Loved ones of those struggling with serious mental illness (SMI) are often reluctant to express the emotions of their heart with God or others. They hide in the darkness of doubt, fearful God has abandoned them and that the faith community doesn’t understand. Hope for Troubled Minds: God’s Love for Those Loving Someone with a Serious Mental Illness shows how these persons can find support, strength, and stamina to faithfully walk alongside their loved ones within the body of Christ.

This is the overview of my book proposal I sent to Moody Publishers. So far, I’ve gotten a warm reception.  So, I’m off to a good start. Almost. Sort of. But I’m not there yet. The book I’m aiming to write does not match the target audience, which is:

My primary audience is loved ones of those diagnosed with bipolar of other serious mental illnesses (SMIs). They have faith in Christ but their participation in the church has wavered. My secondary audience would be pastors and church leaders looking to better understand persons with serious mental illness and care for their loved ones.

I’m still writing from the vantage point of someone with a mental illness. I’m giving a lecture, rather than hosting a dialogue. Somehow, I need to address the questions and concerns my readers most need in a book like mine. What are the most important things do want to say to them?

So, I need you now more than ever. I need your feedback on what have been the most significant issues you have faced with respect to serious mental illness (SMI)? If you have a loved one with an SMI, what has been your experience? How has it impacted your faith? Have you become more empathetic, or more cynical? So many questions, and I am eager to hear from you about what is most important.

The best way to respond and begin engaging in the conversation that will contribute to Hope for Troubled Minds is to join the Facebook group:

Hope for Troubled Minds

I hope to see you there.

Hope for Troubled Minds is all about hope. This begins with the lost hope of symptoms and diagnosis; sends us on a journey to find hope wherever it may be found, detours in deferred hope and the false hope we seek out.  But then there is a measure of spiritual hope, found in Christ, lived out in the faith community, extending out to the world of mental health care and advocacy, pointing to an even brighter hope for tomorrow that gives us strength for today.