With You in the Weeds: Where Faith Meets Mental Health

"I should read my bible more"

"I should get in shape"

"I should be more successful in my job"

"I should be a better friend/parent/Christian, etc"

Is your thought life full of all the things you "should" be doing? When you "should" on yourself, does it help you change, grow or do better?

So many people live under the heavy burden of things they "should" be doing, but then feel discouraged, ashamed or disappointed when they can't live up to their own standards. 

John, Lynn, and Shay discuss the following 4 areas of life where we most often experience "shoulds" and explore why we believe them:

- Religious "shoulds"

- Vocational "shoulds"

- Marriage "shoulds"

- Parenting "shoulds"

When you’re finished, you’ll have a better idea of which “shoulds” plague you and how this belief might be keeping you stuck. 

Identifying this false belief is the starting point to getting unstuck and moving towards a better belief.

If you find the WYITW podcast helpful, tell your friends, leave the team a podcast review, follow us on Instagram @withyouintheweeds or email us at [email protected] with any topics you’d like discussed on future episodes.

This statement may be hard to accept, but without a biblically accurate view of suffering, not only will you feel stuck, but you may also hurt yourself and mislead others, leading to despair and giving up on God.

John, Shay, and Austin explain how a better, more accurate belief is that: “Obeying God Includes Suffering.” When you come to understand the reason why this is true, you will find greater degrees of acceptance, healing, and comfort in the midst of your suffering. 

Suffering is always painful and never easy, but embracing these 3 realities can make a difference in your life:

1) You will suffer in this life, but Jesus is with you in the midst of that suffering.

2) Managing your suffering includes being honest, being in community and keeping Scripture in mind. 

3) Growth can happen when you suffer: you can grow in resilience, character, compassion, and knowledge of God.

If you find the WYITW podcast helpful, tell your friends, leave the team a podcast review, follow us on Instagram @withyouintheweeds or email us at [email protected] with any topics you’d like discussed on future episodes.

Do you believe that following God, praying and having strong faith will buy you an insurance policy against suffering? This false belief is often clung to as a way to feel in control when life feels chaotic and unpredictable. 

The problem with this belief is that it breeds disappointment, resentment and disillusionment when you encounter trials and suffering that don't make sense.

John, Lynn, and Shay explain more about where you may have picked up this belief, why it's so tempting to believe, and how it may be keeping you stuck.

If you find the WYITW podcast helpful, text this episode to a friend, leave the team a podcast review, follow us on Instagram @withyouintheweeds or email us at [email protected] with any topics you’d like discussed on future episodes.

Despite what you may think, understanding your past matters a great deal, and may have more impact on your personal growth than anything else. 

Lynn, Shay, and Austin walk through the biblical foundations of why your past matters, explain the neurological nuts and bolts of how your past shows up in your present, and then give the following practical steps to explore your past:

- create a timeline of events

- acknowledge both positive and painful memories

- identify and grieve the losses

- confess and repent

The power to get unstuck lies with you. If and when you can examine your past, you will be on the road to healing from hurts and grow in your ability to manage your present.

If you find the WYITW podcast helpful, tell your friends, leave the team a podcast review, follow us on Instagram @withyouintheweeds or email us at [email protected] with any topics you’d like discussed on future episodes.

You’re in good company if you believe this. Seriously, why would you want to think or talk about something in your past that's painful? 

Maybe you hold to this belief because you think it’s counter-productive to talk about something that you can't go back and change. Maybe you think that looking at your past might open a can of worms that you're not ready to deal with. Or you’re simply just not sure where to begin. 

Austin and Lynn explain why this common belief exists, why it keeps you stuck, and what the negative consequences are of maintaining this belief in the following areas:

-Marriage

-Parenting

-Jobs

-Student Life

If you want to get unstuck, the first step is to identify why you've ignored your past and consider what it will take to move forward. 

If you find the WYITW podcast helpful, tell your friends, leave the team a podcast review, follow us on Instagram @withyouintheweeds or email us at [email protected] with any topics you’d like discussed on future episodes.

We all have needs, desires and longings, and Jesus was no exception. If you’re wondering why it’s godly to get your needs met, you can look to Jesus as your example.

John and Austin unpack this counterintuitive belief by examining where and how Jesus met his own needs, and how he handled his longings and desires. 

Then they explore the deeper reason as to why you can't avoid your needs, desires, and longings no matter how hard you try. They also discuss some distorted views and false messages to watch out for and offer specific ways you can get needs met in a healthy, God-honoring way.

If you find the WYITW podcast helpful, tell your friends, leave the team a podcast review, follow us on Instagram @withyouintheweeds or email us at [email protected] with any topics you’d like discussed on future episodes.

Is there a more shameful pronouncement of judgment for a Christian than being "selfish"? Taking care of yourself is definitely a source of confusion for people, and trying to get your needs met tends to get a bad wrap in the church. 

Bible passages that reference "dying to yourself” and “losing your life in order to save it” may bring your efforts to take care of yourself to a screeching halt and leave you feeling exhausted, burdened and disconnected.

Is it possible that this belief is keeping you stuck and preventing necessary growth in your life? Maybe these passages of Scripture need to be understood in a broader context.

Austin and John unpack and define the human experience of having needs, desires, and longings. They explore why these are inherently good, how they’ve been infected by the sin virus, and what that means for you in your daily life. 

If you want a more nuanced and freeing view of your needs, desires, and longings, you won’t want to miss this episode.

If you find the WYITW podcast helpful, tell your friends, leave the team a podcast review, follow us on Instagram @withyouintheweeds or email us at [email protected] with any topics you’d like discussed on future episodes.

Today is all about answering YOUR questions! 

Join the entire With You In The Weeds team to hear their answers to the following 4 questions that our listeners asked…

1. What is a biblical perspective on the use of medication for anxiety, depression or other mental health disorders?

2. What does the Bible say about divorce?

3. How do I deal with an emotionally immature parent?

4. How do I navigate a conflict with my spouse over a deeply rooted desire that my spouse doesn’t share?

You don't want to miss John, Lynn, Austin & Shay weigh in on these topics!

If you find the WYITW podcast helpful, tell your friends, leave the team a podcast review, follow us on Instagram @withyouintheweeds or email us at [email protected] with any topics you’d like discussed on future episodes.

The best way to protect yourself from a destructive relationship is to avoid entering it in the first place.

But red flags in a relationship may be not be obvious to you once you're attached and emotionally invested in someone, so it may require other people helping you see what you can't see on your own.

Angie Phillips, co-host of "Blended, Blessed and Always a Mess", joins Lynn Roush to discuss the Red Flags that should be warning signs to anyone in a relationship. Angie's daughter, Hallie, was caught in an unhealthy relationship that ultimately took her life due to gross firearm negligence.

Angie's TikTok @halliebears.mom went viral when she posted a video on "Relationship Red Flags" shortly after the tragic death of her 20 year-old daughter Hallie, and she is now passionate about spreading awareness on this topic in hopes of helping others.

Recognizing these red flags could quite literally save your life, so you don't want to miss this interview. Please share it with someone who needs this information.

If you find the WYITW podcast helpful, tell your friends, leave the team a podcast review, follow us on Instagram @withyouintheweeds or email us at [email protected] with any topics you’d like discussed on future episodes.

Let’s be honest - managing relationships with unrepentant people is REALLY hard. It might be one of the most difficult things you’ll have to do. And yet, it can be done by seeing this person with a 3D biblical perspective, not a 2D human perspective.

John, Lynn, and Austin explain this distinction and then provide the following practical steps to take in managing an unrepentant person:

- Invite them to change

- Mirror their behaviors

- Implement consequences

- Practice healthy detachment, aka love them from a distance

At the end of the day you need to remember that true repentance takes time, is extremely rare, and is only possible to achieve by God's grace.

If you find the WYITW podcast helpful, tell your friends, leave the team a podcast review, follow us on Instagram @withyouintheweeds or email us at [email protected] with any topics you’d like discussed on future episodes.