Episode 3 (Season 2) Journey Through Mental Illness-Great is His Faithfulness Guests: Barb Mullen, Sadie Morgan

About our Guests:
Barb Mullen
My name is Barb Mullen, and I am a charter member of Park Cities Presbyterian Church where I’ve been blessed by being involved with many exciting ministries that pointed to the Lord. I’m 64 years old. Growing up in my family was tough for me. I was abused both verbally and physically. The good news is that I was saved through God’s grace when I was 14 years old. He used a neighborhood family to show me who Christ was and what His love looked like. I wanted and needed Christ and His love.

One theme in my spiritual life is God continuing to reveal my idols through my shame. He is continually reminding me to let go of shame by dependence on Him. I am thankful, but it is often difficult for me. In January of 1999, when I was 42, I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder after 11 years of intense emotional ups and downs. Over the last 22 years, being bipolar has changed my life and the lives of those I love both positively and negatively. The negative ways are still very hard for me to think about.

As I’ve traveled the journey of life with mental illness, I have grown closer to the Lord out of necessity. This has been the positive! I need to recall His mercy and love for me daily. My husband of 42 years is my best friend. We have two grown children who we love dearly along with our son-in-law, daughter-in-law, four grandsons, and a granddaughter.

Sadie Morgan
My name is Sadie Morgan, and I am thankful I have never known a day that I did not know who the Lord was. Born and raised in Dallas, and a charter member (albeit baby) of PCPC, knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ has been a part of my life since my memories were shaped. I would be remiss, though, to leave out the ever-prevalent tug of war throughout my life, between what I know to be true about God and how I viewed His love, provision, or even interest in me. There are many themes throughout my life where the enemy has used that lie that “God is certainly good”, however, “He is only good for others, not for me”. I hope to share my continual journey through that dichotomy, where I am learning to know deeply, remind myself daily, and lean on others to rest in His truth. That He is for me, with me, and even in the brokenness, can create beauty from great grief and pain.

About the Host:
A graduate of Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, Mark Davis came to PCPC as our Youth Pastor in 2003 and became our Senior Pastor in 2009. He and his bride, Kristina, met at a Young Life Camp in 1988 and have five amazing kids, Kara (and husband, Drew), Madalyn (and husband, Jack), Cayden, Esther Kate, & Samuel. Mark loves to journal. Ask him how many journals he’s filled up over the years!

About the Episode:
Join us in support of Barb and Sadie as they share their stories about walking through life with the challenge of mental illness. With honesty and courage, they open up about what life was like prior to a diagnosis, how treatment processes progressed their healing, and also the importance of community and ministry of presence. Come to learn, be comforted, and understand how to have compassion for what it is like to live with Bipolar Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and an eating disorder. Sadie and Barb’s courage help us understand both how real these struggles are and how much hope there is in healing through medication as a means of grace and the love and fellowship in Jesus Christ. This episode also has lots of laughs and a few practical jokes!

Quotes:
“Shame is very powerful weapon of the enemy and I think the flaming darts that are being fired at us as Scripture says, ‘are dipped in shame.’” - Mark Davis

“You can’t walk through something and remain unchanged; you can’t throw a rock in a pond and there not to be ripple effects.” - Sadie Morgan

“The weight of dealing with it by yourself is so heavy and if you are able to verbalize or ask for help…there is a beauty when it comes to somebody meeting you in the middle.” - Sadie Morgan

“You can’t give up.”- Barb Mullen

“Sometimes you just have to show up, and that’s terrifying, so recognize that and be proud of yourself and give yourself a lot of grace.” - Sadie Morgan

“We are our biggest advocates or detriments.” - Sadie Morgan

“I think people think it is a lot harder to come alongside people who are having mental health problems than it has to be. We are comforted by Christ to be a comfort to others.” - Barb Mullen

“Words you could share to someone who is struggling: ‘I love you, I am thinking about you, and I am here for you.’” - Barb Mullen

“You can’t make yourself better because of your faith. But God can make you better because He loves and cares for you.” - Barb Mullen

“If you were severely dehydrated, you would not be able to get to a functional place by chugging water; you would need an IV. And sometimes, it’s medicine that gets you from a very, very dry place to a stable place and then to really be able to tackle your problems. You may need it for a season, you may need it for a lifetime but that is not about you. He has given those means of grace to us.” - Sadie Morgan

Resources:
A prayer: “Lord would You give me eyes for people around me and a heart for them?”

We would love for you to find a community within PCPC: New to PCPC

PCPC Counseling and Care Ministry is a safe space for people to get the help that they need.
- If you are seeking help or would like further information on anything in this episode, please reach out to deeplight@pcpc.org
- If you or someone you know is in need of immediate help, please call the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or 911

Verses:
“The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” -Lamentations 3:22-23

“As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave nor forsake you.” -Joshua 1:5