Hope can be elusive for those dealing with serious mental illnesses—people like members of the Well Community. Believing that life can be better and that they can take steps toward stability can seem immensely difficult or nearly impossible amid diseases with no cures and stigma that discriminates and demeans.
But when our members are together, what appears out of reach becomes possible. As they come alongside one another with support and understanding, hope flourishes.
In Romans 12:12, Paul tells the believers in Rome, “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” (ESV) He addresses them not as individuals, but together. Being joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer aren’t meant to be solo endeavors. All are accomplished in community.
In Finding My Way Home, Henri Nouwen beautifully describes the power of community in empowering people to hope amid difficulty:
“Christian community is the place where we keep the flame of hope alive among us and take it seriously so that it can grow and become stronger in us. In this way we can live with courage, trusting that there is a spiritual power in us when we are together that allows us to live in this world without surrendering to the powerful forces constantly seducing us toward despair.”
This hope isn’t mere optimism that ignores the daily challenges of serious mental illnesses. In the American Psychological Association’s 2024 Trends report, the organization’s immediate past president, Thema Bryant, PhD, explains, “Hope isn’t a denial of what is, but a belief that the current situation is not all that can be. … You can recognize something’s wrong, but also that it’s not the end of the story.”
It also isn’t just a good feeling. Hope has measurable benefits to wellbeing. The 2024 Trends report goes on to say, “Along with improving mental health and increasing self-esteem, studies suggest increasing hope can improve symptoms and daily functioning in those with chronic illness.”
Together, as Well Community members cultivate hope, they experience these benefits day after day, week after week, year after year. Amid the ongoing struggles, they encourage one another that these challenges don’t define their stories.
Seeds of this hope are planted when a man or woman who is regularly met with fear and avoidance is welcomed and accepted. This hope is nourished through shared meals and laughter over cups of coffee. It’s tended when, in times of struggle, members offer one another a hug, a listening ear and words of understanding. And so, in community, it thrives.
As the only direct service faith-based organization in the Dallas area that addresses the needs of those who struggle with serious mental health challenges, The Well Community offers a unique environment where individuals living with these illnesses can cultivate hope together. Will you help us continue to serve them?