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Mental Health?
Pastor Jim Kilby • April 4, 2023
“In 2021, more than 4 in 10 (42%) students felt persistently sad or hopeless and nearly one-third (29%)
experienced poor mental health. In 2021, more than 1 in 5 (22%) students seriously considered
attempting suicide and 1 in 10 (10%) attempted suicide.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Dear Friends,
I honestly don’t think anyone would argue with me on this one…. After 25 years working with young people, I can certainly report adolescent mental health has never been in a worse place. This morning I did a few online searches on the issue. From governmental organizations like The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to publications like Psychology Today, everyone agrees: There is a crisis, and nobody is sure how to deal with it. Certainly, the recent pandemic didn’t help, but other growing environmental issues like divorce, abuse, bullying, overuse of technology, etc., are all pieces of a very complicated puzzle. And sadly, the Church is anything but immune to any of these issues, so simply leading everyone to Christ and believing their lives be instantly better in this fallen world is a fantasy. After having three of my own children and grandchildren who needing access to quality mental health services and struggling to find providers without long waiting lists, I’ve been convinced (or maybe convicted) that I personally need to get involved somehow. And so, I decided to take action.
In addition to all of our non-profit ministry programs like Harvest House, I’ve personally invested my retirement savings into opening and staffing outpatient mental health care facilities in the Dayton area. They’ll all be staffed with ministry minded clinicians and our patients will be matched with clinicians who’ll be carefully matched to meet their needs. The first clinic will open in Washington Township in May, and the two to four more two will open in nine-month sequences after that. I’m excited to have our ministries grow and be able to serve more young people in our area. I’m also in a little bit over my head at this moment in time (lol), so I’d love to have your prayers as we march off into uncharted territory! Thank you for all you do for our ministries, including your financial gifts, prayers, and those notes and e-mails that mean so much!
Blessings in Christ,
Pastor Jim Kilby
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I had a young friend write me recently recounting a terrible tragedy that had fallen on her family. "Why?" the ink seemed to scream from the pages! And "why" is a question each of us will ask many times as bad things seem to have an uncanny way of happening to good people. The answer, probably easier to digest when we're not in the throws of the pain caused by tragedy, is fairly simple at it's root. There is much evil in the hearts of men. Although God calls all people to righteousness and holy living, many will seek a path of evil, blindly following the satanic calling they've embraced. God is not the author of evil... He is the antidote! "Though grace is shown to the wicked, they do not learn righteousness; even in a land of uprightness they go on doing evil and regard not the majesty of the Lord." Isaiah 26:10 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate
I receive an endless string of notes and e-mails from people who tell me they want to know the Lord, but just don't know how. I find they are easy notes to answer, because God has revealed Himself in so many ways I can simply point them to His Word and to prayer and they'll find what they are seeking. Unfortunately, far too many times I receive notes back that ask me if there is any other way, generally because they've tried reading the Bible occasionally and praying and that doesn't work. Of course, going to church seems like it's also too difficult for them. There are just too many other things to do on that day, and too many reasons they can't go! The short answer is this: Only those who are willing to give up everything and seek the Lord with their whole heart will ever find Him. The casual observer who intends to seek God on his own terms will never find Him. Imagine someone you called your best friend, but who you never called and never went to see--someone you clearly only casually were interested in knowing. Would they be your "best friend" for long? "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:13 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate
Harvest Youth Ministries (HYM) is an outreach aimed at young people; not a youth group. HYM is an IRS approved 501(c)(3) not-for-profit ministry. All donations are tax deductible as allowed by law.
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