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For those that do not know, January is human trafficking awareness month, something that Christians stand against, but many do not know is still very much a problem in the world, not only overseas, but in our own country. Sex trafficking alone is a $10 billion dollar industry in the United States alone, not including other nations or trafficking such as forced labor or domestic servitude. 80% of victims end up back on the streets without a safe place to call home after they are removed from trafficking.

Psalm 82:3-4 reminds us:

“Give justice to the poor and the orphan; uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute. Rescue the poor and helpless; deliver them from the grasp of evil people.” (NLT)

The United States’ Department of Human Services actually has a whole campaign of sharing information, facts, and red flags to look out for on a special Instagram page @DHSBlueCampaign. Here are a couple of our favorite that you may want to consider sharing, even if it isn’t January.

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One Christian ministry that is attempting to help is Refuge for Women, an aftercare program for women who were trafficked and sexually exploited. The non-profit specializes in long-term care for women across the united states with free, safe housing, evidence-based and trauma-informed care, and a launching point for them to gain their life back.

Here is a video of one of the stories of the women who found hope through this program.

Beyond this, most other initiatives are local with a collaboration between state and/or county funds with the manpower and mission of the Church. If we are to truly want to help those struggling with mental health, substance misuse problems as well as other hidden or developmental disabilities, this population is in immediate need of our assistance now.

If you want to see a list of certified Trafficking Shelters in your state, though many states have none and you will need to look to local resources, you can find a list of them here at the National Trafficking Sheltered Alliances’ list here.

What organizations, trainings, or resources have you seen used in your area?

From our family to yours, Merry Christmas.

We don’t have a big article to share because we are visiting with our family and want you to do so too. But we will share a couple of images that you may want to share this year on social media as an encouragement and give you time to be more with your family.

Enjoy.

[Read more…] about Merry Christmas [Images]

We are excited that a new opportunity has come about and we were asked to speak at The Merge Virtual Summit on April 23 on the topic of Christianity, Mindfulness, and Recovery. We want to continue to bring more awareness to integrating faith and mental health and this is another chance to do so.

[Read more…] about Join Us At The Merge Virtual Summit

Your church has made a revelation and decided that your ministry can make an impact in your community by addressing the issues concerning mental illness in your community. You’ve decided to head up this cause and while putting the pieces together will take time, strategy, and money, you want to get started right away.

Below I’ll be sharing some free ways your church can stop mental health stigma today so that when you do get a budget item, you can already show progress. Certainly, there are cheap options like the Church Mental Health Awareness Cards or social media marketing, but we will look into that in a future article.

[Read more…] about 10 Free Ways Your Church Can Stop Mental Health Stigma

Want a free printer-friendly copy of this policy? Download it here.

I’m part of several church Facebook groups, constantly trying to keep in touch with what is happening in ministry. Many of these groups are open, honest, and raw, asking questions about mental health you may not actually ask in front of your senior pastor or elder board. One such question is what goes into creating a church suicide prevention policy.

I get excited by helping people bring mental health into the church, but I also want to encourage mental health professionals to listen up too. This is your opportunity to get your foot into a door of a church and help your community out.

[Read more…] about Creating A Church Suicide Prevention Policy

Anxiety at it’s best is something that can help motivate someone, but in reality, we tend to overdo it. When anxiety hits, we find ourselves fixated on things we cannot control. At it’s worse, it becomes a disorder that physically alters the brain chemistry of the individual, directly impacting their life with significant problems, failed relationships, and a barrier for someone with their faith.

In the spectrum of Anxious For Nothing, this book definitely leans on talking about the “we overdo it” side and not the clinical diagnosis spectrum. Within the intersections of church and mental health, this book looks to take a subset of anxiety and see how our faith can impact it for the better.

[Read more…] about Anxious For Nothing [Book Review]

With February right around the corner, conversations of a romantic date are in the air. Reservations are being made, roses are being purchased, and babysitters are starting to come in short supply. But the conversation of date nights for couples who are married and engaged is bigger than this one day. The concerning question is, are Christian’s missing out on date night?

I want to start off this article understanding that there are different seasons for people. Having contracted with the military, I understand it can actually be impossible for people to date at times in their life. Newborns become the most important thing for a moment, big events hit life that can take the immediate focus, and sometimes our own mental health can cause barriers. If dates are not an option, I encourage you to check out our post on improving communication in your marriage. But I want to speak for every other day, the other 40 or 45 weeks of the year.

Not dating is a problem.

[Read more…] about Why Are You Missing Out On Date Night? Why It’s A Problem.

We talk about the Church needing to step up with regards to mental health. No greater need from the Church is present than crisis services and suicide prevention and we’ve talked about how churches can help prevent this in their community now. And amazingly, there is a Christian suicide prevention ministry already there you can utilize, To Write Love On Her Arms (TWLOHA).

TWLOHA is a non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope & finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury, & suicide. Originally started simply as the founder Jamie Tworkowski wanting to save the life of his friend who struggled with addiction and suicide, so did a fundraiser to help her get into treatment. Here’s their story.

[Read more…] about A Christian Suicide Prevention Ministry: TWLOHA