Dear Desperately Depressed ~
You are in powerful company . . . Abraham Lincoln, Charles Dickens, and Sir Isaac Newton all endured devastating depression throughout their lives. So did Tammy Lynn Baker, wife of Jim Baker, well-known television evangelist.
I happened to tune in one day when Tammy Lynn shared frankly with a television audience about her deep, dark, debilitating battles with depression. Tammy literally spent years of her married life in bed, sleeping her pain away. Her husband, God Bless Him, prayed for and cared for her while they both hoped for a miracle.
Tammy said her 'miracle' came one day when she was asked to visit and elderly woman who had lost a loved one and was suffering much as Tammy often did. Tammy went, of course; and discovered that very day that as she prayed for and talked to this suffering Sister, she grasped how much more her Sister had endured than she. Tammy also later realized that during and after the time she had spent 'one-anothering' this lonely, grieving woman her own symptoms of depression were completely relieved.
The Holy Spirit, Tammy says, convinced her that day that the ultimate 'cure' for depression is ministry. . . to look for and to go to someone whose situation may be even more heartbreaking than your own. "To present your body a living sacrifice."
Because I, too, am prone to isolate in my grief, failure, or frustration, I eventually MAKE MY SELF take Tammy Baker's 'Sure Cure' for Depression. Engaging my mind and my energy outward and into the life of another leaves no room for the enemy of my soul to drown me in doubt or pierce me with self-pity.
Once again, I realize that Almighty God's command ~ so annoying to obey and so tempting to avoid ~ is a blessing of love, peace and JOY in disguise.
You are in powerful company . . . Abraham Lincoln, Charles Dickens, and Sir Isaac Newton all endured devastating depression throughout their lives. So did Tammy Lynn Baker, wife of Jim Baker, well-known television evangelist.
I happened to tune in one day when Tammy Lynn shared frankly with a television audience about her deep, dark, debilitating battles with depression. Tammy literally spent years of her married life in bed, sleeping her pain away. Her husband, God Bless Him, prayed for and cared for her while they both hoped
Tammy said her 'miracle' came one day when she was asked to visit and elderly woman who had lost a loved one and was suffering much as Tammy often did. Tammy went, of course; and discovered that very day that as she prayed for and talked to this suffering Sister, she grasped how much more her Sister had endured than she. Tammy also later realized that during and after the time she had spent 'one-anothering' this lonely, grieving woman her own symptoms of depression were completely relieved.
The Holy Spirit, Tammy says, convinced her that day that the ultimate 'cure' for depression is ministry. . . to look for and to go to someone whose situation may be even more heartbreaking than your own. "To present your body a living sacrifice."
Because I, too, am prone to isolate in my grief, failure, or frustration, I eventually MAKE MY SELF take Tammy Baker's 'Sure Cure' for Depression. Engaging my mind and my energy outward and into the life of another leaves no room for the enemy of my soul to drown me in doubt or pierce me with self-pity.
Once again, I realize that Almighty God's command ~ so annoying to obey and so tempting to avoid ~ is a blessing of love, peace and JOY in disguise.
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