Tag: Christian mental health

Circle of Hope Counseling Services, End the Stigma, Quotes

Finding Good in the Middle of the Hard

Brandi Crum, MA, LMFT

Good in everyday quote

Finding Good in the Middle of the Hard

Let’s be real—some days are just plain hard.

You oversleep.
The kids are fighting.
Or you get bad news.
You feel heavy, anxious, or like the world is just too loud.

Not every day feels good.
But that doesn’t mean it’s void of good.

“Every day might not be good, but there is something good in every day.”

This isn’t toxic positivity.
Also, this isn’t “just be grateful” slapped over deep pain.
This is about noticing the light—even if it’s just a flicker.

Look for the Glimmers

It might be the sound of your child’s laugh.
A kind text from a friend.
Sunlight through the window.
The first sip of your coke in the morning.
The fact that you got out of bed when everything in you wanted to stay under the covers.

That’s goodness. Honestly, that’s grace.

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning…”
— Lamentations 3:22–23 (NIV)

Even in the hard, the holy shows up.

A Gentle Challenge

If today feels heavy, look for one good thing. Just one.

📝 Try this: Start a “Good in the Day” list. Write down one thing each day that made you smile, gave you peace, or reminded you that you’re not alone.

You’re not failing just because you’re struggling.
Remember, you’re human and you’re healing.
And you’re still here.

That alone is something good.

💛 If you’re navigating life’s hard places and need a safe space to heal, grow, or just breathe—Circle of Hope Counseling Services is here for you.

We offer trauma-informed, faith-filled therapy for individuals, couples, and families.

📞 Reach out today to schedule your first session (KY residents only) or learn more: Circle of Hope Counseling Services.

You don’t have to walk this journey alone. Hope starts here.

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Circle of Hope Counseling Services, End the Stigma, Quotes

But Still, Like Air, I’ll Rise

Brandi Crum, MA, LMFT

Maya Angelou quote

But Still, Like Air, I’ll Rise

Words can wound.
Looks can belittle.
Hatefulness can crush a spirit.

And yet… somehow, you’re still here.

You’ve been talked about.
Rejected.
Misunderstood.
Judged.
Pushed aside.
Maybe even erased from the very places you once called safe.

And still, you rise.

Maya Angelou’s timeless words echo the truth many of us live every day:

“You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes, you may kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I’ll rise.”

What a declaration.
What a battle cry.
What a promise for the soul that refuses to stay down.

The Power of Rising

When trauma has tried to define you…
When abuse has tried to silence you…
When betrayal has tried to break you…

God says you are more than what was done to you.

“The righteous may fall seven times, but they rise again.”
— Proverbs 24:16 (NIV)

You don’t rise because it’s easy.
You rise because it’s necessary.
Because staying buried under the weight of other people’s hatefulness was never your purpose.

Rising doesn’t mean pretending everything is okay.
It means choosing to breathe, to heal, to believe that who you are is not too much, not too broken, and not beyond redemption.

A Gentle Reminder

If your voice has been silenced—speak again.
If your identity has been questioned—stand firm.
If your hope feels small—hold it anyway.

📝 Try this: Write one thing today you’ve survived that once threatened to destroy you. Now thank God for the strength that brought you through.

You are still standing.
You are still healing.
You are still rising.

“No weapon formed against you shall prosper…”
— Isaiah 54:17 (NKJV)

💛 If you’re navigating life’s hard places and need a safe space to heal, grow, or just breathe—Circle of Hope Counseling Services is here for you.

We offer trauma-informed, faith-filled therapy for individuals, couples, and families.

📞 Reach out today to schedule your first session (KY residents only) or learn more: Circle of Hope Counseling Services.

You don’t have to walk this journey alone. Hope starts here.

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God Rested Too – A Biblical Look at Rest

Circle of Hope Counseling Services, End the Stigma

Keep It Simple

Brandi Crum, MA, LMFT

Keep It Simple

Keep It Simple

Life can get loud.
Our minds can get cluttered.
And our hearts can feel pulled in a thousand directions.

But sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is pause… and keep it simple.

Not everything needs to be fixed today.
And not everything deserves your energy.
Not every battle is yours to fight.

“Be still, and know that I am God.”
— Psalm 46:10 (NIV)

Simple Doesn’t Mean Small

Choosing simplicity is not a sign of weakness. It’s strength wrapped in clarity. Honestly, it’s deciding to let go of what doesn’t serve your peace, your healing, or your purpose.

You don’t have to do it all.
And you don’t have to know it all.
You don’t have to carry it all.

Remember, you just have to breathe. Take the next right step. And trust that God is already ahead of you.

Try This Today:

  • Drink a glass of water slowly.

  • Sit outside for 5 minutes.

  • Say a short prayer: “God, help me slow down and see what matters.”

That’s it and that’s enough.

💛 If you’re navigating life’s hard places and need a safe space to heal, grow, or just breathe—Circle of Hope Counseling Services is here for you.

We offer trauma-informed, faith-filled therapy for individuals, couples, and families.

📞 Reach out today to schedule your first session (KY residents only) or learn more: Circle of Hope Counseling Services.

You don’t have to walk this journey alone. Hope starts here.

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Circle of Hope Counseling Services, End the Stigma

Let Go of the Stuff that Weighs You Down

Brandi Crum, MA, LMFT

Let Go of the Stuff that Weighs You Down

Let Go of the Stuff that Weighs You Down

Some burdens are invisible.
They don’t show up on our shoulders, but in our sighs. In our sleepless nights. In the tension we carry in our necks, our minds, our hearts.

And if we’re honest, we carry a lot more than we need to.

Regret.
Bitterness.
Unrealistic expectations.
Unforgiveness.
Guilt.
Control.

These aren’t just feelings—they’re weights. And they will wear you down if you never set them down.

“Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”
— Hebrews 12:1 (NIV)

What’s Holding You Back?

Sometimes it’s not what’s in front of you that’s stopping you—it’s what’s on you. You weren’t meant to carry it all. You were not meant to carry all the shame. Not the pressure to have it all together. And not the pain you’ve tucked away for years.

Letting go doesn’t mean it didn’t matter.
It means you matter enough to release it.

But How Do You Actually Let Go?

Letting go isn’t a one-time decision—it’s a daily surrender.
It’s saying, “God, I’m tired of holding this. Please take it.”
And then—when you try to pick it back up—saying it again.

📝 Try this: Write down the top three things that are weighing on you today. One by one, give them to God. Say it out loud if you can.

“Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
— Matthew 11:28 (NIV)

God never meant for you to carry it all.
Let go—so you can breathe again, let go—so you can live lighter, and let go—so you can finally heal.

💛 If you’re navigating life’s hard places and need a safe space to heal, grow, or just breathe—Circle of Hope Counseling Services is here for you.

We offer trauma-informed, faith-filled therapy for individuals, couples, and families.

📞 Reach out today to schedule your first session (KY residents only) or learn more: Circle of Hope Counseling Services.

You don’t have to walk this journey alone. Hope starts here.

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You are Not Lazy – You Are Tired

Circle of Hope Counseling Services, End the Stigma

You Were Made to Overcome – Believe in Yourself and What God Planted Inside You

Brandi Crum, MA, LMFT

You Were Made to Overcome - Believe in Yourself and What God Planted Inside You

You Were Made to Overcome – Believe in Yourself and What God Planted Inside You

There will be days when you feel small. When the mountain in front of you looks too big. When fear whispers, “You’re not enough.” But let me gently remind you—there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle you’re facing.

That something?
It’s not your willpower.
It’s not your achievements.
It’s not your ability to hold it all together.

It’s God.

And He planted greatness in you before you even took your first breath.

“The One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”
— 1 John 4:4 (NIV)

Believe in Yourself—Because God Does

You are not a mistake. You were created on purpose, for a purpose. That doesn’t mean life won’t be hard. It means you have the power to walk through hard things and come out stronger, wiser, and softer—not because of your own strength, but because of who walks with you.

You may feel broken, weary, unseen… but your worth isn’t up for debate. And your story isn’t over.

Obstacles Aren’t the End

Obstacles are invitations—to lean into faith, to grow in character, to discover your resilience, and to find healing. When we believe we are powerless, we stop showing up. But when we believe God has placed something holy and unshakeable inside of us, we start to rise.

That doesn’t mean pretending everything’s fine. It means showing up even when it’s hard, because you know the One who holds you will never let go.

A Gentle Challenge:

What if you believed—truly believed—that what God says about you is true?

📝 Try this: Write down three things you love about who you are. Not what you do. Who you are. Keep them close for the days you forget.

💛 If you’re navigating life’s hard places and need a safe space to heal, grow, or just breathe—Circle of Hope Counseling Services is here for you.

We offer trauma-informed, faith-filled therapy for individuals, couples, and families.

📞 Reach out today to schedule your first session (KY residents only) or learn more: Circle of Hope Counseling Services.

You don’t have to walk this journey alone. Hope starts here.

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Circle of Hope Counseling Services, End the Stigma

The Lie of Laziness – Why We Feel Guilty for Resting

Brandi Crum, MA, LMFT

The Lie of Laziness

The Lie of Laziness – Why We Feel Guilty for Resting

We live in a world that praises hustle and glorifies burnout. Rest often feels like a luxury or, worse, a sign of weakness. Somewhere along the way, we started believing that if we’re not always producing, striving, or doing, then we must be lazy. But that’s a lie the enemy wants us to believe because if he can keep us tired, he can keep us distracted.

You were never meant to earn rest. God gifted it to you.

In Genesis 2:2-3, we see that “By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.”

God rested. It was not because He was tired, but because He was modeling what we need.

Rest is Several Things

  • Holy.
  • Sacred.
  • Rest reminds us that our worth is not in what we do, but in who we are. God loves us, chooses us, and we are created in the image of a God who sees us.

You’re not lazy. Honestly, you’re tired. You’ve carried heavy things and you’ve held everyone together. You’ve survived more than you let on. And now it’s okay to rest.

Rest is not quitting. It’s resetting. Guess what? Resetting is something you can do without anyone’s permission.

💛 If you’re navigating life’s hard places and need a safe space to heal, grow, or just breathe—Circle of Hope Counseling Services is here for you.

We offer trauma-informed, faith-filled therapy for individuals, couples, and families.

📞 Reach out today to schedule your first session (KY residents only) or learn more: Circle of Hope Counseling Services.

You don’t have to walk this journey alone. Hope starts here.

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Circle of Hope Counseling Services, End the Stigma, Suicide Awareness and Prevention

A Pause for LA – Honoring a Life, Raising Awareness

Brandi C

A Pause for LA – Honoring a Life, Raising Awareness

Before we continue with our journey, I need to pause. This is A Pause for LA – Honoring a Life, Raising Awareness.

Because life isn’t just about what happens to us—it’s about what happens around us. It’s about who we walk alongside. And sometimes… who we lose.

On June 19, 2018, my friend LA died by suicide.
Her absence left a silence that still echoes.

And while my blog series has been about the road through chronic illness, faith, and motherhood—I would be doing her, and so many others, a disservice if I didn’t stop to say this out loud:

Suicide is real. It’s devastating. And it’s not the whole story.

chatgpt image apr 20, 2025, 05 34 39 pm

🕯️ For LA

LA was light. She was fierce, funny, and loved deeply. Also, she was human, she struggled, and she mattered.

So, so much.

If you didn’t know her, you missed out on someone truly extraordinary. And if you did know her, then you know the hole her absence left behind.

I will not let her be remembered only for the way she died. LA deserves to be remembered for the way she lived.

💔 The Truth About Suicide

  • Suicide is the second leading cause of death for people ages 10–34.

  • Most people who die by suicide don’t want to die—they want the pain to stop.

  • Mental illness is not a character flaw or a moral failure.

  • Asking for help is not weakness. It’s strength.

  • Talking about suicide doesn’t cause it. Silence does.

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
— Psalm 34:18

🧡 If You’re Struggling

You are not a burden. An you are not beyond help. You are not too broken.

Remember, you are loved.
And you are needed.
You are not alone.

Please, please reach out:

📞 Call or Text 988 – Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
💬 Chat online at 988lifeline.org
📱 Reach out to a friend, a counselor, a pastor—someone you trust.

You don’t have to carry this alone.

💛 If You’ve Lost Someone

To those who’ve lost someone to suicide:
There are no perfect words. No quick comforts.
But there is space here for your grief. And there is no shame in your sorrow.

Your person mattered.
Your grief matters.

And you are not alone either.

🕊️ Heartbeat Moment

We’ll continue H’s story soon. But for today, I just want to say:
If you’re hurting—talk.
And if someone crosses your mind—reach out.
If you see someone struggling—show up.

I believe in a God who is bigger than all of this.
But I also believe in a church, a community, a world that must rise up to meet the hurting—before it’s too late.

This post is for LA.
For the ones we’ve lost.
And for the ones still here.
For the hope that whispers: you are not alone.

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
— John 1:5

💛 If you’re navigating life’s hard places and need a safe space to heal, grow, or just breathe—Circle of Hope Counseling Services is here for you.

We offer trauma-informed, faith-filled therapy for individuals, couples, and families.

📞 Reach out today to schedule your first session (KY residents only) or learn more: Circle of Hope Counseling Services.

You don’t have to walk this journey alone. Hope starts here.

 

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Faith in the Wilderness: Trusting When You Can’t See the Way

Brandi C

Faith in the Wilderness: Trusting When You Can’t See the Way

Faith in the Wilderness: Trusting When You Can’t See the Way

Faith is easy when life makes sense. But when we’re in the wilderness—when everything feels confusing, heavy, or dark—faith becomes a choice. Here I talk about Faith in the Wilderness: Trusting When You Can’t See the Way.

I’ve walked through seasons where it felt like God was silent. I questioned everything, even Him. And yet, He never let go. Faith isn’t the absence of doubt—it’s trusting in spite of it. It’s choosing to believe when your feelings haven’t caught up.

Therapy offers a safe place to process spiritual doubts, disappointments, and even church hurt. There’s no shame in asking hard questions. Even Jesus cried out, “My God, why have you forsaken me?”

Practical Tips:

  • Journal your prayers honestly—even the hard ones.

  • If spiritual trauma is part of your story, find a therapist who honors your faith while helping you heal.

  • Practice breathing prayers, pairing deep breaths with Scripture verses.

Faith Perspective:
Isaiah 43:2 promises that “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you.” Not if—when. He doesn’t promise an easy road, but He promises His presence.

💛 If you’re navigating life’s hard places and need a safe space to heal, grow, or just breathe—Circle of Hope Counseling Services is here for you.

We offer trauma-informed, faith-filled therapy for individuals, couples, and families.

📞 Reach out today to schedule your first session (KY residents only) or learn more: Circle of Hope Counseling Services.

You don’t have to walk this journey alone. Hope starts here.

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