In last week's post, I shared a couple important questions to ask yourself about your mental health struggle. I mentioned that even though I’m not an expert on this topic, I do have personal experience with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). I may not know every detail about your mental health struggle—perhaps anxiety, depression, or OCD—but I do know you can move forward. Here are a few more questions to consider as you decide how.
2 Questions to Ask Yourself About Your Mental Health Struggle
While I’m not an expert on mental health, I understand mental health struggles on a personal level because I have Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). If you have a mental health struggle but don't know exactly how to navigate it or manage it, this post is for you! I hope you'll find these two questions helpful as you determine the best way to move forward.
Why I Like “When You’re Gone” by Shawn Mendes
I’ve evaluated a few of Shawn Mendes’ songs—"Stiches" and "Treat You Better" and "There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back"—in prior posts. I’m not a big fan of those three songs because the lyrics are, well, somewhat questionable. But I don’t hate all of Shawn’s songs. In fact, we’re going to evaluate one today that has a great message.
Known
I can’t believe it’s been over three months since I last published a poem. That one was tied to a specific verse—Psalm 34:8—but this one is based on several verses from Psalm 139. It’s about how intimately God knows us. It’s short and simple, but hopefully, it’s a reminder of His wonderful love.
The Beauty of the Chase
I’ve seen it more times than I can count—the girl who decides to take matters into her own hands when she loves a guy who’s ambivalent toward her or even uninterested in her. She makes excuses for his lack of initiation, claiming he’s just too nervous or too shy to take the lead. So she takes the lead instead. She seeks him out, talks to him, flirts with him, texts him, and asks him out. But deep down, it’s unsatisfying because she wants what every girl wants—to be chased.
I’ve Tasted It
Five years ago, I published a post called How I’ve Tasted God’s Goodness Through Not Having a Boyfriend. In that post, I talked about God’s kindness toward me in not giving me a boyfriend because (in short) I wasn’t ready for one. I suppose I could give this post the same name because it’s about losing James*. Although he wasn’t technically my boyfriend, he was the closest thing I’ve had to one. And through the painful experience of losing him, God has again let me taste His goodness.
The Main Thing Holding You Back from Making Real Connections
Unfortunately, this behavior (i.e., phone fixation in social situations) is common for people of all ages. It’s not just a teen girl issue. Even more unfortunately, this behavior is what’s holding us back from making real connections with each other.
Don’t Give Up on Love
This idea of not giving up on love (i.e., not despairing as a single girl) has been on my mind a lot lately. Sadly, many single girls do give up on love—which leads them to become bitter and resentful. Sometimes it even leads them to settle for guys who aren’t God’s best for them. So I wrote this poem about not giving up on love to encourage my fellow single girls—and to encourage my future husband.
To the Single Girl Who Feels Incomplete and Unfulfilled
Today's post—written by Shelby Abbott—is about the internal struggle of singles to find peace in the present. I did an interview with Shelby last year (which you can watch here if you missed it!) and got to learn about his journey of being single and stepping into ministry. Though this post focuses on singleness, it genuinely applies to all seasons of life. Enjoy, friends!