MercyTalk

Hey MercyTalk listeners, it’s Melanie Wise here, and I wanted to give you all a heads up on some really exciting things that we are working on with MercyTalk. If you have been following us for long, you know that we have typically posted a podcast every week to two weeks for the past few years, and we are excited to be transitioning MercyTalk into more of a series structure. What does that mean? It means that we are going to be releasing a few series of episodes each year instead of a podcast every other week. Each series will be focused on a specific theme, and I’m personally excited about this because it’s allowing us to really spend focused time preparing, writing, and recording for each series. We are PUMPED to announce that our upcoming 2022 Fall Series on MercyTalk is going to be on the topic of how relationships and community serve and support your mental, emotional, relational, and spiritual health. As we have been researching and writing the various episodes for this series, I can tell you that it’s personally been rocking MY world, so I can’t tell you how excited I am to get this content out to you all. Until then, be sure that you are following Mercy Multiplied on Instagram and/or Facebook because we’ll be sharing some of our past episodes over the coming weeks until our fall series launches. And then BE SURE that you are subscribed to MercyTalk on whatever podcast platform you use, and be on the lookout for our fall series that we plan to release starting around the middle to end of September! Can’t wait to be back with you guys then!

We believe that Jesus is the key player in your healing journey. We are also big supporters of people getting professional help when needed. They both have vital roles, but they haven’t always worked well together or understood one another. On this episode, we have a conversation with a pastor and a counselor on some of the common struggles and questions that leaders in the church have for mental health experts. We also talk about how people in the Body of Christ can best support and come alongside those who are engaging in professional counseling.

Have a topic suggestion or question? Email MercyTalk.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

We get to hear so many incredible testimonies from people who have gone through our residential and outpatient programs, as well as those who have completed Mercy’s Keys to Freedom study. However, those outside of Mercy don’t have the opportunity to hear these stories as often, which is why we host a quarterly “Testimony Tuesday” episode on the MercyTalk podcast. This episode of Testimony Tuesday highlights someone who has gone through Keys to Freedom several times, Jenna! Listen as she shares her story about how Keys to Freedom has impacted her life!

Have a topic suggestion or question? Email MercyTalk.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

People can come up with a million reasons why they can’t (or don’t want to) receive professional counseling. While some of these reasons may simply be “excuses,” others are valid struggles and concerns. In this episode, we share tips and encouragement to help move past some of these barriers, whether you are personally struggling or you know others who need help.

Also, in this episode…

• Do Christians really need counseling?
• What if counseling is too expensive?
• How to respond to people that are resisting professional help

Have a topic suggestion or question? Email MercyTalk.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Whether we’re aware of them or not, we’ve all made agreements with lies from the enemy in moments of pain in our lives. These agreements may be about ourselves, God, or the people and the world around us. These agreements grow over time and shape the way we see the world. The good news is that we do not have to live with the agreements that we’ve made. As Christians, we can walk in the truth that Romans 12:2 declares, “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

Also, in this episode…

• The role our belief system places in our lives
• How to identify the agreements we’ve made
• Practical steps to breaking those agreements

Have a topic suggestion or question? Email MercyTalk.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

We discuss Jesus’ role (and your role) in your freedom journey with a very special guest, Rob Harvie, who is part of the Senior Leadership team of Mercy UK. Rob shares from his passion and experience of seeing Mercy’s Keys to Freedom resource explode around the entire continent of Europe!

Also, in this episode…

• Why simply “praying off” our issues or praying for deliverance is rarely complete
• The power of partnering with Jesus in a powerful process
• How vital it is for each of us to take responsibility for our lives

Have a topic suggestion or question? Email MercyTalk.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Our culture commonly conveys the message that sleep is for the “weak” and is nothing but a necessary evil and threat to productivity. The truth is that sleep greatly affects your mental and emotional health! We are all spirit, soul, and body, and one aspect affects all of the others. So while sleep may not be a cure for your mental or emotional health struggles, it is an essential component of holistic health.

Also, in this episode…

• Behaviors during the day that impact your sleep
• What happens in your brain while you are sleeping
• Practical steps that can improve your sleep
• Brooke’s love for early bedtimes

Both the Church and mental health professionals play important roles in serving the holistic health (spirit, soul, and body) of the people in our churches and communities. However, historically, the Church has either A. tried to help people struggling with significant mental/emotional health issues without ever consulting professionals or B. passed it off to professionals and absolved themselves of any involvement. Neither extreme is healthy! It’s very difficult for a church to find the balance, but that’s exactly what Christ’s Church of the Valley in Phoenix, AZ, has done. Today’s guests, Rachael and Tyler, are on staff at CCV, and they share with us what they’ve learned about what it looks like for the Church to partner with local professionals to serve the holistic health of a community.

Also, in this episode…

• What it can look like for a church to offer care and support
• How the culture at CCV and their community has been impacted by leaning into the mental health conversation

Christ Church of the Valley is open-handed with their content and what they’ve learned. If your church or organization wants to brainstorm or ask questions, they’d love to connect. 

Tyler Kurbat – [email protected]

Rachael Schmidt – [email protected]

Grief is a strong reality for many people right now. If you aren’t walking through a season of grief, you likely know someone who is. Most people associate the word “grief” with the death of a loved one, but there are many things throughout our lives that we grieve. On this episode, Mercy Canada Program Director, Rachelle Ashbee, shares some of her own journey through grief and what she’s learned.

Also, in this episode…

• How to allow community to care for and meet us in our grief
• Allowing grief to shape who we are and who we are becoming
• How to not get stuck in grief

On this episode of MercyTalk (being shared during National Eating Disorder Awareness Week), we talk about disordered eating with one of our Mercy graduates and current staff member, Mary Ellen Alexander. Mary Ellen shares about her experience with disordered eating, including how she’s been able to overcome her struggle and is now able to help others. Whether disordered eating affects you personally or affects someone you know, we hope this show is helpful and is something you can share with others who may be struggling.

Also, in this episode…

• The difference between disordered eating and an eating disorder
• Emotional eating and the importance of awareness when it comes to our eating habits
• Practical ways that we can prevent moving into an unhealthy relationship with food