Your "Dear Jon" letters (Issue #2)
The best comments, reactions, messages, questions, and emails from YOU recently. (As well as my responses.)
One of the most important things for “Dear Jon” is to give you an opportunity to be heard. So I regularly compile feedback and send it out. This includes comments on posts, reactions on social media, emails, chat messages, and DMs. I also include my responses.
If you have something to add, just reply to any blog post or email and I’ll consider it for the next edition. I’ll even take your questions!
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From Susan on “Why John MacArthur is drastically wrong on mental health”:
Thank you for this excellent response to a very sad, and misguided response to those who suffer with mental health and use medication. As someone with a counseling degree, and as a believer, I am very disappointed that Pastor John MacArthur would say these things. You covered this in such a constructive, helpful way. Thank you. I just located your book on Audible and I am listening right now. I recently had surgery and can't sleep due to the pain in the night. So your book is a blessing--thank you. … My father suffered from some really tough mental health issues, and generally he wasn't willing to accept medication. We could have been spared so many challenges throughout his lifetime if he hadn't been afraid of medication. He knew the Lord, but unless he was forced to accept medication during hospitalization or while on hospice, he refused. Attitudes like John MacArthur shares in this video do contribute to so much shame and cut people off from the help that could make such a difference in the lives of those who struggle. Denial is such a terrible hindrance to people getting help and support. Again, thank you for writing your book and for this valuable post.
My response:
Susan, your comments echo the remarks of so many on that post. Let me say this: when I first published my book on mental health, I remember saying that the Church had to do better about having the conversation and accepting medication as a common grace from God. Someone wrote to me on Twitter saying something along the lines of, “Do people in the Church really need to be told to have this conversation anymore?”
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