The very challenging situations of mental and emotional health can exhaust the care minister as treatments are complicated and solutions are illusive! But here is a post that will encourage you!

This is from an actual case where care and prayer, supported by counseling intersected to make a noticeable difference in a family and the life of a struggling teenager.

A mother writes,

"I just wanted to take a minute to write and let you know how things are going.

Our daughter has started to show evidence of being able to ...

• Calm herself down without a massive tantrum.
• Multiple times in the past two weeks she has shown amazing self-awareness.
• Go to bed early when she realized she was becoming tired and irritable.
• Ask for help with school assignments, before she became frustrated and angry.
• Apologe to her sister when she was mean. 

Our counseling has already been incredibly helpful! The counselor, gave us a beautiful piece of imagery to use to help her realize that her problems, moods and frustrations do not have to define her, and to remind her that we are all in this together. Over and over, I have been able to simply say, 'Sweetheart, Dad and I will keep on rowing this boat, and if you need to pull your oars in for a bit and just rest, that is okay.'

It has quieted her so many times! And the counselor suggested that we remind her, 'Your problems, moods, anger...these things are not in the boat with us. They are just hard things that we have get through. But they are in the water. They are NOT in the boat.' 

The rest of the family is doing well and making progress as well.

Mental health issues are a long, hard road, but we are feeling so hopeful!

Thank you for helping us "row our boat" by praying with us!"

Learning how to care for people with mental and emotional challenges is ESSENTIAL in today's world!!

Sometimes these situations come from a crisis event, or the suffering from an illness, a death, a job loss or a divorce. All are compounded by mental or emotional illness. But, it is encouraging to realize, care is ALWAYS THE RIGHT THING TO DO and there can be good results--even breakthroughs. 

Your CARE matters and I hope this post encourages you and helps you care better than every before.