Supporting a Spouse with Mental Illness: Jess Quak on Faith, Marriage & Bipolar Disorder
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How can you support a spouse with mental illness? Insights from Jess Quak on faith, marriage, and bipolar disorder.
Marriage is a journey, and when mental illness is part of the equation, it brings unique challenges and blessings. In this deeply honest and insightful episode of Sunburnt Souls, Jess Quak shares her experience of being married to someone with bipolar disorder and how faith, love, and a whole lot of grace have shaped their marriage.
In this chat, we explore:
What it’s really like to support a spouse with bipolar disorder
Why mental illness doesn’t have to be a negative force in marriage
The struggles of navigating faith, mental health, and different personalities
How to avoid making marriage an idol and instead build a Christ-centered relationship
Why laughter is key (but also why some things aren’t as funny as they seem at first!)
How Jess finds her strength in God, even in the hardest seasons
If you love someone with mental illness—or are walking through mental health struggles yourself—this conversation is for you.
Jess’s story is one of unwavering commitment, raw honesty, and deep faith in God’s sustaining love. Tune in to Sunburnt Souls and be reminded: Your marriage isn’t meant to be perfect—it’s meant to be anchored in God’s grace.
Dave Quak:
Alright, well, we've got a special guest this morning on Sunburnt Souls. Now, back in the day, when a guest was nervous—especially if they were presenting or something—people would say, "Just picture everyone in their underwear." I think that's super creepy. But ever since this guest came in this morning, all she's done is try to picture me in my underwear... or even less than that. The thing is, this woman has seen me in my underwear thousands of times.
So, this morning, I get to interview my beautiful wife, Jess Quak. Jess, welcome to the show!
Jess Quak:
Thank you. Thank you for having me.
Dave Quak:
It's nice to have you here. What we want to get out of this discussion is to help anyone listening who's either walking through mental health challenges or supporting someone who is. Today, we’re going to talk about the second side of things—being there for people with mental health conditions and walking alongside them. You've been doing that with me for a long time. So, Jess, I just want to start by asking: what’s the best part of being married to someone with mental health conditions, especially mine with bipolar? What's awesome about it?
Jess Quak:
Well, that’s the thing, isn’t it? Everyone has good and tricky parts to their personality, to their mental health—whatever that looks like. With you, you just have extra things that come with your diagnosis. But definitely, you’re so good at bringing fun into health and love. My life with you will never be boring. There’s no way around that!
Sometimes, it might be nice to wish for a little bit of more calm, especially during your manic times when there's a new hobby each time. But it helps push me out of my comfort zone, and it brings adventure into our lives and into the kids’ lives. There's a real positive aspect to that.
And I think that's the way God uses that part of your personality. Just the way your brain functions can actually be a really beautiful and fun thing. Our house is definitely not the quiet house on the street. It’s always full of noise—whether it’s laughter, loud music, or kids running around screaming just for fun.
I think that’s something really special about having you in our lives. Your mental health affects you, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be a negative effect. It’s just... different.
How does bipolar disorder affect marriage, and can it make a relationship stronger?
Something we don't want to ever do on Sunburnt Souls is make it seem like anyone with mental illness is a write-off. There are so many good things. Deep down, there's a person that God loves, who’s on their own journey. There’s actually a few people who refer to bipolar as their superpower.
Jess Quak:
Yeah, exactly.
Dave Quak:
There are great parts, and I’d say the same goes for all mental health conditions, really.
Jess Quak:
Oh, absolutely. And I think marriage, in and of itself, will have struggles because of your bipolar, but it doesn't mean that if you didn’t have bipolar, we wouldn’t have struggles anyway. We’re different personalities, and we each have strengths and weaknesses. In a way, I kind of see mental health as... neutral. But what you choose to do with it—well, that can either be a positive thing or something that’s harmful to you and those around you.
Something I really admire about you is that, for the most part, you allow God to use your ups and downs to draw you closer to Him and to impact other lives in really positive ways. It’s really commendable.
Jess Quak: And that can be the case, I suppose, for any kind of mental health journey that anyone is on.
Dave Quak: Yeah.
Jess Quak: It's just knowing that, you know, some parts of that might be harder than others. But that's going to happen. I mean, even if we were married to Jesus, who’s perfect, we’d still have marriage issues because there’s still someone in the marriage who’s not perfect.
Dave Quak: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Jess Quak: You’d find his perfection maybe annoying or frustrating, or you just want to... Yeah. It’s not necessarily going to be hard just because someone has a mental health diagnosis.
Dave Quak: That would be frustrating, because in every argument, you’d lose.
Jess Quak: You’re the wrong one.
Dave Quak: Yeah, that’s it. So, with that, there are some great things. I mean, we’ve had some amazing adventures. And I think even with spiritual gifts like the apostolic gift that likes to initiate and start new things, when you couple that with someone who’s got bipolar in their manic phase, but at like 70% manic, where it’s still very functional and fruitful... When those two things collide, you can achieve a lot in a short amount of time. Together, we’ve been able to do some pretty cool things in ministry.
Jess Quak: Yeah.
Dave Quak: Our gifts complement each other. There are definitely some pros. But today, I really want to dig into what’s difficult, you know, because you’re not alone. Mental illness affects 1 in 4 Australians directly and probably the rest of the population indirectly through supporters and family members. Why don’t we start there? What’s been a struggle for you, being married to somebody like me?
Jess Quak: It’s interesting, because I actually listened to your podcast, and you said, I think, that the hardest times are when you're on the depressive side of your mental health swing. And I kind of giggled to myself because absolutely... No.
Dave Quak: Okay.
How does mania impact marriage, and why is this conversation important?
For me, it’s definitely harder when you're manic. Because with that comes some aspects that are difficult to reason with. And that’s just part of the hardships. It can also be one of the great times, but it can definitely be difficult when you’ve got an idea in your head that you think is going to change the world and be amazing, and all we have to do is uproot our entire life and do it by tomorrow. That can be tricky to reason with, when I’m just trying to keep us grounded.
Dave Quak: Yeah.
Jess Quak: And there have been times, especially early on in our journey, where some hurtful words were spoken because you were still growing as a person and God was still working through your heart. It became difficult having a lack of consistency with where we were going, or our vision as a family. That’s tricky.
Dave Quak: Do you mean hurtful words around the fun stuff?
Jess Quak: Yeah, like, "It’s my fault, I’m holding you back, we could do so much more," and, "Why do we always have to do what you want to do?" And I’m just trying to remind you, "Remember, we’re just being faithful to what God’s called us to do." So, that’s tricky. I remember we had a lovely bipolar man come into our life a few years ago, and he was sharing his journey with us. And there was something he said that made me think, "Hang on, I think there’s something we need to take a closer look at in your life."
Jess Quak: He said it’s really difficult when he’s manic to not have an enemy. No matter what someone says, it doesn’t matter the heart behind it, that person suddenly becomes the enemy. The difficult thing for us is that when I become that person, where you see me as the enemy trying to thwart your good life, that’s hard.
Jess Quak:
Yeah, that becomes a really tricky place to live. I don't know how we would live without God, honestly. The beauty of it is that you have your own relationship with God, and we come back, apologise, and love each other well. For me, I go to God for my strength and foundation, which I probably need even more because I’m married to someone with bipolar.
Dave Quak:
It’s interesting you bring that up. We’ve never spoken about the enemy thing, but it’s true. I notice in my life that I don’t have, you know, vanilla relationships. I love people passionately, or I wish them demise.
Jess Quak:
Yes.
Dave Quak:
You know what I mean?
Jess Quak:
Yeah, they’re either for you or against you. But sometimes, they’re really nothing. They just don’t affect you much.
Dave Quak:
That’s what I appreciate about you.
Jess Quak:
Yeah, it can be tricky because the same person might be your enemy one moment, and then when they're in front of you, you’re like, "Oh, no, I love this person to death, they're my favourite person on earth!" Then, I have to be careful not to try to manage you.
Dave Quak:
Yeah, that’s a hard one.
Jess Quak:
It’s not my responsibility to mother you or try to be the Holy Spirit and convict you when you make choices I think aren’t healthy. But obviously, I still need to have those conversations with you when they’re necessary. It’s just not my job to micromanage your world, your relationships, your choices.
Dave Quak:
I remember when you said to me, “I came to the realisation that you don’t need me.” At the time, based on my history and my usual responses, I got all upset about it. For a week, I threw a bit of a tantrum. How dare you! But then I felt such relief. No one should need another person to the point of depending on them for their salvation or for their existence. When you said you didn’t need me, though, at first it hit hard. But I realised how much you love me because you choose to want me.
Jess Quak:
Yeah.
Dave Quak:
You don’t need me for salvation, and that’s actually a good thing. It’s healthy for anyone with mental illness to have someone in their life who is strong enough to run to God instead of relying on any other coping mechanism. That’s something you do really well. You don’t need me; you need God, and you live that out.
Dave Quak:
That’s where your salvation lies.
Jess Quak:
Yeah.
Dave Quak:
Because if you needed me to that level, I’d let you down. History has shown that. I’m not going to be enough of a rock for you.
Jess Quak:
Yeah.
Dave Quak:
It doesn’t mean I can’t lead or bring Jesus into our family.
Jess Quak:
No, absolutely.
Dave Quak:
But it does mean you’re not treating me like an idol, and that’s the greatest thing.
How can marriage become idolatry, and what does the Bible say about keeping it God-centered?
It means I can be the helper and partner you need, and you can be that for me. We all have our weaknesses, and we’ll need each other in some ways. But ultimately, we need to be secure enough in God that we can stand on our own two feet. That way, we’re strong enough to be there for the other person when things get tough.
Jess Quak:
You’ve been that for me, too, and I know it’s hard for you, too. I had my own mental health challenges when we were dating and newly married, and that was an interesting dynamic with the two of us.
Dave Quak:
Yeah, it was far from smooth sailing! There was a lot of mania going on.
“Mania is a condition characterised by an unusually high level of energy, activity, mood, or behavior, which marks a noticeable shift from your usual self and is apparent to others. Symptoms can include a sense of invincibility, reduced need for sleep, racing thoughts, rapid speech, and experiencing false beliefs or perceptions”
Jess Quak:
Yeah. But in all of that, I knew you, and I knew that these aspects of your personality were things I was committing to when I married you. I stood before God and made a vow to be faithful to you. And not just in the sense of not straying, but faithfully loving you the way God loves me—continuing to forgive each day and starting each day fresh. That was the commitment I made. Whether you were diagnosed then or not, you were still you. We have changed a lot, but thankfully, because of God's grace, it’s been for the better.
Dave Quak:
Yeah.
Jess Quak:
In so many ways. But we did have our own challenges at the start, and then my physical health hasn’t been fantastic over the years. You’ve been there for me, even when I know it’s hard. And yet, you’ve still chosen to stay by me. That in itself is a blessing because you’re choosing to love me, and that’s a really beautiful thing.
Dave Quak:
Yeah, thank you. I think the hard part for me is that I know it’s only a matter of time before I try to wine and dine you with some new sales pitch or idea. Something always seems to get stuck in my head, and I start working all the angles. It’s not that I don’t have self-control—it’s just that these ideas seem so right at the time. But that’s a burden I have to bear. I have to learn to grow in that and maybe find some better ways to filter my thoughts. Maybe I need a decision-making process where I give myself two weeks or two months before pulling the trigger, because usually, these things fade just as quickly as they come.
Jess Quak:
Oh, yeah. And that’s been really interesting in recent years, having the kids involved in your mental health journey. It was probably really difficult for me when we first understood what was going on. I suspected long before you did that you actually had bipolar. I just adjusted to it. But for the kids, it could be confusing when one day Dad’s like this, and the next day, he’s like that. I mean, I 100% agree with you on day one and day two, but there are differences.
Jess Quak:
Bringing them along on the journey and helping them understand has been so important. They are such beautiful, compassionate children. It’s been good for them to be a part of this, not that we burden them with the hard aspects—we try to shelter them from some of it. But I remember recently, Milani joking at the table when you had one of your ideas.
Dave Quak:
Oh, if you like...
Jess Quak:
It was a few ideas ago, but you said, "Hey guys, I’ve got all these boat engines, and let’s spend some time fixing them up together. It’ll be such a fun project!" And the kids were like, "Dad, you don’t know how to do this stuff, and we don’t have the time for it." Then Milani, our daughter, goes, "Give it three weeks."
Dave Quak:
She’s very intuitive.
Jess Quak:
Yeah, it makes sense because we’d already bought the engine hoist. So you were like, “Well, I bought the hoist, we’ve got the hoist, and there are just a few more engines to get.” But it turns out you hate that stuff.
Dave Quak:
Yeah, I didn’t know anything about it!
Jess Quak:
Right, and sometimes your ideas are just so ludicrous for who you are. We have to ask, “Have you really thought this through?” Because, in your mind, it’s a great idea, but when you think about it in real life, you really don’t enjoy it at all.
Dave Quak:
Yeah, that’s true.
Jess Quak:
But the medication has really been a game changer. It’s been such a blessing from God. It’s also been helpful for me to have some friends who understand. One couple we know, the husband has been diagnosed with bipolar too, and it’s been really healthy for us to have these conversations. You and this other person with bipolar can talk about how hard it is, and the partners who don’t have bipolar can get together and talk about how we’re doing, too. It’s been a really lovely thing.
Jess Quak: There’s always a bit of fun, like, okay, tell me what’s happened. It’s kind of like the reality show of your life—what’s the craziest thing that’s gone on recently? Sometimes, it’s so crazy that you laugh just to stop yourself from crying.
Dave Quak: Yeah, it’s a lot of laughter. Knowing that God has got us, and it really gives you the freedom to just laugh at how wild life is. There are definitely hard things that come with it, but at least we know we're not going to have a boring marriage.
Jess Quak: Right? Our life is never boring.
How do different parenting styles impact family dynamics? A funny (but real) look at raising teens
I am a bit worried about the next few years. Our kids are 15 and 13, and we have such different parenting styles, expectations, and rules. Just recently, Jess went on a road trip with Milani for a week, so Josiah and I were at home. We just sat around eating meat all week, hanging out. Anyway, the day after Jess got back, we went shopping for presents for her birthday. We always build up to the best present.
We got her little things like bath wash and stuff, and then we gave her this amazing perfume. But, on the way out of the shops, Josiah and I walked past a tobacconist, and we thought it would be funny to buy Jess a vape. Now, anyone who knows Jess knows that she’s the last person on earth who would ever buy a vape. So we thought, "This is hilarious!" We bought a disposable vape, and it was the last gift we gave her.
Jess Quak: Yeah, I wasn’t exactly laughing when I opened it.
Dave Quak: I thought it was hilarious, though. But a week later, we had a decent fight about it.
Jess Quak: Yeah, the thing is, with your tendencies around addiction, it’s not about drugs or alcohol necessarily, but there are things that are hard to stop once you start. Right now, if there’s even a bit of chocolate in the house, it’s gone before long because it's just really hard to resist. And those things aren’t always healthy. So, on a moral level, it's hard for me to go along with something like that, especially if it's not good for you. It’s not the example I want to set for the kids either.
Dave Quak: I wasn’t thinking like, “Ha ha, Jess is going to love this vape!” I honestly just thought it was funny in the moment.
Jess Quak: I get that, but that’s one of the struggles with your bipolar. When you're manic, it’s like, "If it’s funny, it’s funny, so let’s do it," regardless of what the line is.
Dave Quak: Yeah, and we had something similar happen in Thailand too. When we went there last year, marijuana had just been legalized, so there were pop-up stands everywhere, with people rolling joints. I thought it was hilarious and kept making jokes about it.
Jess Quak: And that led to a similar conversation. You can't just make light of things like that. At the time, you weren’t trying to give the kids a free pass to treat it lightly, but I just don’t think it’s something we should joke about.
Dave Quak: Yeah, I get that now.
Dave Quak: You know.
Jess Quak: Yeah. And so, yeah, for me, my concern is more about the longer-term effects, like, hey, let's look at why we do things the way we do them and what does God think about it?
Dave Quak: Yeah, yeah.
Jess Quak: So that was my take. With the vaping thing, especially for my birthday, I was like, "Oh, come on, this is one thing!" You know, when Dave and I first met, he was a smoker. And that was one thing I said: I will never marry someone who smokes. That's a hard line for me.
Dave Quak: She said that before we even dated.
Jess Quak: Yeah, before we dated. I said, "It's the equivalent of watching someone self-harm. It's just not cool." And then early in marriage, we had a few issues because you still would. I’d be like, "You think I can’t smell it on you? Are you serious?"
Jess Quak: Yeah, well, it was iffy, but still, it was like a broken trust thing. It was one of those really tough moments. It’s like, man, as if things aren’t already hard enough. And then to bring that on top, I was like, "Are you for real? It's my birthday!" But for you, I totally understood you were coming from a place of thinking, "This is hilarious."
Jess Quak: And I know you also spoke to the kids about it. You were clear that this is not something you want in your life. You used it as a teaching moment, which I think was good—having open conversations with the kids about these things. But at the same time, I was devastated. I hadn’t seen you in ten days, and all I wanted was to hang out. I wasn’t expecting presents, so it felt like, well, this is amazing, but then it crashed.
Dave Quak: Yeah, whereas I’m thinking, "There are ten other great presents, including this really expensive perfume. Just focus on those."
Jess Quak: Yeah.
Dave Quak: You know, and that’s just the way it is. Every marriage has its differences, but sometimes, we come at things from such extreme angles that it can be scary. But like you said, when we're both adamant about something...
How should Christians approach mental illness—with legalism or love?
That’s something everyone in an argument feels—they think they’re right. Unless they just enjoy arguing. But with us, it’s heightened because you have such high moral standards. It’s not out of legalism, though.
Jess Quak: That used to be an issue for us.
Dave Quak: Yeah. Early on, I thought, "You're a legalist." But it comes from a place of conviction. And that conviction comes from your genuine relationship with Jesus. It’s not about trying to earn salvation. You do it because you love Him, and it’s who you are.
Jess Quak: Yeah.
Dave Quak: And you’ve never pretended otherwise. I think it’s just that we approach life so differently, and that makes it tough sometimes.
Jess Quak: Yeah.
Dave Quak: I just want to encourage anyone who’s in a relationship with someone who has mental health challenges. Even though we’re so different sometimes, it is still workable.
Jess Quak: Yeah.
Dave Quak: I’m convinced we’re not going to get divorced, not even twice. It’s been 20 years, and it’s just getting better. Sometimes, it’s getting stranger because my mental health is getting more complex, but we still have to remain steadfast. We made a vow, through better and worse, thick and thin. We’re sticking together.
Dave Quak: Yeah, so it is a choice, but it's just a really hard choice sometimes.
Jess Quak: Yeah, and that's where I think it's really important that the love God has for us is really real to us. We need that all-consuming love, which is so beyond all the mess we experience in ourselves, so that we can have something to share in our marriage. I think without that, I don’t know where we would be.
Dave Quak: Because there'd be no reason to push through the hardest times.
Jess Quak: It would have been hard.
Dave Quak: It wouldn’t have been a covenant otherwise.
Jess Quak: Yeah, it would be beyond my ability. And I think even for you, too. There's a great way in which God uses us in our differences, and the way we work together to show that he uses people who are so different and loves people who are so different.
Jess Quak: I know, early on in ministry, even when we were doing things together and we would have a hard time, I’d think, "You’re doing things I wouldn’t agree with!" And I’d be like, "God, how could you use this guy? Have you seen him? Because I have. What's the deal? He doesn't deserve to be in this position."
Jess Quak: He doesn’t deserve to be such a participant of your grace. It was a real humbling thing for me, because I came to realise that no, I am just as undeserving. I am just as in need of his grace. Without seeing the way you have a genuine relationship with God, I could have become legalistic down the track, even though it came from a very good place.
Jess Quak: You know Jesus’s love for me, and I just adore him for all that he's done. The reality of how he makes his love real to me every day. But that could have become twisted if I hadn't had you in my life to see the grace of God in someone so different from me.
Jess Quak: Yeah, and using you so differently to me, but in a really complimentary way. Seeing the fruit of it. At the end of the day, for me, on days that are really hard, when you're not necessarily being a great husband, I go back to where God whispered in my heart one day: "I'm going to stand before him at the end of this life, and he's not going to ask me how good of a job you did as the husband. He's going to ask me how I loved as a wife."
Dave Quak: Yeah.
Jess Quak: And so that’s really key, I think. His grace has been really great in our marriage.
Dave Quak: I think you're right. And I think that passage we often hear that says, "As far as it depends on you, live at peace with everybody." At the end of the day, I can’t control you, you can’t control me. We can do our best to live at peace with each other, and that's sort of it.
Jess Quak: Yeah.
Marriage, Divorce and Bipolar Disorder
It is estimated that 1 in 3 marriages will end in divorce, here in Australia. More sobering, however, is that it’s thought that up to 9 out of 10 marriages will fail when one partner suffers from Bipolar (BP) disorder.
Dave Quak: I reckon I’ve got about an 89% chance that we’re going to have a fun couple of decades ahead. There’ll be 89% great times, and 11% abrasiveness, but I can handle those ratios. I did the research and worked out the percentages in my mind. It’s rubbing off on each other—like the other day, I was thinking about buying a farm. It’s probably because my friend’s looking at one. I started imagining raising animals, having an orchard, all that. Then yesterday, I mowed the lawn, and our lawn’s 459m². I hated every second of it—sweating away in the little square at the mall, just not my thing. So yeah, those 11% abrasive times are going to happen, but we’ll get through them.
Jess Quak: Yeah.
Dave Quak: Just to wrap things up, Jess, what would you say to partners of people with mental health conditions when it comes to their own spirituality? If you were in a room with them, you're their pastor, and you're pursuing your own right—what would you say?
Jess Quak: I’d say take the Scriptures seriously for what they actually say. For me, it's been such a beautiful thing to run to the Psalms in times when I’m angry or hurt, and to know that God is my hiding place, my rock, my shelter. I can go to Him to get everything I need. But also, the call of Jesus when He says, “Follow Me.”
Dave Quak: And He walks to the...?
Jess Quak: Cross. And He puts up with people around Him who are difficult. I look at some people in Scripture, like Peter, and I think, "He reminds me of David."
Dave Quak: I love to lop someone’s ear off!
Jess Quak: Exactly. But Jesus dealt with people, not perfect people, and He did it with love, beauty, and grace. That’s the kind of person I want to be. For those dealing with people who have mental health issues, particularly bipolar, it is hard. But it's okay that it’s hard, and it’s okay to acknowledge that.
Not everyone deals with it as well as Dave does—though he doesn’t always deal with it perfectly either—but there are definitely challenges that come with this struggle. It’s okay. You’ll be okay, and God’s got you. He needs to be your rock, and you can lean into that.
Dave Quak: Well, why don’t you pray for our beautiful listeners as we finish up?
How can prayer strengthen a marriage affected by mental illness?
Lord, I just thank You for every person who’s tuned in right now. We ask for Your peace and grace to cover them. May they have a very tangible sense of Your Spirit, calling to their innermost being and touching that desire to be fully known and fully loved.
That place where only You can meet them with full satisfaction. Lord, I ask that if there are people crying out for help right now, that they not only find it in You but that You show them people in their world they can turn to. And let us all grow in grace for those around us, because we all have struggles. Let us be people of gentleness and grace, just like You are.
Dave Quak: Amen. Amen. Thank you, Jess.
Jess Quak: Okay. Thanks for having me.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can faith help support a spouse with mental illness?
Faith provides a strong foundation for couples navigating mental illness by offering hope, patience, and strength in difficult times. Trusting in God’s plan, praying together, and seeking biblical wisdom can help couples maintain a Christ-centered marriage. Scripture reminds believers that love is patient and kind (1 Corinthians 13:4-7), reinforcing the importance of grace in relationships affected by mental illness.
What are practical ways to support a Christian spouse with bipolar disorder?
Supporting a spouse with bipolar disorder involves understanding their condition, practicing empathy, and encouraging them to seek professional help. Creating a stable routine, maintaining open communication, and reminding them of their identity in Christ can be vital. Seeking pastoral counseling or joining a faith-based support group can also provide spiritual and emotional guidance.
How can Christians maintain a strong marriage when mental illness is involved?
A strong marriage amidst mental illness requires commitment, mutual support, and reliance on God’s grace. Setting healthy boundaries, seeking professional counseling, and staying rooted in scripture can help couples navigate challenges. Regular prayer, worship, and church community involvement can strengthen the marital bond and provide a sense of stability.
What does the Bible say about mental illness and marriage?
The Bible acknowledges human suffering but offers hope and healing through Christ. Passages such as Philippians 4:6-7 encourage believers to cast their anxieties on God, while Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 highlights the importance of partnership in difficult times. Marriage is a covenant, and scripture emphasizes love, patience, and support, even when facing mental health struggles.
How can Christian couples balance mental health challenges and spiritual growth?
Balancing mental health and spiritual growth requires intentionality in faith and self-care. Engaging in daily scripture reading, prayer, and community support while recognizing the need for professional help is essential. Understanding that mental illness is not a sign of weak faith but an opportunity for growth can help couples navigate their journey with compassion and perseverance.