Episode 115: She turned her mental health struggles into a ministry...for you (Marie Stroughter)

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Marie Stroughter (Westside Church of Christ, Killeen, Texas) is an all-star "church mom" and "church wife," raising three kids (two adopted), supporting her elder/deacon husband, and volunteering in the life and programs of the church. And she does all of that while living with mental health challenges like obsessive-compulsive disorder and panic attacks.

As many as one in four Americans deals with mental illness on some level at some time. As Marie says in this episode, that means that in a congregation with 100 members, there could be 25 members who are going through some mental health struggle at any given time.

Living with mental illness gives Marie the compassion, empathy and understanding to come alongside other Christians who are living with mental illness challenges of their own. She started the MoMo ("Motivational Moments") 634 (as in Matthew 6:34) Podcast, a daily dose of affirmation and inspiration from Scripture for those who live with mental illness.

Link to MoMo634 Podcast

Link to 9-8-8 suicide crisis hotline

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Chapters

1. Introduction to Mental Health Awareness (00:00:00)

2. Marie's Journey: Balancing Faith and Mental Health (00:11:57)

3. Understanding Mental Health Terminology (00:29:54)

4. The Stigma of Mental Illness in the Church (00:45:14)

5. Creating a Supportive Church Community (00:59:24)

6. Calls to Action and Resources for Help (01:14:44)

130 episodes

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