Through The Valley

Why is Psalm 23 so beloved among Christians? What comfort does it bring to us in our deepest hour of need? In our new series, "Saturday Psalms," we're looking at different Psalms in the Bible and how they relate to us in the various trials of life we face in a fallen world.

Pedro Santos, a soccer player at Wingate University, shares his story about a brain injury that threatened his ability to play soccer for the rest of his life. After turning to God during this time, Pedro shares how Christ has transformed his life since then.

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Vontrez Roberts, a senior at Wingate University, joins TTV to share his journey with depression, anxiety, and the unique pressures he faces with mental health as a student athlete. A common theme that came from our talk was that God is faithful and able to rescue us from our pits of depression and anxiety. I pray you are blessed by Trez's transparency and can see the hope of Jesus Christ through his story.

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In the last episode we established how sincere believers in Jesus do indeed experience prolonged seasons of General Anxiety. Now, how should Christians respond? Is it okay to even feel anxious? What practical things can be done to alleviate or get to the root of our General Anxiety?

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What is General Anxiety, as opposed to Panic Attacks, Social Anxiety, or just the normal stress of life? Can true, sincere Christians struggle with this? If so, how do we respond?

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What does Easter have to do with mental health? Is that even a relevant question? In this episode, we see how the Easter story actually has a lot to say about you depression, anxiety, stress, or grief. "But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain." -1 Cor 15:13-14

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Sincere Christians often ask the question, "Should I go to counseling or therapy for my depression/anxiety/relational problems?" Within this question lie a few assumptions we need to clarify. One, what do we mean by counseling/therapy? Second, what are the negative stigmas that make us ask this question in the first place? And third, if we answer in the affirmative, how should we walk in wisdom when we seek out counseling? All this in today's episode.

Resources:

"Why do Christians need counseling if we have the Holy Spirit?” By Nate Brooks https://rts.edu/resources/why-do-christians-need-counseling-if-we-have-the-holy-spirit/

“Can Christians Go to Counseling?” by Jeremy Smith https://churchandmentalhealth.com/can-christians-go-to-counseling/

Do you ever notice patterns in your life? Not just in the day to day, but over seasons or years? Seasonal Depression (also known as Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD) is a common phenomenon where people experience a depressed state in a specific time of the year, typically Fall or Winter. A milder form is known as the Winter Blues - general feelings of sadness during colder months. 

What are these things, and what biblical hope do we have for those who experience them? 

Sources

Mayo Clinic, “Seasonal Affective Disorder,” https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/seasonal-affective-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20364651

David Mathis, “What Winter Can Do to a Soul,” https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/what-winter-can-do-to-a-soul

Matt Hannon, a long-time friend of mine, joins me to talk about mental health in athletes. In part 3 of this talk, we discuss the roles of the general population, health-care professionals, and athletes themselves in helping stem the tide of depression in the athletic population. 

Matt Hannon, a long-time friend of mine, joins me to talk about mental health in athletes. In part 2 of this talk, we discuss stats surrounding depression in collegiate athletes, the challenges of diagnosing depression in athletes, a tragic story of an athlete with undiagnosed depression, the day-to-day grind of college athletes, and the hope of the gospel in finding our identity in Jesus.