Robyn Leyden
Position: Health Services Manager
Spotted: At the infirmary, knitting, talking with friends around camp
Experience: Many years working in the medical field and especially skilled in walking alongside mental health challenges
In Her Own Words: What role has mental health played in your own life?
“I believe taking care of your mind is the one of the most important things you can do as a Christ follower. It affects all areas of your life. Paul says in Romans 12:2 “Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” This renewal of our mind is a continuous process. Our lives are constantly going through the process of thinking, feeling, choosing. Failure to align your life with Christ, will result in deceptive ideas (the lies of Satan) that play to disordered desires (the flesh) that lead to sin.
The way we accomplish this renewal is through the practice of spiritual disciplines. Richard Foster, in his classic, The Celebration of Discipline, defines these as: inward disciplines of prayer, meditation, study and fasting, outward disciplines of service, solitude, submission and simplicity, and corporate disciplines of worship, guidance, confession and celebration. These practices will enable you to root your identity in the person of Jesus Christ in which he will reveal your unique calling and purpose. This negates the false self that culture and social media promotes.
God gave us the ability to exercise control over our minds. In fact, he tells us that we can have all wisdom and knowledge. (Col. 2:2) through Christ. John Mark Comer says this, ‘When we believe truth-that is ideas that correspond to reality-we show up in such a way that we flourish and thrive. We show up to our bodies, our sexuality to our interpersonal relationships, and above all to God himself in a way that is congruent with the creator’s wisdom and good intentions for his creation. As a result, we tend to be happy.’”
