In this episode, Bria explores what happens when power looks away - and what happens when love chooses to see. From a quiet moment on a Paris sidewalk to a painful exchange in a recent Judiciary hearing, to the story of the bent-over woman in Luke 13, this episode traces the difference between eyes that restore dignity and eyes that protect themselves. It's an invitation to slow down, notice, and see the people God see, even when it costs us something.

Find journal prompts and a list of books and resources to help think through all the stuff we talk about. Connect with Bria at www.prayersfromthemiddle.com

In this episode, I sit down with author, speaker and mental‑health advocate Chris Morris to talk about a moment that changed everything for him. In 2020, during one of the darkest seasons of his life, Chris attempted to end his life. What came next were two conversations - in the psych ward, in the middle of shame, anger, and despair.

Chris heard God speak the words he least expected: “I still love you.”

Not after he got better or after he pulled himself together. Just right there in the middle of the mess.

The next day, his pastor walked in and spoke words that restored dignity instead of demanding performance: “Our church is incomplete without you.”

For Chris, those words were life from the dead.

So many of us ache for belonging. That’s why this episode and Chris’ story matters. Because two truths thread themselves throughout the episode: You cannot un-earn God’s love. And. There is a place for you inside of God’s family.

In this conversation, Chris and I talk about:

• what it’s like to meet God in the middle of depression and suicidality
• how spiritual dismissal and “pray more” theology deepen shame
• why belonging is not earned through performance
• the power of going first and giving others “the gift of going second”
• how to discern when a church space is harming your mental health
• what hope looks like when the season feels endless

If you’re in a dark place, or you’ve been carrying the fear that you’re too much, too broken, or too far gone, hear this clearly: you are not alone, and your story is not over. Chris’s honesty is an invitation to breathe again — and to believe that God’s love does not flinch at your darkness.

Connect with Chris:

www.chrismorriswrites.com

Instagram: @ChrisMorriswrites

Find journal prompts to go with today's episode: www.prayersfromthemiddle.com

Most of us were taught to tell our testimony as a tidy before-and-after story. Before Jesus I was a mess. Then I met Jesus. Now everything is better.

But what happens when that's not your story?

In this two-part conversation, author and mental health advocate Chris Morris joins Bria to tell the truth about a life that stayed messy even after he met Jesus. Chris shares his long-term struggle with depression and suicidality and the myths that can sometimes keep the church from offering real help.

Together, Bria and Chris explore why the church is so uncomfortable with long-term suffering, how Scripture can sometimes get weaponized against people in pain, and what it looks like to follow Jesus when healing is slow and God feels silent. Chris offers some pure gold and give new ways of seeing God's presence as His goodness even when He feels absent.

This episode is for anyone who has wondered why their healing hasn't come yet, why their faith feels messy, or why God feels so far away. It's for those of us in the middle, still wrestling and waiting and strying to make sense of a God who doesn't always move quickly. You belong here!

Content note: This episode includes a gentle, non-graphic discussion of suicidal thoughts from Chris' teenage years. Please listen with care and honor what you need.

Follow Chris on Instagram: @ChrisMorrisWrites

His Tedx Talk is here: http://chrismorriswrites.com/ted It’s about The Power of Deep Listening and is totally worth the listen.

Find Chris online here: https://www.chrismorriswrites.com/

Find out about Chris' books here: https://www.chrismorriswrites.com/books/

email Bria with questions, feedback or for journal prompts: briannarwasson@gmail.com