Welcome! My name is Pastor Todd Peperkorn, and I’m the author of the book, I Trust When Dark My Road: A Lutheran View of Depression. This is my blog. At this blog, we deal primarily with the areas of mental health (depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, etc.), the theology of the cross, and the pastoral office. Occasionally you will find other topics that may pop up as well.
I started this blog anonymously in 2007 as a way of speaking about depression and the pastoral office. At the time I was on disability for major clinical depression. You can read the book or all the back posts to find out more about that. Through a series of wonderful events, LCMS World Relief and Human Care agreed to publish Dark My Road and make it available free of charge. I would urge you to go to the book page and find out the order information.
If you want to find out more about me, you may check out my personal site here. My regular pastor blog is titled Lutheran Logomaniac, and I would invite you to join us in that conversation, where I will post sermons, articles, musings, rants, pictures, and all sorts of other items of interest. And if you are really into wasting time, you can find me on Facebook here. I served the wonderful people at Messiah Lutheran Church in Kenosha, Wisconsin, from 1999-to 2011. I then served the wonderful people at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Rocklin, California, from 2011-2021. Since 2021 I have served as an assistant professor and Director of Vicarage at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
My church body is The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, although I doubt my experiences are unique to the LCMS.
Hi Todd. I host a blog that is targeted to Christians who are suffering from a mental illness and the stigma that accompanies it. I know two Lutheran brothers who are supportive of what I'm doing and they led me here. I am seeking to list more churches where believers can visit knowing they won't be told their illness is a sin issue or doesn't exist. Many have been hurt deeply because of this. My blog is at http://www.morethancoping.wordpress.com and if you would maybe you might contact me at erunner54@gmail.com Maybe I could link here as well?? God bless! Allan
Hi Todd. I host a blog that is targeted to Christians who are suffering from a mental illness and the stigma that accompanies it. I know two Lutheran brothers who are supportive of what I'm doing and they led me here. I am seeking to list more churches where believers can visit knowing they won't be told their illness is a sin issue or doesn't exist. Many have been hurt deeply because of this. My blog is at http://www.morethancoping.wordpress.com and if you would maybe you might contact me at erunner54@gmail.com Maybe I could link here as well?? God bless! Allan
Hi Todd,
I thank you for your courage in writing your book. It will give hundreds of Pastors, Priests and other clergy the courage to
seek help. I am an Episcopal priest in the Diocese of California
in the San Francisco Bay Area and the father of a son who lives with us and lives with Schizophrenia. I have been active
in the NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, for over 25 years. I invite you to visit our website at http://www.nami.org
and type in NAMIFAITHNET and see the amount of resources
that are available for free. I would like to hear from you.
My email address is FRCHET@SBCGLOBAL.NET
Thank you again for your courage. You are a brave man.
Rev.Chet Watson
Chair, Commission on Mental Illness, Diocese of Ca. S.F
Hi Todd,
I thank you for your courage in writing your book. It will give hundreds of Pastors, Priests and other clergy the courage to
seek help. I am an Episcopal priest in the Diocese of California
in the San Francisco Bay Area and the father of a son who lives with us and lives with Schizophrenia. I have been active
in the NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, for over 25 years. I invite you to visit our website at http://www.nami.org
and type in NAMIFAITHNET and see the amount of resources
that are available for free. I would like to hear from you.
My email address is FRCHET@SBCGLOBAL.NET
Thank you again for your courage. You are a brave man.
Rev.Chet Watson
Chair, Commission on Mental Illness, Diocese of Ca. S.F
Your book was a great comfort and reassurance to me. God is there even when we're not happy and calm inside, and we are children of a Father who is always faithful.
We're hurting like crazy here in Valparaiso after the death of Chaplain and Pastor Grega passed away this week. I have so many questions. I've loaned your book but will get another copy.
Blessings and thank you for your openness and your honesty about the struggle as a child of God to know that we are not in control, and that Jesus is.
Thank you so much for your site and the free download of your book. My dear mom died in January. I spent the past 12 years taking care of her, as she was blind and had many health issues. My life seems to have fallen into the hole caused by her absence. I have struggled with depression for years, but this grief seems like a boulder in the middle of my chest. I know my mom is with Christ, safe, whole, healthy, seeing. But I’m here missing her, and wondering how to recreate my life. I feel very disoriented and directionless. I know this will pass, and God will guide me as I step out in faith, but right now all I want to do is sleep for about a million years. I look forward to reading your book and gaining new insight into how to cope and grow through this difficult time.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Prayers and blessings for the great work you are doing 🙂
PTL (Praise The Lord)
I really loved reading this because it shows that even Christians who have hope in Christ can experience depression. My name is Marissa Mayer and I am a Christian who battles depression and anxiety. I am 16 years old and I live in Wisconsin. I started a blog back in July and I was wondering if you could check it out? Keep on writing…love it!
I encourage you in your work. This is much needed.
Hey Todd,
I am a student at Concordia Lutheran Seminary up here in your neighbor to the North. We were assigned the book for class. I am very grateful for your candidness and willingness to write about this topic. I have struggled with depression and anxiety all my life. I could relate with your journey on several levels. I hope to be a blessing to whatever church I may find myself in, but also to be a blessing to fellow pastors and peers who may benefit from stories such as these.
May God bless you in your work at the seminary and give you opportunity to bless others as well. Not only this, but may he grant you sustaining peace and rest for your own soul.
Ben