If we were sitting together over coffee and you asked me, “So what’s really been helping you stay grounded lately?” — these three tools would come up right away. Over the last few years, my mental health journey has been anything but simple.
I’ve walked through seasons of heaviness, depression, and days where hope felt distant. And while I’ve used many different tools along the way, there are three resources that continue to bring me back to center — back to Jesus — again and again:
The Daily Kairos Journal
Lectio 365 (a guided prayer app)
Bible Study Fellowship (BSF)
Each one speaks to a different part of my soul. Together, they’ve helped me breathe a little deeper, slow down my racing thoughts, and remember that God is near — even on the hard days.
Let me share how.
1. The Daily Kairos Journal — Making Space for Stillness
I’ll start with the Daily Kairos Journal, because this one has become like a quiet companion in my journey. If you don’t know it, it’s a simple guided journal designed to help you reflect on Scripture, gratitude, prayer, and where you see God at work in your life.
For me, it’s been more than a notebook. It’s been therapy on paper.
There’s something powerful about slowing down long enough to write out what’s happening inside my heart. Depression can make life feel cloudy and heavy — like everything is blurred together. Journaling helps me untangle those thoughts. It helps me notice what God is doing, even when my emotions tell me otherwise.
This journal gives me gentle prompts like:
What am I thankful for today?
Where did I sense God’s presence?
What Scripture is speaking to me?
Nothing dramatic. Nothing complicated. Just small conversations with God on the page.
And those small conversations have become lifelines.
Writing has helped me process grief, discouragement, and fear. It’s also sparked hope and creativity — so much so that I’m now working on my first book, Whispers of Hope: Gentle reminders of God’s faithfulness through every season of life. In it, I share some of the practices that have helped me navigate depression — and journaling is right at the top of the list.
Some days, I show up with joy. Other days, I show up with tears. But I show up — and God meets me there.
2. Lectio 365 — Praying When I Don’t Have the Words
Next is Lectio 365, a prayer and meditation app rooted in Scripture and liturgy. I love this because it’s like having a wise, compassionate friend guide you through prayer each day — morning and night.
There are days when depression makes it hard to form prayers on my own. My mind feels tired. My heart feels numb. I want to talk to God, but I just don’t know where to begin.
That’s where Lectio 365 has been such a gift.
It helps me slow down. Breathe. Listen. Reflect.
Each guided prayer leads me through:
Scripture
Reflection
Silence
Prayer
And it always brings me back to the love and presence of Jesus.
Often I’ll lay back, close my eyes, and just let the words wash over me.
It reminds me that prayer isn’t about performance. It isn’t about having perfect language or strong faith all the time. Sometimes prayer simply means showing up — heart open, however fragile it may be.
This rhythm has anchored my soul on anxious days. It’s reminded me that I am held. And it has helped me rest.
3. Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) — Growing in Community and the Word
Finally, there’s Bible Study Fellowship, or BSF. This is a global, in-depth Bible study where you gather weekly with others to study Scripture together.
And let me tell you — this has been huge for my mental and spiritual health.
Depression can make you want to isolate. It convinces you that you’re alone. But BSF has been a place where I’m reminded that faith is meant to be shared — questions, struggles, tears, and all.
In BSF, I’m not just reading the Bible. I’m walking through it — slowly, deeply, thoughtfully — with people who are also seeking Jesus.
I love the structure:
Weekly passages
Thoughtful questions
Teaching
Discussion
It stretches my mind, nourishes my heart, and keeps me rooted in truth when my feelings are all over the place.
And the friendships? That may be the best part.
Having a community that prays, studies, and grows together has reminded me that I don’t have to carry life alone. God works through His Word — and through His people.
Why These Three Matter So Much
Each of these tools meets me in a different way:
🖊 Journaling helps me process
📖 Lectio 365 helps me pray
🤝 BSF helps me connect and grow
And together, they’ve become part of my mental health toolbox — not instead of counseling, medication, or other supports — but alongside them.
Because spiritual practices aren’t about “doing more.” They’re about being with Jesus. And being with Jesus is where my heart finds rest.
If you’re walking through a heavy season, I hope something here encourages you. Maybe one of these tools might become a lifeline for you too. And if not — that’s okay. God meets us all uniquely.
I’m simply grateful for the quiet ways He continues to whisper hope into my life — one prayer, one page, one conversation at a time.
Thanks for walking this journey with me.