Thursday, January 06, 2011

My dream

This morning my devotional planner quotes Philippians 4:13: "I can do everything through him who gives me strength." It talks about being a risk-taker for God's kingdom and asks the question: "What is your spiritual dream?"

That question started me thinking afresh of how my dream has been to significantly reduce the stigma toward mental illness in the church. How I would like to make things better for those who struggle with mental illness! How important it is for them to receive good support from their church families! To be encouraged in their faith, and not discouraged.

This is what I've been giving my life to over the past few years. This is the work I believe God has called me to. And what a huge work it is! And how privileged I feel to have been given a good start on it with Living Room!!

This past year has not been a good one for me health-wise. But I feel emotionally strong right now. How I pray that these better moods will continue so that I can continue the work I started! But as the verse above says, "I can do everything through him." I will trust God to the best of my ability. I will lean on Him for my strength. And I will always try to remember that it's God at work, not me. I'm only His footsoldier, carrying out what He leads me to do.

I so appreciate having a team behind me now. People to share with. People to help guide me. It has been so very important to me to know I'm being prayed for and still believed in - though so many times I stopped believing in my own ability to carry on. Today I feel strong. Please pray that this feeling of strength - this trust in God - will continue for me. God has taken me so far and I know He can carry me further still. Those are my feelings this morning.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Hello there :) I too am a Christian and bipolar and likewise dream about removing the stigma for people with "conditions" in the church. I started following your blog, I hope you don't mind.

marja said...

Hello Miranda! Of course I don't mind you following my blog. And a big welcome to you!

I only hope that I can write more than I have lately. I seem to only write when there is something truly pressing that I feel I need to express. But that's ok, I guess.

Unknown said...

That's OK, I'm like that too :) It would really be great to read your thoughts about following God as a bipolar from time to time. I'm glad I'm not the only one. Thanks!

marja said...

Miranda, I visited a couple of your blogs earlier today, but couldn't find any way to leave comments. Am I missing something? I think we have a lot in common and I would love to chat more than just here - but on your blog as well.

You might be interested in a book I wrote about living with bipolar disorder as a Christian. It's "A Firm Place to Stand." See sidebar for a link to it.