A Reflection Series for Mental Health Awareness Month
The Weight of The Overwhelm
Excerpt from Wine & Faith – 19 Days in Napa
Jill, the main character, is having an internal dialogue with herself about her husband, Derek…
“With the teacher conference conversation still fresh in my mind, I felt at a crossroads. I saw a pattern. Derek did not. My good kids were morphing into out-of-control kids. As a mother, I had to fix this problem….So, I decided to call Amelia and finally take her up on her offer for a visit.” – Jill Mandela
Faith Reflection
Have you ever felt like you were at the end of your rope and had to do something fast?
When we get overwhelmed, it feels like the walls are closing in. And there is nowhere to escape. In other words, it is that crushing point when everything feels urgent.
The people we love hurt.
Responsibilities pile up.
And there is pressure to “fix it.”
But sometimes, feeling overwhelmed can be a signal. It tells us that something needs to change.
Jill realizes she needs distance.
Not to escape – but to find clarity.
“But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” -Luke 5:16
In this passage, we read that Jesus withdrew to quiet places to pray. He needed space to breathe. A place to pause and regroup. Clarity doesn’t always come through effort. Sometimes, it arrives in stillness and prayer.
In several key moments in the book, Jill reads scripture and then seems to receive a divine message. All leading her to greater insights and a softer heart.
Haiku
In the tangled noise
Clarity waits, whispering—
Step back, take a pause
Reflective Questions
When life feels too full, where do you go for clarity?
What’s one area in your life where stepping back could help you see more clearly?
I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Please comment and “like” this post if you feel led to do so.
#MentalHealth #MentalHealthAwareness #Overwhelm #Relationships #WineandFaith #NadiaCrane #thepaiseleyfrog #LifeJourney
I and Thou Reflections 