Emotionally healthy relationships
As I write this article several thoughts are colliding in my brain. I hope that I can order them and connect the dots for you.
Let me begin by saying that I just received an email from our denominational Youth and Family director. He was offering insights into youth and mental health because his heart was breaking over the news of yet another teen in Atlantic Canada committing suicide. I appreciate his sensitivity and helpfulness.
I somehow wonder if the loss of hope is connected to the growing number of younger Canadians who are identifying themselves as having no religion? Somehow in our society, we have moved from four per cent having no religion to 24 per cent responding to surveys as having no religion.
When you disconnect from a religion or world view you lose some foundation unity in life outlook, purpose and understanding of the inner life of soul and spirit. This can really put you into internal turmoil.
I wonder somehow if all of our national conversation about Bill C-7 (Medical Assistance In Dying or MAID) contributes to the turmoil? As a society have we devalued life in the eyes of a generation that is disconnected from religion and struggling for a world view that shows the value of life?
As I wrestle with these questions, I look at our church’s vision of being a safe place for people to find healing. To move us in that direction we have been working through a series of messages on the Call to Be Community. It has been a very practical series on emotionally healthy relationship skills based on a course called Emotionally Healthy Relationships by Pete and Geri Scazzero. Overall as a church, we are finding it helpful.
As I look at pulling these thoughts together I realize that it all fits around the course that we will begin tonight with the Trailblazer Youth Gathering. We will look at developing emotionally healthy relationship skills that will hopefully help these young adults deal well with life and relationships. The course comes from a Christian perspective and so it may help with the bigger worldview and life value questions as well.
I think this course would be healthy for a lot of us to work through as we face the constant changes of 2021 and beyond. If anyone out there has questions on this please feel free to contact me.
I hope you have a great month of March and enjoy great healthy relationships.