Six years ago, I was stuck in a major spiritual rut.

I didn’t feel motivated to do much of anything and felt like I was walking around in a constant haze. “I’ll do it later” became my unintentional mantra, especially when it came to things like reading the Bible or connecting with God in personal quiet times. Many of the things that used to bring me joy weren’t cutting it anymore. Basically, it was hard to engage, hard to listen, hard to pray, hard to interact with people and with Jesus.

What is Christian doctrine? 

In your family stories, are there hints or mentions of a Native family member? 

For the first twenty-two years of my life, I had a very normal relationship with food. And, though I knew a few people who’d had eating disorders, I didn’t really understand what caused them.

Then I developed one myself. It wasn’t until I started processing my own journey and heard stories from others who’d suffered for years that I began to realize how incredibly complex and multifaceted eating disorders are.

Last month, I sat in a room full of people and watched our group leader write on a white board the word each of us had identified as core to who we are. 

If we ourselves haven’t experienced a mental illness, most of us know someone who has. 

Can a couple of students, a can of paint, and a few new words really change a community?