Dear friend 2022

 Dear friend

 Unbelievably it's the 6th(!) anniversary of when you told me you had depression. This year has been frankly craptastic, just the hardest ever. I'm so thankful to you for all that you are and do. I love you more than words can express. Thanks for always being there. Thanks for always being real about emotions and especially for helping me with mine.

It's crazy to think about where we were 6 years ago! And how hard that time was. I'm so glad you got through it.

Congratulations on your book my beautiful talented wonderful humble friend. I'm so proud of you!

Love

Shell

Dear bestest friend 2021

 Dear friend,

It's that time again. 5 years since you told me you had been diagnosed with depression. 3 years of marriage and 106 days of lockdown later here we are. 

Happy world mental health day. There is no one I would rather be on this journey with. You are amazing, wonderful, sexy, all the good things. 

And here for the record - I promise we will always be best friends.

Love 

Shell 

Dear friend 2020

Dear  friend

It's the 4 th anniversary of when you told me of your depression. Happy world mental health day. This year has been absolutely nuts, and mental health for both of us had been a struggle. 

I love you so very much. Thank you for always being there for me. You're patience and love are so wonderful and special to me. Know that I will always be there for you.

Love Wifey 

Dearest friend 2019

To my Dearest and bestest friend,
It's that time again.
Happy(?) World mental health day
I love you so much. Although I am glad that your mental health has improved vastly over the last three years, I know that mental health is a journey/process. Know that I will always be there for you no matter where you're at, what you're thinking or feeling. I love you completely.
Love always
Shell

Dear Friend 2018

To my most dear friend,

Two years have flown by! Who would have know how far we've come and how much you mean to me! Today marks the anniversary of when you told me you have depression.
I love you more than words can say! I'm so thankful for our powerful and gracious God who has brought us this far and continues to carry us forward.
Love always
Shell

Dear Friend 2017

Dear Friend,
It's a year to the day, you told me had been diagnosed with depression and anxiety. What a year it has been! I'm thankful to God for the things He has done. I'm grateful for doctors and psychologists and medications. But most of all for God's great goodness in all things. I thank Him for answered prayer that, though this is something you will continue to live with, that it's at a manageable level. 
Dearest friend though I know this experience has been (and at times may continue to be) hard. God has a plan for all things, and works all things for the good of those who love Him. I am still here, I will always be here for you. I love you very much.
You are a beautiful human, sensitive, loving and kind and much more besides. I pray that God will keep you always.
Love
Shell

Nah to the ah to the NO, NO, NO

"Blah, blah, blah
I be like nah to the ah to the NO, NO, NO

All my ladies listen up "

Channeling my Megan Trainer RN

OK so I got a message from a friend today about the #thingsonlychristainwomenhear hashtag, saying 'they're are some crakers' (true in the horrifying sense) and that she 'was laughing so hard'. So I looked up this hashtag (mistake) I found literally nothing there to amuse me at all, not once did I laugh, or even snigger.  I sat there mouth open in horror.

As a women in a 21st century Evangelical church I would like to state here that I personally have never been on the receiving end of any of these kinds of comments. I have been very blessed to attend churches that value and uphold women. Nevertheless I'm not unaware that stuff like this happens. 

I feel I can't stay silent on this! I'm not going to discuss the roles on men and women in the church (1. because it would make this post way too long  and 2. it's not really the point I'm trying to make.) I think what I want to say it to validate women from a woman, who struggles with this that you are heard. Too much of this discussion is men correcting women on their theology. Nobody wants to have their thoughts/emotions disregarded by someone who has no personal experience in the issue, and is quoting from the biblical ideal.  I feel that I often sit alone in the middle of this debate.  On one side you have those who reject the (for the sake of argument)  traditional views of men and women in the church and on the other those who disregard them completely in view of complete egalitarianism. I feel there is an unheard middle ground; as I have spoken about before Intellectually I understand the concept, but emotionally I resent it. I understand an except the biblical roles of men and women but struggle to reconcile the biblical command/example with what I observe in the greater church.

To the women out there that are upset, hurting or (like me) down right pissed off at these belittling, hurtful, 'well meant' things that have been said. You are heard, you matter, you have a place in the kingdom. Let's strive to be loving Godly servants of the king, not matter where we fall on this issue.