Welcome. I'm Glad You're Here.
A short note on what this is, and who it's for.
Hi. I’m Mike.
I’m a pastor-theologian who spent twelve years as the lead pastor of a small, local congregation in the Houston area and now serves as a chaplain for high school students. I’ve spent over fifteen years in ministry, I have a couple of degrees in theology, and I spend my days sitting with teenagers and parents and ministry and school leaders in some of the hardest moments of their lives.
I also know what it’s like to be the one in the hard moment. I had crushing anxiety as a teenager. I’ve walked with what doctors call “treatment-resistant depression” for most of my adult life. I love Jesus with everything I have, and I have also laid awake at 2am wondering where he is and what he is up to with me.
That’s what this is.
A place where those two things are allowed to sit next to each other.
Cruciform Hope is honest writing about faith and mental health. It’s for the person who hasn’t stopped praying but is barely holding it together. It’s for the parent watching their kid struggle and quietly blaming themselves. It’s for the pastor who cares for everyone and is cared for by no one. It’s for the Christian who is tired of being told to just trust God a little harder.
Here’s what I’ll try never to do: hand you a platitude. Tell you your pain is a faith problem. Rush you toward a resolution you’re not in yet.
Here’s what I’ll try to do instead: tell you the truth, take both your faith and your suffering seriously at the same time, and point you toward the God we know in Jesus, who came far closer to your pain than anyone ever told you.
Deep reflections. Honest hope.
That’s the whole promise.
I ground my reflections on mental health in a robust cruciform theology, and I also love learning about the latest neuroscience and psychological truths about mental health and mental illness. I like to go deep. And I can’t live without hope.
If that sounds like something you need, subscribe. It’s free, and there’s a lot more coming. I’m really glad you’re here.
Mike Skinner is the founder of Cruciform Hope Ministries and currently serves as a chaplain for interdenominational high school students. He has over fifteen years in pastoral ministry and a Master of Arts in Theological Studies.