Mental Wellness and Relationship with Jesus the Healer

Mental Wellness and Relationship with Jesus the Healer

Mental Wellness and a Relationship with Jesus the Healer

By Toni Weisz/Spiritual Disciplines

Scriptures: Matthew 11:28 (NIV)
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

In the journey of mental wellness, many people are searching for more than coping strategies—they are searching for true, lasting peace. For those navigating the emotional aftermath of trauma, including abortion or abuse, healing often requires both practical support and spiritual restoration. A relationship with Jesus as Healer offers a powerful source of comfort, renewal, and stability for the mind.

Understanding Mental Wellness After Trauma

Mental wellness after trauma involves caring for your thoughts, emotions, and overall psychological health. Trauma can leave lasting imprints—such as anxiety, intrusive thoughts, depression, or feelings of guilt and shame. These mental patterns can feel overwhelming, especially when they persist over time.

Mental wellness is not about ignoring these struggles. It’s about learning how to respond to them in healthy ways—developing awareness, building resilience, and creating new thought patterns that support healing. This is where both intentional habits and spiritual connection become essential.

Jesus the Healer and the Mind

A relationship with Jesus is not only spiritual—it deeply impacts mental and emotional health. Throughout Scripture, Jesus is shown as a healer of the whole person—body, mind, and heart. He meets people in their brokenness and brings restoration, not condemnation.

When the mind is burdened with anxiety, guilt, or pain, turning to Jesus can bring a sense of peace that goes beyond circumstances. His presence offers rest for overwhelmed thoughts and comfort in moments of emotional distress. For many, this relationship becomes an anchor during seasons of mental instability.

Renewing the Mind Through Faith

One of the most powerful aspects of mental wellness and faith is the concept of renewing the mind. Trauma often plants negative beliefs—about self-worth, safety, or identity. These beliefs can become deeply ingrained.

Through a relationship with Jesus, those thoughts can begin to shift. Replacing lies with truth—such as moving from “I am broken” to “I am being restored”—is a key part of healing. This process takes time, but it creates lasting mental and emotional change.

Spending time in prayer, reading Scripture, or sitting in quiet reflection allows truth to take root and reshape how you think and feel.

Practical Ways to Strengthen Mental Wellness

While faith is foundational, daily practices also play an important role in supporting mental health. Combining both creates a balanced approach to healing:

  • Prayer and Quiet Time: Helps calm anxious thoughts and create mental clarity
  • Journaling: Allows you to process emotions and track your healing journey
  • Community Support: Encourages connection and reduces isolation
  • Healthy Boundaries: Protects your mental and emotional space

These habits, paired with faith, help build consistency and strength in your mental wellness journey.

Healing from Guilt, Shame, and Emotional Pain

For those walking through post-abortion and/or abuse recovery, mental struggles often center around guilt, shame, or self-blame. These emotions can be deeply rooted and difficult to release.

This is where Jesus as Healer becomes especially significant. His message is one of forgiveness, grace, and new beginnings. Bringing your pain honestly before Him—without hiding—creates space for healing to begin. Instead of carrying the weight alone, you are invited to release it and receive peace.

Moving Forward with Hope and Healing

Mental wellness and a relationship with Jesus work together to create a path toward wholeness. Healing is always not instant, and it’s not always easy—but it is possible. Each day is an opportunity to take a step forward, to think a little differently, and to experience a little more peace.

If you are on this journey, know that you don’t have to navigate it alone. Jesus meets you where you are—in the middle of the struggle—and walks with you toward healing. With time, intentional care, and faith, your mind can find rest, your heart can find peace, and your life can move forward with renewed hope.

Being in a space where others understand—where you don’t have to explain or hide—can make a meaningful difference. Post-abortion and abuse recovery support groups, like those at My Ashes to Beauty, are created to offer that kind of safe, compassionate environment. We invite you to join us on a conference call, a safe place where you can speak honestly about your abortion or abuse, in an understanding and loving environment.

Please reach out if you would like to talk this week: toni@myashestobeauty.com.

Here for you,

Toni

 

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The Uncontrollable Rage Within Me (Part 1 & 2)

The Uncontrollable Rage Within Me (Part 1 & 2)

The Uncontrollable Rage Within Me (Part 1)

by Toni Weisz/Abuse Recovery

Scriptures: Ecclesiastes 7:9 and Psalm 4:4

Ecclesiastes 7:9 Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the heart of fools. (ESV)

Psalm 4:4 Be angry, and do not sin. Mediate within your heart on your bed, and be still. (ESV)

 

My home of origin was chaotic and unsafe emotionally. From the time I was a small child, I did not have a voice and hid in the background to keep under the radar. My father was so stressed from his family business that he was always at the boiling point with his temper. I describe him as a rageaholic. He could not control his rage; it controlled him. As a result, my mom frantically tried to control his temper by forcing us kids to be quiet and compliant so as not to make him angry. She was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at 23 years old. My mom was not equipped to deal with my father’s anger. When the three of us would misbehave, she would react in unhealthy ways. It was a very unpredictable place for a child.

I made decisions that were very unhealthy because I had no one else to turn to. My mom was so busy running around putting out fires, soshe didn’t see that I was struggling. My dad was so exhausted from running the family business, which was very demanding emotionally and physically. As a 12-year-old, I was isolated physically and emotionally, and that’s when the devil entered the picture. I started drinking Scotch whiskey from my parent’s liquor cabinet at 12 years old, using drugs at 13, having sex at 16, and having my abortion at 21.

When I think back on that time, I am so sad for the little girl who just wanted to be loved and cherished but didn’t experience that. Everyone was caught up in their own stuff, and they were not able to clearly see what was going on in our family. But the devil saw it; and man did he have a field day. A special note: I know my parents loved me and did the best they could with what they had.

I learned to wear a mask, hiding my feelings and stuffing them. This stuffing would eventually come out, but it was destructive and harmful. When I was a teenager in college and would get intoxicated, I would try to hurt myself by kicking in my dorm room window and punching doors and walls. I was filled with so much hatred towards myself, and I didn’t know where it was coming from or how to control it. Now looking back, I was angry that I did not receive the love I needed but instead was manipulated and emotionally abused by my family, feeling rejected and alone.

My boyfriend in college took me to the counseling center on campus. They only stirred up my anger even more, and then they would say, “Time is up. See you next week?” I was thinking to myself, “Now what am I supposed to do with all this junk you just brought up?!” I hated this process; there seemed to be no solution. This only caused me to medicate myself even more with drugs and alcohol to numb the pain that was surfacing.

When I would feel the rage building inside me, it was usually caused by a blocked goal or a perceived injustice. I would feel my cheeks getting hot and this thing rising within me. It was like this monster whom I had no control over; I would spew hot volcanic ash on anyone in my way. Then I would be overcome with these intense feelings of shame and guilt. This unhealthy behavioral pattern would last for decades. It was what I saw modeled in my home, and I knew no other way. I wish I wouldn’t have reacted like that, but I didn’t know what to do or who to turn to. Drinking and drugs were my escape from all the pain I had suffered all my life. They worked for a while, but I needed someone to love me just the way I was, someone who could take my pain away. I needed a miracle.

Then one day, I met Jesus, and He took all of my pain, healed my broken heart, and loved me just the way I was. I am so grateful for the day I became His child.

Questions to take to heart:

  1. Do you struggle with extreme anger/rage due to your past trauma?
  2. How have you handled this in your past?
  3. Have you been able to conquer this monster?
  4. How were you able to do that?
  5. How can we pray for you?

I pray this topic has been helpful for you. Please reach out if you need to talk or if you need prayer: toni@myashestobeauty.com.

You are loved,
Toni

________________________________________________________

 

The Uncontrollable Rage within Me. Toni Weisz blog. post-abortion and abuse recovery support group

My Uncontrollable Rage Within Me (Part 2)

by Toni Weisz/Abuse Recovery

Scriptures: Psalm 27:10, 141:3, and Ephesians 4:26-27, 29-32

Psalm 27:10
When my father and mother forsake me, then the Lord will take care of me.

Psalm 141:3
Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips.

Ephesians 4:26-27, 29-32
Be angry, and do not sin: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil. Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away with all malice. And be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

 

How did I finally start having control over my anger? This was a very long and hard process. First, I had to go back to my home of origin to understand why I was so angry. I learned that I felt unloved and rejected, and I had no voice because I stuffed everything. My home was unpredictable, and I was scared. So, I hid in the shadows. My sister and brother had my parents very busy so I could slip in and out and sneak this and that, pretty much undetected by them, while keeping my, “good, quiet one,” persona going.

I was saved at the age of 34, and God gave me an insatiable desire to read the Word of God. I would spend hours every day reading the Word and memorizing Scripture, and it was slowly transforming my life and healing my broken soul. Rejection was a huge wound for me. Once I was saved, I then had the Holy Spirit living inside me and felt His presence and peace in my life. He gave me the courage to step out and be healed.

But I still needed to acquire tools to help me navigate this in a healthy manner because exploding on people and punching walls was totally unacceptable. I needed to change that. But how? Slowly through the help of others and the work of the Holy Spirit in my life, I learned to communicate in a healthy manner to address things as they happen and not to stuff anymore. I learned to put up boundaries and not to overcommit and not to run and hide anymore. It was not easy, but it was worth it. I wanted to break this generational curse so it would not plague my children and their children. It takes courage to change, and I was determined to have a better quality of life and to improve in this area.

I started standing up for myself and not allowing others to manipulate and control me. I now felt like I had some control over the situations and individuals in my life. My life had become more manageable. I felt more peace because of the work of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God and also the recovery groups and the post-abortion Bible Studies I had done that all helped me heal. The Lord was slowly revealing truth to me. I am loved, adopted, and cherished by my Heavenly Father. He is all I need.

When my father and mother forsake me, then the Lord will take care of me. (Psalm 27:10)

And He has taken good care of me. I am not that little girl anymore who has to run and hide. I can stand on God’s truth. I can use my voice to speak the truth in love. When I get angry or frustrated, I need to separate and take a few moments to collect my thoughts or go in another room until I cool down. I have learned not to speak while I am angry but to hold my tongue. I pray, and then I respond in a way that is calm and unemotional. I know what it is like to be hurt by others’ words, so I am very intentional that my words are encouraging and life affirming.

I rarely get angry like I used to because I no longer stuff my feelings. I communicate properly, and I don’t run away from difficult situations. I have an accountability partner that I speak with once per week. This helps me from falling into sin. It’s someone I can trust to share what’s going on in my life without judgment. I can be completely honest and open, and when I need to be corrected or challenged, she does that.

You can have victory over your anger, too. First, you must recognize what the root cause of your anger is. Is it unmet expectations, a blocked goal, fear, or some kind of injustice or abuse? As a child, all I wanted was to be loved and accepted. I wanted to be able to communicate and express myself without fear of punishment or harsh judgment. I wanted to feel safe emotionally.

Questions to take to heart:

  1. What was your home of origin like? Describe it briefly.
  2. Were you able to communicate your thoughts and feelings freely?
  3. Did you struggle with anger? If so, what was the root cause for your anger? Unmet expectations, a blocked goal, fear, or some kind of injustice or abuse?
  4. How can we pray for you?

I pray that with God’s help, you were or are able to discover the root causes for your anger. Please reach out if you need to talk: toni@myashestobeauty.com.

 

You are loved,
Toni

 

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Leaving Things Behind

Leaving Things Behind

Leaving Things Behind

by Luci Boudreaux/Abuse Recovery

Scriptures: Philippians 3:12-17 and 2 Corinthians 5:17

Philippians 3:12-17 “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained. Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.”

2 Cor 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

From the time I was a young girl until the age of 25, when I surrendered my life to Jesus, I had established so many ungodly behavior patterns and unhealthy thinking, which lead to unhealthy coping mechanisms, that I was having difficulty becoming the woman of God I knew He wanted me to be. I knew I was delivered from eternal damnation but what about living an abundant life now?

I was unsure of and always second–guessing myself, very insecure and filled with painful memories which made me angry and frustrated. It affected my relationship with the Lord and others. I knew what the Bible taught me, that Jesus loves me and cast away my sins as far as the east is to the west, just as 2 Corinthians 5:17 declares, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

I wanted to believe it to my very core, but I knew who I had been, the things I had done; my faith and hope were weak. The enemy was trying to steal my hope for a better life. I was fearful to step out and trust God in all the places of my life that needed to be dealt with before I could move forward.

But one thing was constant and strong in my heart. And that is, I wanted to be healed and whole in my inner being. I worked at it by spending time in God’s Word, in community with other believers, playing uplifting music, and listening to godly teachers who lived like they believed.

But I continued to struggle. I couldn’t understand why I was still stuck in this place and continuing to return to my old ways of thinking and doing. Does this resonate with any of you? You go to church, read God’s Word, listen to worship music, but it doesn’t seem to be moving your forward in your faith walk. Perhaps you are holding onto that one thing that is weighing you down.

At this point I sought out ministries and two specific women counselors that understood my broken past and what it felt like to have no self–worth. These women of God taught me to understand my position in Christ and that I was a new creation; I no longer needed to revisit my past for the sake of condemning myself. I learned how to recognize that the painful events of my past do not define me nor do they have to direct how I live my life for Jesus today. I learned that healthy boundaries are important and that I have the power to use these experiences to forgive, which allows me to heal and help others in their journey.

I am a very different woman today. I embrace the truth that I am a daughter of the Most High God, who doesn’t need to fear anything in both this world or the spiritual realm! I am a warrior, an ambassador, who God promises to equip for every situation in this life so that I may walk in victory and display His character.

Questions:

Are you allowing your past to hinder you from moving forward in your healing journey?

What is preventing you from embracing what God is calling you to?

How may we pray for you?

Additional Info to Share:

While we can’t erase our past, it’s important for us to allow God to use it to mature us in the present. We can’t know the details of our future so it’s futile for us to worry about it; we can only use the wisdom from God to plan our future and then submit the outcome to Him.

We can’t allow any breach in our spiritual armor.

As Paul said in Philippians 3, we haven’t “arrived,” but we are focused on moving forward, towards the goal of becoming more and more like Jesus. In view of this, I see every situation that comes into my life as an opportunity for the Holy Spirit to teach me how to demonstrate His ways. He allows it, so I submit to it, knowing it’s for His glory and my ultimate holiness.

God is doing a spiritually renewing work in each of us. And my desire is that we all draw closer to His heart. I’m learning to distinguish what things help and what don’t help.

One of the spiritually positive things in my life is spending time with like–minded believers who I can live out my faith with. It’s important for us to pay close attention and seek out those who walk in the way of Christ. Follow their example; you will become like those you spend the majority of your time with.

Use the issues we discuss in these conference calls to propel you into a better place; don’t settle anymore! We can experience the abundant life here and now! But It takes a lot of courage to change!

You are loved, and we are praying God will bring the healing you desire.

Questions to Consider:

  1. Are you allowing your past to hinder you from moving forward in your healing journey?
  2. What specifically is God calling you to let go of
  3. How may we pray for you?

We are here to help you in your journey. Please reach out if you need to talk. You can email me at: overcomer982@icloud.com.

Your friend,
Luci

 

 

Read more blogs here.

The Prodigal Son

The Prodigal Son

The Prodigal Son

By Toni Weisz/Abuse Recovery

Scriptures: Luke 15:11-24, Jeremiah 31:3b-c, Luke 15:10, II Corinthians 5:21a, Ephesians 2:1b, Luke 15:10, Revelation 7:9, Romans 8:15b-c, Revelation 19:9, and Romans 8:35

Luke 15:11-24

Then He said: “A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal (wasteful) living. But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.

“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ’

“And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

“But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.”

Some have called this, “The Running Father,” instead of, “The Prodigal Son,” because it’s the actions of the father in these Scriptures that give us insight into the very heart of God, our Heavenly Father, towards us, His children. I can imagine the father looking to the horizon every day for a glimpse of his son returning home. And every day losing hope that he would return. Then one day, he spots his son and is filled with compassion for him. He girds up his loins (takes his robe from back to front between his legs and tucks it into his belt) and runs to his son. During Biblical times, a man of his stature in the community would not do such a thing in public, but he didn’t care what others thought. I read that the son could have been banned from the town or humiliated publicly because he dishonored his father and their town with his sinful actions. This was another possible reason why the father ran to his son; he wanted to protect him from the humiliation and judgement of others.

Let’s put ourselves in the shoes of the prodigal son. Didn’t we run away from the homes that God had given us in part due to the dysfunction and/or because we wanted to explore the world and live our lives our own ways? All the while, our Heavenly Father is watching and looking for us to return home to Him. How it must have broken His heart to see the destructive, ungodly choices we made. And yet, He loves us with an everlasting love; He yearns for us to come home to Him (Ref. Jeremiah 31:3b-c). The angels in heaven rejoice over one sinner who repents (Ref. Luke 15:10).

God sent His Son to die for us so we could be set free from the punishment we deserved because of all our sins. I love the correlation between the prodigal son’s father and our Heavenly Father. Jesus became sin for us (Ref. II Corinthians 5:21a) and was naked, beaten, and crucified, and He died for us. He was humiliated and tortured for me and you. When I think of what Jesus did on the cross for me, I am overwhelmed with gratitude because I know I didn’t deserve it, but I humbly receive this precious gift of salvation that cost God the most precious thing He had, His Son.

Lastly, we too were once dead in our trespasses and sins against God (Ref. Ephesians 2:1b), but when we confessed our sins, like the prodigal son, we were welcomed into the family of God. There was a celebration in heaven the day you received Christ as your Savior (Ref. Luke 15:10). God has clothed you in a beautiful white robe (Ref. Revelation 7:9), put a ring on your finger, and adopted you into His Holy Family (Ref. Romans 8:15b-c). One day, we will all be together for the great feast in heaven, the Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Ref. Revelation 19:9). Hallelujah! Thank you, Jesus!

Thank you, Father, for adopting me into your family. I am no longer an orphan, a stranger, or an outcast; I am yours forever.

Note: To you precious ones who did not have good earthly fathers, it is hard to think of God as a good Heavenly Father. Please know that God’s heart broke when he saw the abuse and neglect you suffered at the hands of your earthly fathers. God is not like your earthly father; He is kind, gentle, compassionate, holy, and faithful. He loves you with an everlasting love. Nothing can separate you from the love of God through Christ Jesus our Lord (Ref. Romans 8:35).

Questions to take to heart:

  1. What was your relationship like with your earthly father?
  2. Was it hard for you to trust God, due to the abuse and dysfunction from your home of origin?
  3. How do you see your Heavenly Father?
  4. How can we pray for you?

Please reach out if you need to talk, toni@myashestobeauty.com.
You are Loved,
Toni

 

Read more of Toni's blogs HERE.
Abortion: Our Only Option

Abortion: Our Only Option

Abortion: Our Only Option

By Toni Weisz/Spiritual Warfare

Scripture References: Genesis 3:15 and Genesis 1:27

Genesis 3:15“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”

Genesis 1:27“So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”

It takes courage to be healed from a past abortion. Going back to look at the sins that contributed to our abortion decision is hard.

Did I seek God? No.

Did I ask a Christian friend? No, I didn’t have any.

Did I ask my parents for help? I didn’t. How about you?

From the time we are little girls, the enemy’s plan is to isolate us. That way, he has us exactly where he wants us when we are faced with life-altering decisions: alone.

In the book of Genesis, we learn that Satan’s purpose was to destroy the seed of the woman who would give birth to the Messiah. God’s response to Satan in the garden describes the struggle that would ensue because of this purpose: “I will put enmity (hostility) between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.” (Genesis 3:15).

Since that very moment, every child in the womb has become a target for Satan to destroy. Satan hates humans because we are created in the image of God (ref. Genesis 1:27). He takes this hatred one step further by convincing women that abortion is a good thing. How sinister is that? It is evil and unnatural for a woman, a mother, to kill her baby. Those of us who’ve had an abortion have done just that.

How did we let this happen?

Here are a few questions we can ask ourselves to uncover the reason(s) behind our abortions. I’ve included my own answers.

Questions:

  1. What were the circumstances that lead to your abortion(s)?

Toni: I was in college living an ungodly life filled with drugs, alcohol, and sex. I was running away from my past pain. I just wanted to escape from my life, and this sinful lifestyle gave me some relief for a little while. So, when I found myself pregnant, I was fearful my child would be severely deformed from all the drugs and alcohol. I also feared my parent’s reaction.

  1. When you found out you were pregnant, who did you tell?

Toni: I told one of my housemates who also had an abortion; she said it was no big deal. She had just had one recently. I told one of my boyfriend’s sisters; she even told me where to make an appointment.

  1. Did you tell your parents? If yes, what was their reaction?

Toni: No, I was too fearful of their reaction, and I didn’t want to hurt them. I wish I would have had the courage to tell them. I made a mistake and needed help, but I did not have the courage to do that.

  1. Did you talk with the father of the baby? Did he have a say?

Toni: He just assumed I would have an abortion. He didn’t know what his role was. We really didn’t talk about it. The father of that baby is my husband, and we will be celebrating our 40th anniversary this year.

  1. Does your abortion decision still bring you deep pain and regret?

Toni: I still mourn the loss of my son, Joseph. But by the grace of God, He has healed me from my past abortion. And I look forward to the day when I will see my son face-to-face. Thank you, God, for this gift.

The members of My Ashes to Beauty are here to walk alongside you and to help you. This ministry offers you hope and healing through a relationship with Jesus, the Word of God, the Holy Spirit, and a safe community to share your heart and your tears from your past abortion.

God wants His daughters healed and whole to live the abundant life He came to give them. Please reach out if you need additional help and healing. Email me at: arwsg4u2@gmail.com.

You are loved,

Toni

 

Read more of Toni's blogs HERE.