“An honest reflection of our Father’s scripture written to encourage and support those with mental health difficulties. This devotional provides simple study questions, giving us biblical knowledge for life application. Real and honest encouragement given on each day by the writer herself adds very personal meaning. I highly recommend it to anyone, especially those with mental illness, and I’ll be doing the devotional again!” – Summer L.

“Teresa Colón has written an amazing resource for anyone struggling with their mental health. She normalizes the unique struggle so many in our world suffer. Better yet, she firmly anchors that struggle in the heart of a sovereign God who redeems all of our struggles. That’s why she can write concerning her own mental health: “It’s the thorn in my side that troubles me and motivates me.” This devotional will help all who struggle regardless of the nature of their ‘thorn.'” – Dana N.

This devotional is for you.

If you’ve ever lived with depression, anxiety or another mental illness, you’ve wrestled with your faith.

You’ve wondered how someone so worthless can be valued by God.

You’ve wondered what good could possibly come out of your situation.

You might be struggling to pray or to read your Bible. Maybe you’ve stopped showering or going to church, and you feel cut off from everyone – including Jesus. Maybe your prayer is for God to bring you home to end your suffering by bringing you home. You are wracked by your sinfulness, your worthlessness, and guilt and shame cover you like a suffocating blanket.

I’ve been there. It’s awful. I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.

I’ve also come through the other side, and this devotional is my way of sending a love letter back to those who are where I was just a few years ago.

Seeing Ourselves Through God’s Eyes is a 28-day, mental health devotional that I intentionally designed to only take a few minutes every day. Each day includes a verse and thoughts on what it means from a mental health perspective. Additionally, there’s a place for personal reflection and a prayer for those times when you can’t find the words. Lastly, I share stories from my own experiences and how these verses helped me on my journey back to mental health.

Each week, covers a specific topic. For example, the first week reminds us that how God sees us is different than how we see ourselves. Week 2 focuses on examples of mental illness in the Bible (think depression and anxiety aren’t biblical? You’ll love this week!), while Week 3 talks about simple actions we can take in our relationship with our loving and faithful Father. The final week reminds us that what we are going through is just a season of life, and looks forward to the hope that awaits us even before we achieve our eternal reward.

My Story

I am an unlikely Christian. In fact, when I met my now-husband, I had to do some serious thinking about whether I wanted to get involved with a Christian man! Neither of us could have possibly seen the adventure the Lord has taken us on. I’m still in a bit of astonishment that I’m not just a Christian, but that I’ve written a devotional.

Not long after my baptism, my world got dark. Following a period of severe burnout in my career, I pulled back to work part-time as a consultant and focus more time on our daughter. What followed was one of the most severe depressions I’ve ever lived through. Looking back, I realize that my depression started long before I quit my job; it lasted, untreated, for several years.

Getting a diagnosis of depression confused and scared me, but I was determined to do the work to get better. It was a busy summer as I attended classes on recovering from depression and anxiety, engaged in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and faithfully journaled, prayed, and met with my therapist.

God was gracious enough to grant me a Christian therapist, unusual for the health-care provider I have. Mike brought Jesus into most of our sessions, granting me peace, comfort, and soul-searching. There was a lot of healing that happened in my spirit; I will never forget that time.

However, as magical and helpful as it was, I plateaued. I decided to seek out medication, and my psychiatrist prescribed me Lexapro. To my astonishment, my reaction to the Lexapro indicated that we were treating the wrong disorder: I have more than depression; I live with bipolar disorder. As I learned more about bipolar disorder, I saw how it influenced the choices I’d made, the actions and behaviors I was most ashamed of, and was the source of most of the pain, trauma, and hurt I’d lived.

In an instant, I felt God’s grace envelop me.

Out of this experience, I found my purpose: to share what I learned with those who are suffering, shining a light into the darkest of souls and help them find hope, and to support others walking their road back to mental health. I started Wounded Birds Ministry with the mission of providing education, encouragement, and support to those living with mental illnesses. I now run a Facebook group that continues to grow and embrace new members. It’s a wonderful place, full of encouragement; we share tips, experiences, and virtual hugs. I invite you to join us! I’ve also worked with my church to start in-person support groups, which we now offer to both adults and teens.

In January 2018, God instilled in me a need to write this devotional. It was unplanned and frankly, undesired. I didn’t have the time or the resources to put together a book, and I had no clue where to begin. Through the journey, God provided for everything: He planted a publisher in my path and funds appeared when we needed them. I can’t pretend that the road has been smooth and easy, but I can say he has been faithful to me in the process.

I am encouraged by the feedback I’ve received on the devotional from those who have already prayed their way through it. I hear stories of God touching people and warming their hearts. For some, this is a devotional that was a one-time experience; others are re-visiting it periodically. My prayer for you is that God does the same for you.