Home of the Darkwater Author
I enjoy walking labyrinths. Labyrinths are maze-like structures that have been used as spiritual tools for centuries. There are many of them around, and I am in the habit of trying to visit a lot of them. For more information about labyrinths, check out The Labyrinth Society. Find where labyrinths are in your area at the … Continue reading Labyrinth #72: Orchard Hill Center, Skillman, NJ
I was recently interviewed by Tracy at Calming the Chaos. We talk about all kinds of things, from the "Mike Treatment" to bongo drums to labyrinths. Check it out at the following links! YouTube Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify View a list of all my podcast episodes.
The Dark Voice has been with me since childhood. My closest companion, my eternal shadow. It’s the part of me that hates me, that wants me to feel miserable. It tells me: You are worthless. It tells me: You are only hurting people. Above all, it tells me: You should have known better. This voice … Continue reading It’s Not Easy Seeing Green
So, this morning I was driving to my biweekly therapy session. Along the way I was listening to one of my favorite podcasts, Not Good. The episode I heard was about grief; the host Molly gave a very thoughtful and heartfelt monologue about what grief looks like, what it feels like, and shared some very … Continue reading Validating our Grief
Over the last few months, I have been working with my excellent friend Pete Barry to create the audiobook version of Darkwater: A Pastor's Memoir of Depression and Faith. I'm pleased to announce that it is now available! Complete and unabridged, read by the author (me!), and running to a grand total of five hours … Continue reading Darkwater Audiobook!
So, as I blogged about a few days ago, I've been thinking and journaling about deserving since Lent began on Wednesday. I gotta tell you, this deserving stuff is hard for me. A few things have already become clear to me: First, that there is a very large, very loud part of me that feels … Continue reading This Deserving Stuff is Hard
At my therapy session this morning, we talked about how important it was that I finally made the phone call to my doctor two weeks ago. I'm now getting physical therapy, which will hopefully help my back. (So far, nothing -- but these things take time.) I shared that making that phone call was the … Continue reading What Do I Deserve in Lent?
So I’ve been having back issues lately. I know when it started. One day in October, I attended a conference, and walked around with my messenger bag on my shoulder all day. When the day ended, my back was not right. It wasn’t agony, but it was annoying, also familiar. I’ve wrenched my back maybe … Continue reading Backs and Burdens
I had a wonderful time speaking with Paul at the Our Walk Together podcast. Go ahead and listen to it below. https://our-walk-together.simplecast.com/episodes/the-intersection-of-faith-and-mental-illness-with-michael-scholtes
I had a blast talking with Verne at That Christian in Recovery. He and I have very different life-stories, but we also had a surprising amount in common with our struggles. Take a listen! That Christian in Recovery: "Pastor Michael J Scholtes Shares His Battle with Depression"
Scholtes-Blog 