{"id":86652,"date":"2019-11-17T17:00:34","date_gmt":"2019-11-17T22:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kendallharmon.net\/?p=86652"},"modified":"2019-11-17T17:54:58","modified_gmt":"2019-11-17T22:54:58","slug":"ct-kay-warren-moms-of-kids-with-mental-illness-need-christ-and-community","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kendallharmon.net\/?p=86652","title":{"rendered":"(CT) Kay Warren: Moms of Kids with Mental Illness Need Christ and Community"},"content":{"rendered":"

With all the advocacy and educational work that you do on mental health issues, why was doing a retreat for moms a priority?<\/strong><\/p>\n

After Matthew died, I talked to hundreds of parents who have kids with mental illness. And it slowly began to dawn on me that not only did parents not have enough support, they didn\u2019t have good community.<\/p>\n

There are a lot of reasons for that. There\u2019s stigma and discrimination against people living with mental illness. In the Christian community, there\u2019s a standard that we feel like we have to measure up to\u2014you know, perfect marriages, perfect families, always \u201cthings are good, things are good.\u201d And when your life isn\u2019t good, you end up hiding how difficult your life really is.<\/p>\n

When there is serious mental illness, there can be extreme chaos, violence, or threats of violence. There is extreme dysfunction. There can be homelessness, substance abuse, and a sense of helplessness. And so parents don\u2019t have a place where they can really say, \u201cThis is what my life is like.\u201d And I just kept thinking, what can I do, what can I do? How can I help make a place for others, particularly moms, where they can be real, where they can tell their story, where they can find community?<\/p>\n

Then a really good friend\u2014you!\u2014said early this year, \u201cHave you ever thought about doing a retreat for moms?\u201d And my response was \u201cUh, no, but I will.\u201d It became crystal clear to me that that was exactly what I was supposed to do.<\/p>\n

Read it all<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n

The interview I got to do with @KayWarren1<\/a> for Christianity Today @CTmagazine<\/a> is a must read. You\u2019ll see how God is using the anguish of her son\u2019s life & death w\/mental illness to help other moms facing similar suffering. She\u2019s rich, deep, faith building. https:\/\/t.co\/mQkAKcUBQ9<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Kelly Rosati (@KellyMRosati) November 12, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n