Not a Death Sentence

Today, we continue our Depression Series co-hosted by Lisa fromcommunity moms.wordpress.com and myself. You can view all posts in the series so far here. Be sure to visit Lisa’s blog next Wednesday, 11 March 2015 to read another another post in this series.

In today’s post Sanjay shares with us how he supported his mother-in-law as she battled her depression.

 

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A few years ago my mother-in-law (Margaret) was battling with depression having contemplated a few horrific events in her life growing up, her present life at the time and the recent death of her Mother. She had lost her will to live, to move and generally to ‘be’.

Tired and lethargic she carried on through her day hopeless, sad and quiet. This manifested in several ways in her physical body through aches and pains and even confusion. Her sleeping patterns were erratic at best and she felt like speaking to no one….not even to family at times.

The medication helped to some extent with the aches and pains and sleeping but I decided to go further. I spent some time with her everyday, talking and helping however I could to get her through her day. I created (through God’s strength) a consistent presence before her everyday. We prayed and listened to gospel music and she became more open over time. We read more and more of the Holy scriptures and I became a listening ear when need be when she needed to offload or vent about anything that troubled her heart.

We went to the beach and spent lots of time in nature and soon her smile was returning. I encouraged her family who were trying their best to help just to spend time with her, pray with her, reassure her and talk to her as much as they could to help her out of this dark situation.

A couple months passed and after much prayer and guidance from God she started making jokes and laughing and eating much better. She needed less and less medication as she was returning to her old self. We went for walks everyday and addressed all and any feelings that she had concerning what lead to her condition. It was clear the God was doing a work in her and indeed she was delivered! Today she now works as a successful Realtor (Owner of her very own Real Estate business).

When I /we think back upon that time we always remember how God got her through and I really saw the importance of being your brother’s keeper. To ‘be there’ for someone goes so much further than just being present. Whether physically or in prayer we can uplift each other in the hard times and really be a supporting and therapeutic hand that ushers in the power of Christ to another when it is needed most.

Depression is never a death sentence, even though it may feel like that some days. There is light at the end of the tunnel and that light is the light of the world…and his name is Jesus Christ. When it is a safe and absolute necessity, consider the use of medication but more importantly…employ ‘Christian Counselling’ (using the word of God along with effective counselling to uplift the soul from darkness) for there is no other hope to cling to than the Hope given by the Son of God. In time of sadness and despair the bible reveals in the book of Psalm chapter 42 verse 11 

Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

Look to God brethren for he alone is the Great Physician.

Nothing Against the Truth

When God created man, he was made lower than the angels (psalm 8:5 and Hebrews 2:7)

The Angels were the highest of all created beings. They were so close to God that they covered His glory.

Lucifer coveted more. He wanted to be like God. He wanted God’s power and authority. And so he tried to take it.

Isaiah 14:12-14
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:

I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

But he could take hod’s authority no power by force.

It was impossible for creature life to sit on the throne of God. On thow who posess the very life of God can sit on that throne.

Man sinned.

Satan rejoiced. He had gotten man to fall and now there was no hope for him.

But he was wrong.

There was hope for man. Not through created life- that was hopeless.

Man’s hope came in the fact that the Son of God would give His life for and to them.

John 3: 16 – 17
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

And now we see man, being elevated to sit on the very throne of God!

Revelation 3:21

To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

That which Satan coveted the most was impossible for him to get. But, when man lost everything, God in His love for man, gave him everything in order to redeem him- and that everything was Himself.

When Satan caused man to fall he thought that he had thwarted God’s plan for man. But, through man’s fall God made a more glorious way, and that way was through His son.

 

His Precious One

 

Today I am linking up to a story by Kamea about depression.

When I was just five years old, my life was completely shattered through the selfishness of others. The boys who robbed me of my innocence were not the only perpetrators. In my post Innocence Punished, I shared how the harsh discipline and lack of protection in my family taught me that the world was an unsafe place. I came to believe that I could trust no one, and that I was not worthy of being loved or protected.

Violent nightmares would rip me from sleep, and I would lay in the dark of my bedroom shaking in fear. Crying silently, all alone. During the day, I hid my secrets behind empty smiles.

I tried to convince myself that I was fine, but in reality my life was an empty shell. I trusted no one, so had no real friends.

To read the rest of this story click here

Be sure to return Wednesday 4 March 2015 where we will hear another post in our depression series.

23-27 February Week in Review

Whew! What a week!

This week we had two major events- sports day and an agricultural festival. Talk about draining.

For  the sports day we were able to get back home before 1:00pm so that my daughter could nap. Today however, we did not make it home until 6:00 pm. What that meant was NO NAP!

For those of you with children who sells well, this is no big deal for you. But for those of us whose children are horrible sleepers this is almost a crime!

Nonetheless, we survived the day and I must say that the children had a blast. And best of all Daddy was there on this field trip! He usually misses the fun unless we do them in the vacation or on the weekend.

Our field trip was also excellent in helping to review all the we have learned over the last 4 weeks of this school year.

For bible we talked about creation, how Adam and Eve were to take care of the garden and the animals, how sin entered and caused things to die and offering a sacrifice for sin.

Here are a few pictures of some of the things we saw at the festival:

Animals

 

Plants

 

Birds

 

This week in Bible we looked at the sacrifice for sin and as well as Cain and Abel. Through this topic we were able to focus on choices and consequences and the children learned a lot about this 

Our craft for art this week was making standing lambs for the sacrifice. We were supposed to make stone altars but we will do that on Sunday morning first thing.

And we we also had an impromptu clothing painting session- to cover stains 😉

Well that was our busy week.

How was your week?

He Has Sent Us to Comfortthe Broken-hearted

Is depression a sin? No. But what we do as an outlet for our pain may be. If we turn to other things instead of allowing God to help us, then this could be a problem.

Visit Me Too Moments where you will watch a powerful testimony shared by Angel from Vision 61 Ministries.

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Be sure to return here on Wednesday 4th March 2015 where we will hear a testimony of how one man showed support to a loved one facing depression.