The Story Behind the Mission

Mental Health and Jesus was not born out of something we simply read about, studied, or heard someone else talk about. It grew out of real life—out of pain, difficult seasons, relationships affected by mental and emotional struggles, and a personal journey of discovering hope in Jesus.

We know what it is like when life gets heavy. We know that mental health struggles can affect more than one person. They can touch a marriage, impact a family, challenge relationships, and leave loved ones wondering how to help.

This ministry is personal to us because we have lived it.

Brandon’s Story: A Turning Point

For most of his life, MHJ founder Brandon Hathaway lived with severe anxiety and depression. These struggles affected his life, his relationships, and the way he experienced the world around him.

On September 9, 2026, Brandon experienced a profound turning point in his life. Through a deeply personal experience centered on forgiveness and his relationship with the Lord, he describes that day as the day God set him free.

Brandon began confronting the hurt and resentment he had carried toward people who had wounded him. As he spoke their names aloud and faced what he had been holding inside, something shifted. He describes waking the following morning without the sadness that had weighed on him for so long.

For Brandon, this was more than a moment of relief. It became a defining part of his testimony and a renewed understanding of the hope he had found in Jesus.

We also recognize that every person’s journey is different. Brandon’s testimony is not a formula or a promise that everyone will experience healing in the same way. People can love Jesus and still struggle with their mental health. Seeking appropriate professional support is not a failure of faith. We believe people deserve compassion, understanding, and support as they navigate their own journeys.

Jolana’s Story: The Loved Ones Walk This Journey, Too

Mental health struggles do not affect only the person experiencing them. They affect the people who love them, too.

Brandon’s wife, Jolana, has walked alongside him through the challenges that anxiety and depression can bring. She has also experienced the impact of mental health struggles within her wider family.

Being a loved one can be difficult in ways that are not always seen. It can mean carrying worry, feeling helpless when you do not know what to say or do, trying to offer support while managing your own emotions, and loving someone through seasons you cannot fix for them.

Jolana’s experience has helped shape our understanding that loved ones need support, too. They need space to be honest, permission to acknowledge their own struggles, and encouragement as they walk alongside the people they love.

At Mental Health and Jesus, we want individuals and their loved ones to know they do not have to navigate these challenges alone.

Why Mental Health and Jesus Exists

Mental Health and Jesus exists to help bridge the gap between faith and mental health. We want people to know they can be honest about their struggles without feeling ashamed, judged, or forced to choose between their faith and their mental health.

Our heart is to help individuals find hope, equip families and loved ones with greater understanding, and help churches and ministry leaders respond to mental health challenges with compassion.

We believe Jesus belongs in these conversations—not as a reason to dismiss pain, but as the source of our hope as we face it. We also recognize the value of practical mental health education, healthy relationships, supportive community, and appropriate professional care.

We are not here because we have every answer. We are here because we have experienced the reality of these struggles, understand how deeply they can affect people, and want to walk alongside others with honesty, humility, and hope.

You Are Not Alone

This is not about pretending we are okay when we are not. It is about being honest about where we are, finding hope in Jesus, and learning how to walk forward together.

Whether you are struggling yourself, supporting someone you love, or trying to help your church better understand mental health, there is a place for you in this conversation.

Real Struggles. Authentic Faith. Hope in Jesus.

This is Mental Health and Jesus.