The Beginning

by: Ashley Roman

I prayed about the name for this blog. I wanted it to be easy to remember, not-too-long, yet meaningful. I had some other ideas (they are too cheesy for me to even list here), but Above the Battle seemed to make the most sense.

Its a phrase my Grandma said to me last summer. We live this life of ups and downs. Births and deaths. Joys and failures. We have struggles, we have addictions, we have fears. The only way to come to peace with this life is to live above the battle. We need to live above this earthly battle and join God. In order to do this, I believe, we have to accept ourselves the way we are. We have to realize these fears or struggles are only temporary. Ultimately, the earth is not our permanent home. We were made for so much more.

When I was in the pits of anxiety and depression I felt glimpses of relief when I remembered to live above the battle I was facing. I sometimes even pictured myself, my soul, hovering above my body--looking down on this human who was oh-so-human in this moment. I pictured looking down on myself and having compassion for the person that was struggling and knowing that my true self, my heart and soul, was with God and could not be separated.

Of course, all of this is easier said than done. When we are in the pit of the battlefield its difficult, sometimes even seems impossible, to rise above it. Know that youre not alone. Know that you will not always feel as if you are at war with yourself. Know that its not your fault and healing will come.

It is my prayer that you, too, will receive moments of relief when you learn to rise above the battle you are facing.

Its also my prayer that issues of mental health will find their way into more church conversations, more Bible study discussions, and more prayer groups. Lets stop the ignorance surround mental health issues and lets discuss it through the eyes of our loving God.

-Ashley