With Brave Wings She Flies

by Julie Brooks

As I have shared before, Carson described having bipolar like being a bird with broken wings. 

Which is why I always ask God to allow me to "fly;" to carry on the message of those who are struggling with mental illness.

It is hard for those who struggle with mental illness to let us see the pain they live with everyday. We all know many people that struggle with mental illness. We just don't know they have a mental illness. Because they work so hard for us not to know. 

I pray some day God will allow me to be a part of all that HE has helped me envision; the way we could better educate others about mental illness, early red flags, the power of community over individual efforts, the critical role of the local Church stepping up and establishing mental illness as a mission field, all of us taking more seriously the fact that suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for so many between the ages of 10 to 24 ... and so much more.

Today, there is incredible training and support for the lay person. No degree necessary. Resources like: Mental Health Grace Alliance (mentalhealthgracealliance.org), Saddleback Church (saddleback.com/connect/ministry/mental-health-ministry/lake-forest), Key Ministry (keyministry.org) and NAMI (nami.org). You can learn about mental illness; become a caregiver, an advocate, a educator or just a compassionate listener. You can be such a blessing to someone in need. You can be His eyes and hands, doing His work.  Help is needed. No waiting in line. 

We can begin to talk about mental illness out in the open, with the hope of reducing or ending stigma, such that the stigma will no longer bind those suffering from reaching out for help. We can develop friendships; like minded passion. 

Those who struggle with mental illness are some of the most compassionate people around, because they know what it is like to be in pain.

I will continue to do as God has persistently called me; to be available, to listen, to advocate for, to educate, and yes, to be a broken record if I have to - for His glory. Everyone can help break the devastating stigma of mental illness. Basically, we need to do what we do for those who have any other chronic illness. 

I pray God will make my wings supernaturally strong to do HIS work. It is still very lonely. The work is great, but the workers are few. I have a precious son in Heaven, who took his life, and another son doing an excellent job navigating the same illness...bipolar.  

I will not stop advocating, posting, talking, helping those who want so desperately to be helped and understood; not until I reach Heaven's gates.

Julie Brooks,R.N.
Warriorette in God's Mental Health Army.
We never turn away new recruits. Praying God sends an army of willing Christians.