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Freedom in Christ! – Pastor Brad Hoefs
By Peggy Rice “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1 I really needed this verse recently! I had finally confronted an area of sin in my life, a stronghold, of which I felt incredible shame and guilt. I wanted to repent, to turn away, from this behavior,…
Mother’s Day – Pastor Brad Hoefs
By K. T. Griffiths Mother’s Day is approaching and today I had the privilege of visiting my 92 year old mother, who is living in a nursing home. Mom has lived a vibrant life, hosting many of the family parties. She would share encouraging words believing in her children. Her input would give us a…
Be kind to yourself (Part 2) – Pastor Brad Hoefs
By Mark Soppitt I finished part 1 of Be Kind to Yourself looking at the kindness of God and how He sees us as His children, who are forgiven and set free from the bondage of condemnation and guilt. And yet being a loved child of God goes so much further than that too, as…
Be kind to yourself (Part 1) – Pastor Brad Hoefs
By Mark Soppitt Ever have a day when all that you try and do goes awry, or you forget something important, or you fail at something again, or someone snubs or gaslights you? Or, just at that crucial time of relationship communication when it’s going so well, out pops those same familiar words that kill…
What If You Were A Bipolar Freak Who Worshiped The Great Hero? – Pastor Brad Hoefs
by Scott Box I have noticed how people talk about their faith as they go about their lives—It seems to me that many folks believe that while God loves them, He is simply tolerating or waiting around for them to screw things up. They think the sun has set, and God wants them to trip…
Baby Steps – Pastor Brad Hoefs
by Peggy Rice In my personal 10-year journey through depression, I often found myself stuck. I would ruminate on negative thoughts – things like “I’m all alone,” “I will never get better,” “This is as good as it’s going to get,” “God can’t see me.” The list goes on and on. I was overwhelmed with…
Take off the old clothes and put on the new – Pastor Brad Hoefs
By Mark Soppitt For some years now I have been following a fairly unpredictable and often challenging path out of long-term mental illness to discover who the ‘me’ of the 2020’s really is. With diagnoses of Bipolar II, PTSD, and a mild cognitive disorder, I have had to navigate some stormy waters. Sometimes it has…
Bipolar Awareness Day 2024 – Pastor Brad Hoefs
By Scott Box When it comes to Bipolar awareness, it seems to me that many people don’t want to know anything more than that I’m not going to freak out, embarrass them or do something dangerous that could hurt myself or others. The truth is, I want to know the same thing about people, and…
Waiting On The Lord: Always A Good Idea – Pastor Brad Hoefs
By Mike Jacquart Waiting on the Lord is always a good idea. This can be particularly true during challenging periods in our lives. This was particularly true for me roughly twenty years ago. In large part due to my undiagnosed mental health conditions, the working world had long been challenging for me. This was an…
An Attitude of Gratitude – Pastor Brad Hoefs
By Peggy Rice I’ve had a Gratitude Journal for over 10 years – just a little 5”x8” spiral notebook where I started writing down daily blessings. 2013 I started in January. For that month, I recorded 6 times. So clearly not a daily habit! In February, I read a daily devotional called Choosing Gratitude –…
8 Ways on How to Discuss Your Mental Health with Others – Pastor Brad Hoefs
By: Stan Popovich Do you struggle with your mental health and have a difficult time in getting the people you know to be more understanding? In some cases, your friends and family members could give you a hard time regarding your anxieties and fears. As a result, here are eight suggestions on how to deal…
Crisis. Control. – Pastor Brad Hoefs
By Scott Box Crisis. I didn’t see the movie Fight Club when 20th Century Fox released it in 1999. It was simply an issue of having been released into theaters the same year my wife, Kariann, and I were married—We were too poor to go to the theater. I admit that I begged Kariann to make an exception for Star…
Serendipity – Pastor Brad Hoefs
By Carla Villarán I found a family where I least expected it,Among people confused and in need of hope,Amid people who can't see the light they radiate,With laughter hidden behind many nights of tears. They are a lighthouse in the sea, and they don't realize it,Their stories inspire me,They are calm amid the storm. I…
“For better, for worse…in sickness and in health…” Tips for Surviving Marriage with Mental Illness – Pastor Brad Hoefs
By Mark Soppitt Do you remember the day you stood before witnesses and read aloud your wedding vows? They probably included words of commitment such as “...for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.” These are weighty words, and yet they offer so much hope…
The Ultimate Friendship and Love – Pastor Brad Hoefs
by Peggy Rice, Hope Coach Trainer “There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.“ Proverbs 18: 24b Now combine that verse with what Jesus says in Matthew 28:20: “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” That’s the ultimate friendship. A forever friendship with Jesus. As a Hope…
Top Tips for Maintaining Good Mental Health Hygiene During Winter – Pastor Brad Hoefs
Pastor Brad As winter sets in, it can be challenging to keep your spirits up, with shorter days, colder temperatures, and fewer outdoor activities opportunities. The dark and gloomy days can also cause feelings of isolation and loneliness, which can take a toll on our mental health. I've suffered from depression during the winter months…
Jesus’ Heroic Worship and The H.E.R.O. Tool – Pastor Brad Hoefs
Scott Box The Foundation For Jesus' Heroic Worship: I always take my pills. I exercise, eat right and see my therapist. But understanding and practicing Jesus' form of Christian worship—what I call heroic worship—has become the single greatest tool in my regular battle to maintain health and manage my Bipolar disorder. The H.E.R.O. tool has…
Loneliness Epidemic among Mental Health Concerns – Pastor Brad Hoefs
Mike Jacquart Reports indicate that loneliness is at an all-time high in the United States. That’s not hard to believe given the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic four years ago and the subsequent shuttering of thousands of offices and other businesses that continues to affect society to this day. It was certainly a workplace shift…
Think About What You’re Thinking About – Pastor Brad Hoefs
By Peggy Rice It was a tough morning. The computer project I was working on was not working the way it should, and I was feeling overwhelmed. I’m experiencing distance in a relationship that is normally very close to me. My kids have made choices that are opposed to the way we raised them. And…
How to help someone who struggles with fear and anxiety – Pastor Brad Hoefs
By: Stan Popovich Do you know a friend or loved one who suffers from fear, anxiety, and depression and do not know what to do to help them? It can be frustrating to watch someone you know struggle with their mental health and not be able to do anything to relieve their suffering. With this…
Consider Me Broken. Consider Me Whole. – Pastor Brad Hoefs
By Scott Box When Bipolar disorder broke my understanding of Jesus: I had been a Christian all my life. But as I entered my thirties and was reeling with a new Bipolar diagnosis, I needed Jesus for the first time. In other words, in those days, I needed a form of rescue that wasn't immediately…
Family: More than Genealogy – Pastor Brad Hoefs
Mike Jacquart Tracing your genealogy is interesting. In my own case, I learned I’m not part-Irish as I thought for many years but part-Scottish, and that my maternal great grandparents still lived in “the old country” – Bohemia, known today as the Czech Republic. While our own personal ancestry certainly helps shape who we are…
Coping with the Holidays When Depressed – Pastor Brad Hoefs
Mike Jacquart “Have a holly, jolly Christmas,” sings Burl Ives. Happy carolers belt out, “Joy to the World’ at the top of their lungs. “Ho, ho, ho,” greets a department store Santa. Everyone loves this time of year. Right? Nothing could be further from the truth, especially when you are suffering from depression or another…
Why Join a Fresh Hope for Mental Health Group? – Pastor Brad Hoefs
by Peggy Rice The first time I walked into peer support group for people who struggled with depression, I immediately felt safe. The group at the table understood me, even though all I did was introduce myself. They fought the same battles I did, but were in different places on the journey. Some were more…
6 Reasons Why You Should Take Your Mental Health Seriously – Pastor Brad Hoefs
By Stan Popovich Many people underestimate the impact that mental illness can have on an individual or family. It can be difficult to admit that you have a mental health problem in your life. Secondly, it can be just as difficult in getting the people you know to understand your situation without making any kinds…
Developing an Attitude of Gratitude – Pastor Brad Hoefs
Mike Jacquart “When we fail to notice the positive, our brains naturally emphasize the negative.” I ran across this statement in an article in Time magazine. I read it. Then I re-read it. Then I thought about it. BINGO. What a perfect post for Thanksgiving! Why do we need to have a holiday each year to remind…
How To Live A Life Of Heroic Disgrace: Drop the Mic – Pastor Brad Hoefs
By Scott Box Yesterday during church, the microphone in front of the kick drum fell off the stage. I want to be clear: the microphone was turned on in the sound system and crashed onto a polished concrete floor while a couple hundred people were singing. Specifically, I was the one leading the singing at…
How to let go – Pastor Brad Hoefs
by María Elena Rivas My son's story is too long to tell in a blog. It is almost 18 years of living with the joys and sorrows, victories and defeats. Now he is about to turn 18 and he will be legally independent. His mental health diagnosis is right in the middle: it doesn't make…
What is a Hope Coach? – Pastor Brad Hoefs
by Peggy Rice, Hope Coach Trainer As I mentioned in my last blog post , a Hope Coach is someone who helps a person move from “stuck” to “unstuck,” from hopelessness to hope. A Hope Coach is trained to listen to the Hope Seeker’s story, ask good questions, and help the Hope Seeker find a…
5 Tips for Preparing for the Dark Days of Winter – Pastor Brad Hoefs
By Pastor Brad Hoefs As the days get shorter and the weather gets colder, many people start to feel the effects of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). If you are someone who struggles with SAD, it's important to start preparing now for the dark days of winter. By taking steps to boost your mood and manage…
A New Group to Support the Mental Health Needs of Families with Disabilities – Pastor Brad Hoefs
By Catherine Boyle Almost one year ago, Pastor Brad Hoefs and Dr. Steve Grcevich from Key Ministry had a conversation about the mental health needs of families with disabilities. This was not the first time these two ministry leaders had discussed the unique challenges of these families, including the mental health needs that too often…
Music as Therapy – Pastor Brad Hoefs
By Mike Jacquart Some strategies for living well with a mental health diagnosis are fairly obvious and straightforward. Medication. Individual and/or group therapy. For many others, prayer and/or meditation. Others, however, tend to fly under the radar. One of them, exercise, was discussed in an earlier post on this blog. Another overlooked strategy is music.…
The Role of Exercise in Mental Health – Pastor Brad Hoefs
By Mike Jacquart I am not a clinician or a dietitian, but I do know from my own experiences that exercise plays a role in our mental health – perhaps an important one. I have suffered from depression, sometimes for extensive periods, but even during my darkest days I was often successful at finding time…
I Don’t Need to Pretend I’m Different than I Am – Pastor Brad Hoefs
By Mike Jacquart Realizing that you have mental health diagnoses is not easy, but over time I came to recognize that they are part (not all!) of what makes me who I am as a unique individual created by God. But when you’re a kid, you want to be like your peers, and I don’t…
Counseling and a Support Group Changed My Life – Pastor Brad Hoefs
By Mike Jacquart You may have heard the saying, “You can’t keep doing things the same way but expect different results.” And yet, how many of us remain on the same treadmill and lament how unhappy and depressed we really are. For many years, I was in denial about the seriousness of my mental health…
It’s Not Just What You Do, but WHERE You Work that Determines Success – Pastor Brad Hoefs
By Mike Jacquart I thought one of the best comments Marina London made during the writing of my book, Climbing out of Darkness: A Personal Journey into Mental Wellness, pertained to her experiences seeing troubled employees as a licensed mental health professional for major hospital and corporate clients. “Nine times out of ten, their unhappiness…
Meet our National Ambassador, Will Zipf! – Pastor Brad Hoefs
We are thrilled to announce that William Zipf (Will) has begun serving as a volunteer here at Fresh Hope for Mental Health as a National Ambassador for the US! Will's extensive experience in the energy industry is matched only by his passion for mentalhealth advocacy, having seen firsthand the challenges that families and individuals face…
Asking for Help Doesn’t Make You a Wimp – Pastor Brad Hoefs
By Mike Jacquart “Asking for help is not a sign of weakness,” writes Pastor Brad Hoefs in his landmark book, Fresh Hope: Living Well in Spite of a Mental Health Diagnosis. Society, men especially, tend to see counseling as a signal that we are deficient in some way, unable to figure out our problems on…
Celebrating Our BipolarBrave Mental Health & Faith Award for Organization of 2023! – Pastor Brad Hoefs
We are thrilled to announce that Fresh Hope for Mental Health has been awarded the BipolarBrave Mental Health & Faith Award for Organization of 2023! This award is a significant honor and recognizes our organization's ongoing efforts to support individuals and families affected by mental illness through our faith-based resources, support groups, and various mental…
Alphabet Soup: When D can come before C. – Pastor Brad Hoefs
By Mike Jacquart In the mental health realm, the letter D, as in Depression, can come before C, as in Cancer. I only recently realized that after completing my book, Climbing out of Darkness: A Personal Journey into Mental Wellness (with Marina London LCSW) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BQ58KJH4?fbclid=IwAR27QzfHVTSHntSunkbciH_A4xcRz7Kuwor6hLwWlX9Hutc3IInh3dAaN9w I never once mentioned the bladder cancer I was diagnosed…