Speaking

Debbie Thurman is available to speak at churches, retreats or any venue where the focus is mental health issues or spiritual growth. She can provide short programs (one to two hours) or longer workshop or seminar formats lasting a half-day or a full day. Her husband, Russ, is available for some presentations.

Available topics are:

Finding Hope in the Age of Melancholy: Focuses on historical, sociological and spiritual origins of depression and comparative worldviews. Covers postmodern influences on society. Debbie shares her own testimony and her journey to healing. Biblical and practical advice. Questions and answers.

Growing into Us: Russ and Debbie talk about marriage, citing their own 20 years of married life and God's grace in keeping their marriage intact.

Hold My Heart, A Message for Teens: Addresses topics of interest to the 12 to 21-year-old audience, especially to those who have hurting hearts. Drawing from her own life and from Biblical principles, Debbie gives spiritual insight and hope to emotionally wounded young people.

I Am My Brother's Keeper: Debbie talks about the need to engage with one another and the strength of family and community in helping to fight the epidemic of depression and alienation. She speaks about her brother Greg as he battled severe mental illness, yet found peace at the end of his life in his relationship with Christ.

Finding Significance: A half-day workshop aimed at uncovering the roadblocks to happiness and meaning in our lives and seeing through the Scriptures how God intended for us to live. Deals with God's truth Vs. Satan's lies. Shows how to recognize the effects of false beliefs and replace them with God's truths.

Full-day workshop: Consists of "Finding Hope in the Age of Melancholy" for the morning session and "Finding Significance" in the afternoon session.

Debbie also adds special music to her presentations, where desired.

To book speaking engagements, call (434) 929-8002 or write Debbie Thurman at P. O. Box 399, Monroe, VA 24574-0399. E-mail to .

An Open Letter to Pastors

Greetings in Christ!

In the third millennium, there is much work to be done in Christendom. God has impressed on my heart the need to minister to the emotional needs of broken people, many of whom sit in our churches every Sunday, with His truth and compassion.

In one sense, I am an evangelist. In another, I am a counselor and mentor. In the final analysis, I am a friend who can relate to people struggling with damaged emotions. I wish the statistics were not so grim, but it is no mystery today that tens of millions of people are suffering from anxiety and depressive disorders and a host of related issues. Christians are no exception. In fact, we have manufactured our own special brand of problems, particularly false guilt and self-righteous hypocrisy. Sadly, we tend to shoot our own wounded.

The church should be the ideal hospital where suffering souls can find loving acceptance and healing truth. That's not always the case. Perhaps your church is already effectively addressing these problems. If so, I salute you. But if you could use some help, I and others like me stand ready to offer it.

I will be happy to present your church with a complimentary library copy of From Depression To Wholeness: The Anatomy of Healing if you will simply write or send an e-mail and request it. I am available to come and speak and provide assistance with setting up a lay support ministry in your church.

I would appreciate your prayers for the effectiveness of this ministry and for God's direction of it. God bless you in your own ministry to His people.

Sincerely in Christ,

Debbie Thurman