Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. (John 14:27) ESV

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The number of Americans seeking medical help for mental illness is at an all-time high. Stress, depression, and anxiety make up the majority of conditions being treated, and approximately one in five American adults is taking prescription medication to treat these conditions - also an all-time high. I find it interesting that we can map a steady rise in metal illness since the late 1980s while weekly church attendance today is almost half of what it was in 1988. If you plot these two things on a graph, you will see mental illness increase over the years at nearly the same rate that church attendance decreases. Why is this the case?

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Being a part of a church family and discovering both the love and mercy of God as well as becoming part of a community of Faith leads to better health, decreased depression and reduced anxiety.  What's interesting is that these benefits manifest only when a person attends a church in person, not online.  God designed it that way.  When people gather in His name to worship Him and receive guidance from His Word, the Holy Spirit really goes to work for the benefit of all.

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Spring is a time for new beginnings. If you suffer from anxiety, depression or stress, start going to church every Sunday.  Try it for six weeks and see if you don't feel better. I believe you will once you understand the love of God and how having Him walk through life with you can change the way you think about everything. You'll wonder why you didn't come to church sooner.