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Before we talk about tables, we have to talk about what we bring to them.  Stories. Silence. Survival. July is recognized as Bebe Moore Campbell Minority Mental Health Month, and, to be honest, it does not always receive the same attention as other mental health observances. But maybe that is part of the point.

Some tables have been historically quieter than others. Bebe Moore Campbell was a writer and mental health advocate who pushed for spaces where minority communities could speak openly about mental health without stigma or dismissal. In 2008, July was nationally declared Bebe Moore Campbell Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, with a focus on improving access to mental health treatment and raising public awareness of mental illness among underserved communities. This month is not about separation; it is about recognition. It is about acknowledging that while mental health matters for
everyone, access, language, cultural understanding, and even permission to struggle out loud have not always been equally shared.

And that matters to us as believers.

Because when Jesus invites us to come to the table, He does not mean only if we
are whole. He means come as you are, carrying what you carry. That is where this connects to our “Come To The Table: Let’s Talk” virtual series. We are not just talking to fill space. We are making room.
So what does that look like in practice?  It might look like:

  •  Listening without trying to fix everything,
  •  Checking in on people whose strength has made them easy to overlook,
  •  Learning how culture shapes the way people express pain and honoring that,
  •  Encouraging professional help without attaching shame to it.
  •  Being honest about our own mental and emotional health, even when it feels unfamiliar

Sometimes the most spiritual thing we can do is create safer spaces for ourselves
and for others. Because healing does not always start with answers.  Sometimes it starts with being seen. And maybe that is the invitation this month is really offering; not just to raise awareness, but to pull up a chair for voices that have not always felt welcome at the table.

So here is a simple question to sit with today:

  • who might be carrying something quietly, and
  • what would it look like for you to
    make room for them?

If this reflection spoke to you, consider sharing it with someone you love or
someone who might find it helpful.