Scriptual Serenity: A Mental Wellness & Faith Journey with Dr. Erica

 We all face moments in life when everything changes. One day, you’re going about your normal routine, and the next, the ground beneath you shifts. For Elias, this moment came when he received a life-altering diagnosis that shook him to his core. His world turned upside down, and he found himself confronting not only the fragility of his body but the depth of his faith. This is his story, and through it, we’ll explore how to navigate anxiety and fear while clinging to God’s promises. Elias’s journey is one many of us can relate to—perhaps not in the specifics of his illness, but in the way life can suddenly throw us into chaos. Whether it’s health issues, financial hardship, or family struggles, we all experience moments when fear feels like a constant companion. Anxiety tells us that the future is uncertain and that we are not strong enough to handle what’s coming. But as Elias learned, these moments can also be where God meets us most powerfully. The Weight of Fear When Elias fir...

Hey there! Losing a loved one may make us feel disoriented, lonely, and helpless. There are many dark corners and unexpected turns along the way. However, we may take comfort in the knowledge that God is with us always, even at our lowest hours. Today, we'll look at how the lovely verse of Psalm 23 brought relief to Rebecca, a hospice nurse, and how it may do the same for you when life gets intolerable. A Tale of Rebecca: How She Learned to Rely on God Through Her Grief Working as a hospice nurse had exposed Rebecca to death on several occasions. Still, she felt the loss more acutely than usual for one week. She was emotionally tired and struggled to find the fortitude to continue on after the tragic deaths of two of her long-term patients. After her shift ended, she sat alone with her Bible and read Psalm 23, a passage she had read many times before. But this time, something was off with the words. The statement, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, ...

You never know when life will hurl you into a season you weren't prepared for. Tragically, John lost his close friend and coworker Alex in a fire. Alex was a veteran fireman and a rock for his squad. During the height of combat, they were inseparable due to the shared experiences, triumphs, and unrelenting struggle to defend others. After Alex passed away, though, John struggled mightily with survivor's guilt. The guilt that he should have done more to rescue his friend lingered with him. Many of us have felt this type of anguish—the "what ifs" that accompany a loss or tragedy—at some time in our lives. The story of John, however, also teaches us that hope may be found even in the most hopeless of circumstances. He was able to weather the storm of loss and find healing, purpose, and resilience with the support of his faith and community. Victim Shame and the Burden of Devastation It's easy to relate to John's battle with survivor's guilt since we've al...