Walking Through the Shadows Together

Those who don't know me very well, see my life on the surface and think I have it all together and that I have everything going for me. Those who do know me well, know I struggle with depression greatly, and have done so for a vast majority of my life. I'm not ashamed to say it or confess it. It's a common struggle that many people deal with, but it can be so debilitating at times. Just because I am a Christian, doesn't mean my life is perfect or easy. BUT, it does mean that I have great Hope found in my Savior, Jesus Christ, who has overcome the world and can overcome my depression. He promises to be with me through it all, to never leave me nor forsake me. I stumbled across a blog series this month on depression by a Christian author and thought it might encourage others as it has me. It was posted on Alyssa Joy's blog, the wife of Jefferson Bethke (who is known for his spoken word and his book Jesus > Religion).

Alyssa's Blog: http://alyssajoy.me/journal/hope-in-the-darkness/?tp=1126

As I read through the four blog posts that week that were focused around the theme of depression, the last one talked about how to love someone who is depressed. The post was called: Walking Through the Shadows Together. As I read the different things that people can do to love those who are depressed (1. Pray, 2. Remind them of the Truth in scripture, 3. Listen, 4. Never stop telling them you love them, 5. Talk to someone you trust, and 6. Be available), thoughts came to mind of a handful of deeply cherished friends that I have that have done each of those 6 things for me. They have prayed for me, they have pointed me to Jesus through His Word, they have listened to me babble my confused thoughts, they tell me they love me every time we speak, and they are available at any hour of the day to be there for me. Most of these friends I have on my mind come from Waters Edge Church where I have been attending for the last 4 1/2 years. They encourage me when I need uplifting, they speak Truth to me when I need some tough love, they listen to me when I'm overwhelmed with thoughts and feelings, and most importantly, they carry me to Jesus. I feel so incredibly blessed to have these few very special individuals in my life. You know who you are. Thank you for walking through the shadows with me, and pointing me towards the Light. I love you.