Navigating the Blues: Where to Turn When Worry, Anxiety, or Depression Steals Your Hope

by Katara Washington Patton

Overview

Don’t navigate the blues alone. In this 90-day devotional, Katara Washington Patton openly shares her personal experience with the blues. She offers hope through practical steps and godly wisdom that have helped her and many others find freedom from worry, anxiety, and depression. Each day contains an easy-to-read devotion with Scripture, as Patton warmly reminds you that even Jesus suffered and overcame depressing times.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781640702073
Publisher:	Our Daily Bread Publishing
Publication date:	01/03/2023
Pages:	216
Sales rank:	728,031
Product dimensions:	5.38(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

A regular contributor to Our Daily Bread, Katara Washington Patton is senior editor for Our Daily Bread Publishing's Voices Collection. She has authored several books, including 5-Minute Devotional Book for Women: Prayers and Reflections to Strengthen Your Faith and Successful Women of the Bible; has been an editor at Tyndale House Publishers, The Chicago Defender, Urban Ministries, and Jet magazine; and was named nonfiction editor of the year by the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association in 2014. She graduated summa cum laude from Dillard University, and earned a master of journalism from Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern University, and a master of divinity from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, where she received the outstanding preaching award. A native of Thibodaux, Louisiana, Katara and her husband reside on Chicago's South Side. They have one daughter. 


Katara Washington Patton is senior editor for Our Daily Bread Publishing's Voices Collection. She has authored several books, including 5-Minute Devotional Book for Women: Prayers and Reflections to Strengthen Your Faith. She holds a master of journalism from Northwestern University and a master of divinity from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. A native of Thibodaux, Louisiana, Katara and her husband reside on Chicago's South Side. They have one daughter.


 

Table of Contents

Introduction 11

1 Cry Out 15

2 Downcast Soul 17

3 When We Are Distressed, Part 1 19

4 When We Are Distressed, Part 2 22

5 Help for Anxiety 24

6 The Power of Music 26

7 A Way to Bless Others 28

8 Precious Lord 31

9 A Refuge 33

10 Lessons from My Depression 35

11 More Lessons from My Depression 37

12 In Times of Grief 40

13 Holidays and the Blues 43

14 Another Type of Grief 46

15 What to Do with Worry 48

16 A Cheerful Heart 50

17 Be Gentle with Yourself 52

18 Also, Be Kind to Yourself 54

19 Isolation 56

20 A Few Good Friends 58

21 Friends and Words 60

22 Friends and More Words 62

23 Rhythm of Unforced Grace 64

24 A Season for It All 66

25 Acknowledge Emotions 68

26 Not Crushed 70

27 Valleys of Life 72

28 Drowning 74

29 A Different Fight, Part 1 76

30 A Different Fight, Part 2 78

31 Distortions 80

32 Intercede 82

33 Release Expectations 84

34 Thought Life 86

35 A Good Cry 88

36 Physical Exercise 90

37 More on Physical Exercise 92

38 Fighting Temptation 94

39 Choose Gentle 96

40 When You Feel Better, Do Better 98

41 No Shame 100

42 A Little Light 102

43 Adventurous Life? 104

44 Our Witnesses 106

45 Lifted Eyes 108

46 Getting Well, Part 1 110

47 Getting Well, Part 2 113

48 Write the Vision (Getting Well, Part 3) 115

49 An Abundant Life 118

50 PTSD 120

51 More PTSD 122

52 Breath Work 125

53 Resting 127

54 Why Rest? 129

55 The Promise of Morning 131

56 Be Still 133

57 The Power of Honesty 135

58 Acceptance and Change 137

59 The Spirit of Depression 139

60 Changing Clothes 142

61 The Power of Water 144

62 Focusing 146

63 Overfocusing 149

64 Truths to Hold On To, Part 1 151

65 Truths to Hold On To, Part 2 153

66 Truths to Hold On To, Part 3 155

67 Truths to Hold On To, Part 4 157

68 If God Has Done It Before 159

69 Purpose in Today 161

70 A Plea to God 164

71 One Step at a Time 167

72 God's Will 170

73 Boredom and the Blues 172

74 Memoirs 175

75 The Truth Will Set You Free 177

76 These Emotions 179

77 Good Change 181

78 Challenge Days 183

79 Rituals 185

80 Help Someone 187

81 Don't Give Up 189

82 Bucket List 191

83 Social Media Discipline 193

84 Semicolon 196

85 When It's Hard to Pray 198

86 Sitting with Your Lament 200

87 Progress, Not Perfection 202

88 It Takes Work 205

89 Delay Decision-Making 207

90 You Will Get Through 209

About the Author 211

Editorial Reviews

"Katara Patton’s Navigating the Blues 90-day devotional is wonderfully transparent and transformational! The concepts and ideas were so useful to me as I faced my own struggles with doubt, fear, and insecurity. I found great comfort in the shared nuggets of practical wisdom, anecdotes, and use of sacred scripture. As a mental health consumer and advocate, I can attest that Katara Patton’s book will bless those who find themselves in need of practical words of guidance and encouragement."

Rev. Ericka Bailey

"Often believers struggle with accepting their negative emotions because they believe that it contradicts their faith. However, Navigating the Blues provides space for God’s children to be vulnerable without shame or fear as they find comfort for their pain knowing that God hears the cries of His children and will rescue us amid our storms. This book will not only invite you to face those things you have intentionally avoided because of public judgment or self-guilt but it will also invite you to trust the journey as you begin to heal and experience God’s gift of abundant life."

Jasclyn N. Coney

"Katara Washington Patton has crafted a collection of meditations that touch the existential crisis we face as people of faith. How do we navigate the blues internally and the blues we face externally in our nation? Ms. Patton answers the question with spiritual depth, biblical wisdom, and theological insight. We all as human beings made in God’s image will the face the blues; the question for people of faith will always be, can we find the gospel chords among life’s blue notes? This book gives us a road map to handling the blue notes and reclaiming our gospel shout!"

Otis Moss

"Navigating the Blues is a welcome resource for Christians who experience depression, anxiety, or other mental health challenges during difficult times. Patton  . . . offers encouragement to face the blues with self-compassion, honesty, and faith. The devotional offers practical and relatable strategies that support healing. Patton shares wisdom from her own lived experiences with depression and employs prayer, affirmation, and action to steer readers through common, but isolating occurrences of depression."

 

Kesha S. Burch

"These devotions provide a safe space to reflect and be vulnerable in overcoming our fears."

Leticia Ransom

"How I wish I'd had Navigating the Blues when I was in the grip of depression. Katara Patton has been there. And she has grappled with the well-meaning but mistaken counsel of fellow believers who were certain that if her faith were strong enough, she would prevail. Full of faith, compassion, understanding and deep wisdom, these devotions offer comfort, insight and practical, simple tools to help us move toward wholeness, step by step."

Michelle Rapkin

"These daily devotionals offer acknowledgment, acceptance, affirmation, and assistance. Blending applied wisdom with biblical truth, the author compassionately and capably leads her audience to the One who can safely steer us from deepest blue into the Light."

Sandra Byrd

"This much-needed devotional is simply amazing. Depression is a serious issue that the church must pay more attention to. Helps like this offer those who may be suffering a way to confront their issues and begin their healing. I strongly recommend it."

Rev. Virgil M. Woods

"Navigating the Blues is not only timely; it speaks straight to an issue that so many Christians mask with, “Too blessed to be stressed (or depressed).” As someone who wrestles with depression and anxiety, I appreciate the author’s vulnerability with “My Confession.” The way the book is structured is easy to navigate and absorb; there are times you barely have enough energy to get out of bed, let alone read God's Word and when you do, where do you start? Even here, the author directed me to specific Scripture that ministered to that thorn in my side. Lastly, “Progress, Not Perfection,” is a wonderful closing of the daily devotional, providing simple and encouraging steps to be gentle with myself. Katara Washington Patton's Navigating the Blues will minister to the heart and heartache of the blues."

Stacy Holman