How to Grow Your Faith & Improve Mental Health

Friend, I’m so excited to bring you this post from a sweet friend of mine, Brandi. I asked her a few questions about her mental health journey, and her responses are so insightful and full of wisdom, so if you’ve ever felt like you’re a “bad” Christian for struggling with your mental health, or you’re scarred from how the church has made it a bit taboo, stick around!

Brandi is a wife, dog mom, Arbonne consultant, blogger, and podcaster. When she isn’t working, you can find her reading at a local coffee shop, hiking with her husband and dogs, or working in the garden.

Her ministry, the Unfinished Grace community, exists to identify with and encourage those struggling with mental health issues and stigmas. She is passionate about stigmas within family units and within the church, ending the cycle of burnout, and promoting a healthy lifestyle with natural products. Follow along with her blog at http://www.unfinishedgrace.com and listen to her podcast Unfinished Grace on Spotify or Anchor.

This post may contain affiliate links which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure for more information.

Table of Contents hide

1) How has your faith changed or been impacted by your mental health journey?

2) What tips do you have for maintaining/growing your faith while on a mental health journey?

3) What role does self-care play in maintaining your mental health journey?

How has your faith changed or been impacted by your mental health journey?

As odd as it sounds, my mental health crisis exponentially grew my faith. I think for many people the twenties-something stage is when life gets difficult and you decide for yourself what exactly you believe. My mental health evidently became an issue when I moved into my own apartment, worked 40 + hours a week, and was taking a full semester of classes.

It got to where life was so overwhelming and difficult that all I had left was my faith. It wasn’t that all of these milestones were negative, but I was trying to do it all on my own instead of letting Him lead me. You know how they say, “Sometimes it takes getting to rock bottom to realize that Jesus is the rock at the bottom”? Yeah, that’s what it was like.

I really feel like God had to grab me by the arm and force me to sit down to listen. For so long He had been nudging me to take steps for Him, but I was stubborn and never listened. Desperate times called for desperate measures.

When I was at my worst, that is when I decided to get serious about my faith. And little by little God kept showing up. The more I trusted Him, the more He showed up.

Being much further in my mental health journey, I can vividly see just how far I have grown, and I owe all of that to Christ. When I’m having a bad day, I remember the journey. I remember the bottom. And I remember the God that was always there to pick me up. It still hurts and it’s still hard, but He makes it worth putting one foot in front of the other.

(A note from Skye: Here’s a devotional I used in the midst of my own mental health struggles that really helped! It’s chock full of inspiring words and biblical truths, and there’s plenty of room for you to answer their prompts and make your own notes. Plus, the aesthetic is stunning.)

What tips do you have for maintaining/growing your faith while on a mental health journey?

There is so much advice I could give in growing in faith on a mental health journey!

The most crucial aspect of this journey is community.

I literally can’t say it enough. Find. Your. People.

We were made for community. (Seriously, check out Genesis 2.) To my fellow introverts, that means us too.

Community is vital in both faith and mental health. The Bible calls us to love one another, encourage one another, and learn from one another.

There is so much power in community. The Bible says where two or more are gathered He is there. Uniting with others in prayer and praise makes these acts of worship much more powerful.

We always think that we are alone, but that couldn’t be the furthest from the truth. We share experiences, pain, and joy. You are never the only one going through a crisis. And we were made this way for a reason. God wants us to connect and grow together. That was His plan all along.

Mental health struggles can be very dark, desperate places. It is literally not safe to be alone in many instances. And you never know, maybe that person’s company will encourage you or your bravery to live will inspire them.

Another huge nugget of advice that I extend to everyone is this:

Make growth a priority.

I have a Type-A, avid learner personality, and I realize not everyone has that thirst for knowledge, but I promise you that there is an avenue out there for everyone. Not into reading? Listen to a podcast! Not sure where to start when studying scripture? Get a book or study! Struggle to stay consistent in a reading plan? Make a point to get together with a friend or a small group regularly! Don’t have a long attention span? Read a blog post!

Learning about your mental illness and treatment options is very empowering. When you make growth a priority, you will feel less alone (or less crazy!), more understood, and better equipped to keep fighting.

And I know you’re probably tired of hearing this, but the more you seek Jesus, the more you will feel Him. The more you pray, the more you will want to pray. The more you read and study, the more you will want to read and study. And the more you share about what He is doing in your life, the more you will want to share what He is doing in your life.

(Another note from Skye: Here’s another devotional by the same company about being rooted in him. I love the Daily Grace Co. devotionals so much, I have a whole stack of them in my bookshelf and have gone through some more than once!)

To debunk a common myth:

Just because you are drawing closer to the Lord does not mean that your life will be easier. The more you grow, the more He will put situations in your path to grow through. The more you grow, the more your trials grow. He will always provide you with the ability to grow through what you go through. This just continues the cycle of growth. (James 1)

Seeking growth also includes seeking treatment.

If you haven’t found a counselor that you vibe with, don’t give up. When you find the right person it is life-changing. If you haven’t found a medication or supplement that helps you, don’t give up. There are so many options, and everyone’s body responds differently.

If you are looking to go a more natural route and haven’t found something, I urge you to reach out to me or another dedicated health advocate. There are fantastic options within reach. I knew when a psychiatrist told me there were no other natural options for me to try that I had to keep searching. It took me a year to find what worked for me, and let me tell you, it WORKS for me! I would love to tell you more about my story if you are interested!

What role does self-care play in maintaining your mental health journey?

There is such a push for self-care right now. It’s all the rage!

There is nothing wrong with self-care. God doesn’t want us to run on empty- that’s just not how we were created. But putting anything above God is not okay. That’s why so many Christians push back from the self-care topic.

Take care of yourself so you can take care of others! (Just like the Proverbs 31 woman did!)

Oftentimes when we are in the middle of a mental health crisis our basic needs become difficult. It’s almost like we have to start over and relearn how to take care of ourselves. You can’t do grand things if you can’t do basic things.

Taking just 10 or 15 minutes to reset allows you to keep going in life.

It’s literally a necessity in growth, really in life.

Here are a few of my favorite self-care activities:

Get outside! Seriously one of the most impactful things I do for my mental health! Getting that vitamin D will make a huge difference in your mood.
Get moving! Whether you prefer going to the gym, taking a walk, or doing yoga in your living room, exercise releases endorphins that increase your mood!
Read a book or listen to a podcast and journal about what you’re learning!
Take a hot, relaxing bath.
Take the time to plan out your week and your meals. Planning ahead takes away a lot of last-minute stress.

No matter where you are in your mental health journey, your mental health is a priority. Making growth, self-care, and your relationship with the Lord priorities are some of the best ways to make the most of your journey.

I would love to connect with you! You can find me on Instagram and on Pinterest.