Pastor's Ponderings - May 7, 2021

Dear friends –

It’s ok not to be ok. That’s the motto Jonny Boucher, founder of Sip of Hope, a coffee roaster in Chicago that promotes good mental health and suicide prevention, shared with us when he came to speak at River Glen a few years ago. May is mental health month, and here’s a friendly reminder that it truly is okay and normal to not be okay right now. On sunny days with good news of continued vaccinations and maybe some plans on the horizon, life can seem pretty grand – and it is, thanks be to God. But there are also dreary days when it’s way colder than it should be for May and when past trauma or addiction or just the general _______ (you can fill in your own adjective) of the past year and pandemic can weigh us all down.

You are not alone. You have a faith community, and God is always present and compassionate. I also commend to you our partnership with SamaraCare and mental health professionals who can also be of support. (https://samaracarecounseling.org/ ) If you are so overwhelmed, you’ve lost track of yourself, please talk to your doctor as well. Mental health matters, and while it’s okay not to be okay, it’s also important to find some support to get back to okay or better.

Grace and peace,

Jess