hello! Welcome back to my little corner of the internet:)
While Adventures in Odyssey is radio show marketed towards children; it’s notoriously loved by teenagers and young adults. The show has many loveable things to offer: nostalgia, humor, and lessons that continue to hold valuable truths throughout life.
The ‘teenage years’ are known for being long, challenging, and confusing; and this ‘dream’ has not passed me up. In the past several years I have dealt with many struggles, such as time management, overwhelming anxiety, intense depression, and codependency issues. I’ve found comfort, peace, and healing in many forms. This post is not “how to fix your mental health issues” instructions, but instead a display of things that have helped me. God is a God of peace, and only He brings true healing. But He can show you His comfort in many forms. I’ve found solace and advice in music, books, therapy, exercise, helpful conversations, and (funnily enough) Adventures in Odyssey episodes (see? I am finally getting to the point).
If I wrote one post about every episode that has changed me and helped me to become the person and Christian that I am today then it would be pages long and probably not very fun to read. So in this post I will only write about one.
When consuming media, I typically latch onto a fictional character that I find extremely relatable. AIO has many characters that I relate to and can see myself reflected in (which is a staple of a good show). As I’ve grown up I’ve seen myself in several characters (Aubrey, Alex, Mandy, Jay, etc.) but recently I have really attached myself to our beloved Connie Kendall.
Between You and Me (#503)
Official Summary: “Connie wonders if she’s spending too much time with Robert Mitchell. Then he gets an offer from the FBI … to move to Virginia.” (aio wiki)
In this episode Connie and Mitch spend lots of time together, so much time that they neglect their other responsibilities and friends. When struggles occur, Connie realizes she has neglected the only people and things she used to rely on. This episode shows an increasingly common struggle, codependency issues (an unhealthy dependence on relationships-mental health america).
This episode really ‘hits home’ for me. I’ve struggled with hyper-fixating on something, or someone, to the point that I don’t know what to do without it. This issue is brought up in the Bible as ‘putting something before God’. Your priorities, even if they’re good, can be damaging if your relationship with God is not #1.
I don’t have an ‘one-size-fits-all-answer’ and I don’t truly don’t believe there is one. I think this episode brings up a common issue and the depth of it’s consequences. Recently I have acknowledged the fact that I struggle with it and I’ve been working to improve. I couldn’t do it alone. I constantly rely on God, my sister, and my friends. I truly cannot express the positive impact I’ve received when I asked for the prayers of my boyfriend and other close friends.
If nothing else, I hope this post showed hope. Hope for my future, and hope that your struggles are not the end of the world. My intention for this post is to bring you comfort, peace, and for you to see that you are not alone. The Evil One lies, and constantly tries to isolate us. You are truly not alone. I hope this is a reminder of the comfort and peace that God will bring you if you ask.
Mark 11: 24-25 “24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
~The Perilous Pen~
The Perilous Pen 