I hate suffering. I hate it when someone – even me – comes down with depression, anxiety, psychosis; with an illness that is stigmatised and life-changing and will never fully go away. I hate all illness, sickness, death. I hate wars and famine and natural disasters. I hate the evil that man does to man, […]
The Bible and Medication
June 8, 2013 by 4 Comments
I have been suffering from withdrawal side-effects from medication this week. My doctor was supposed to reduce my risperidone from 3mg to 0 by 1mg a month, as per my consultant’s instruction, however he didn’t reduce it at all for three months, then when I reminded him he reduced it to 1mg last week, and […]
Scrupulosity: Doubt, Obsession and Compulsion
May 20, 2013 by 2 Comments
I have discussed earlier in this blog’s life the concept of scrupulosity, sometimes referred to as religious OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder.) That particular post was a bit of a mish-mash of things I found online, and I felt it had some shortcomings. Nevertheless it remains the most searched-for and viewed article on my whole site. I […]
He Came in the Storm
March 11, 2013 by 4 Comments
I often like to use biblical passages to reflect, allegorically, on our (my) Christian life. One of these is the famous time when Jesus walked on the water – related in Matthew 14:22-33, Mark 6:45-52 and John 6:16-21. The disciples had just witnessed the feeding of the 5,000 when Jesus told them to go ahead […]
Healing Services
February 24, 2013 by 2 Comments
I have just returned tonight from a healing service held at my local church. It used Common Worship‘s laying on of hands and anointing service. You can read the service on the Church of England website. The website also includes an interesting theological note about healing which is well worth reading, and which includes this […]
Testifying…with a mental illness?
February 12, 2013 by 3 Comments
I love reading true stories, and I love reading testimonies, either online or in print. It is wonderful to read stories of people leading difficult, dangerous and sinful lives and meeting Christ, and to hear of their transformation. I like stories of people involved with drugs, crime, the occult, and I like stories where at […]
Jesus, Lover of My Soul
February 10, 2013 by Leave a Comment
This much-loved hymn is by Charles Wesley and if you visit the Cyberhymnal, you can listen to the traditional tune. Alternatively, here is a YouTube video of Chris Eaton singing the hymn to a modern tune that he composed. I think his is a wonderful version. You can visit his website here. Lyrics are printed […]
I Ease You
January 28, 2013 by 3 Comments
A short poem today, by George Herbert. Jesu JESU is in my heart, his sacred name Is deeply carved there: but th’other week A great affliction broke the little frame, Ev’n all to pieces: which I went to seek: And first I found the corner, where was J, After, where ES, and next where U […]
8 Good Things To Say to a Depressed Person
January 21, 2013 by Leave a Comment
I have seen lots of the sort of lists I’ve made, saying what some of the worst things we can say when someone we know is depressed, but I haven’t seen quite so many about what we can say. I wrote a piece called 8 Ways To Help When Someone is Mentally Ill, which I’d […]
Prayers from Time to Change
December 20, 2012 by 1 Comment
As I mentioned in another post, I recently came across some worship ideas from Time to Change (pdf). I really recommend looking through this resource as it contains prayers, readings, a suggested sermon and so on. I am being a little bit naughty here, as I’m going to reproduce some of the prayers they have in […]
Believer's Brain 