing right. (Wondering what to do when your child is arrested or how to handle it when people shun you. We interview experts and talk about hard stuff.)
So, last Sunday got me thinking. What else are we failing to talk about at church where we’re supposed to be the most open? At Camp Krafve, we try give families and churches tools, like podcasts, to share with each other. (We’ve interviewed experts to create blogs and podcasts about bullying, divorce, racial unity, abortion, trauma-informed care, and many more tough topics.)
Openness in Church and Anorexia, for instance?
When was the last time you heard a sermon about anorexia, for instance? Maybe never?
Please watch for next week’s blog. The church needs to address all mental health issues, including suicide, depression, and eating disorders. (For tender insight about how suicide affects families, click here. Or for how families can address mental illness, click here.)
Young people between the ages of 15 and 24 with anorexia have 10 times the risk of dying compared to their same-aged peers. Next week’s blog will bring you some terrific tools to take to your own family, Sunday school, and church.
With joy, here’s a shout out to one of the nation’s top bloggers on the topic, Caralyn on Beauty Beyond Bones. Please don’t miss our interview with Caralyn. You are going to love her (and her courageous heart) as much as we do!
May we pray together?
Dear good Father, You send other people to comfort and encourage us at the right moment if we just look around. Open our eyes to the ways You help us. Give us friends who love and accept us without condemnation. Thank You for trustworthy companions in this life. Thank You for Your beloved Son, Jesus, who died for our sins and rose in triumph over death. In His name we pray. Amen.
We LOVE to hear from YOU!
What else do we need to talk about at church? Do you know of experts we should interview on our show? How can we at Camp Krafve serve you?
Cathy Krafve, Columnist, Speaker, Blogger, Podcaster, and Christian Writer, invites your stories, ideas, and questions at CathyKrafve.com. Truth with a Texas Twang.
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