“In this Holy place the Church gives thanks to the Most Holy Trinity for the mystery of woman, and for every woman, for her eternal dignity and for the wonders God has worked in and through her in the history of humanity.” 

An inscription at the entrance to a chapel in Migdal, an ancient coastal city on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, the traditional home of Mary Magdalene.  Thank you, Krisiti McLelland, author, for sharing this inscription in her book Luke in the Land . (Lifeway Press, 2024, page 143.)

Domestic Abuse and Depression

One of the surefire recipes for depression is an intimate relationship that has gone very wrong. By wrong, I don’t mean a few ugly spats but a relationship where real fear is regularly present, and there seems to be no way out. All the symptoms of depression are there: helplessness, hopelessness, rumination, confusion and suicidal ideation to name a few. Let’s look at these symptoms individually and see how to help deflect them.

Helplessness happens when a person feels they have no power or cannot see any choices they can make. All people have choices, no matter how small. A discussion with a trained professional or caring family member or friend about making simple choices will often help survivors see that they as human beings in God’s image can make informed choices.

Hopelessness is a tragic but not impossible roadblock to moving on with life. If a survivor believes there is no hope, this is a serious sign of deep depression and must be addressed with hopeful, life giving statements. If needed, an experienced trauma informed counselor can take the time to talk through the negative beliefs and help the person into new thinking patterns. This is a serious emotion that must not be left without intervention. (See below)

Rumination is a pattern of dwelling on past events, failures and losses with a goal of ‘fixing’ what went wrong. This rarely helps to calm the emotional storm and will deepen the depression. Breaking the focus on the past events with activities that are interesting or uplifting is an excellent way to deflect the stuck feelings. Charting daily times of rumination breaks the pattern that leads to the downward spiral. See Dr. James Phelps website for suggestions and chart examples. https://www.bphope.com/author/drjimphelps/

Confusion is a hallmark symptom of abuse survivors. The idea that they are never right or can’t think for themselves is a pervading belief that prevents them from getting the support they need. When survivors cannot share what they need or even think clearly in conversational language, those who might want to support them begin to wonder about their mental sanity. A trained professional is aware of trauma resulting in confusion.

*** Depression has many manifestations, but it is not a dead end. If there are signs of suicidal ideation or you are making a plan to harm yourself, please call the suicide hotline at 988 or reach out to your local domestic violence hotline for resources. Don’t let this pattern continue without supportive people who have skills to help! CL

October Events

October is right around the corner.  October is Domestic Violence Awareness and Prevention Month.  October also means Missions Fest Seattle 2026 will be gathering and Christian Coalition for Safe Families will be there again, this year, October 16 & 17, at Eastside Church,  on145^th  in Bothell. In addition to the exhibitors at Missions Fest, you can also expect dynamic speakers, great music and really good food. Here are some impressive statistics from last year:

65 exhibits and 55 seminars. Nearly 900 attendees for the general sessions, from 89 towns and cities in the greater Puget Sound region, over 225 students (grades 4-12) joined the Friday Field Trip visiting exhibitors and participating in seminars.  For CCSF, this means that all those who strolled past our booth, glanced at our table, and read our banner learned that the Church cares about those whose lives have been touched by domestic violence and there is HOPE!  Come see our booth!

New Music Video by Tauren Wells

Three-time GMA Dove Awards host, eleven-time GRAMMY nominee, and Pastor, Tauren Wells has partnered with the National Domestic Violence Hotline (The Hotline) for the official music video for “Breathe On It.”

The powerful video follows a child raised in a household with domestic violence into adulthood. When he starts to see old patterns emerge, he has a moment of clarity and chooses to break the cycle of abuse for the sake of the future of his family. Since its release earlier this year, “Breathe On It” has garnered over 6 million streams and has entered the Top 15 Billboard Airplay & Mediabase Audience charts. See the video for “Breathe On It”  . More information about the National Domestic Violence Hotline and how to get involved can be found at www.thehotline.org. Please note, the beginning of the video may be triggering.

Our new QR Code!  Check this out!  It will take you to our website!

Scripture Verse

“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.”  Proverbs 16:3