“No one understands.”
“I’m all alone.”
“I can’t risk sharing my pain with anyone.”
Have you ever had thoughts like those before? I have.
Can I tell you a secret? Those aren’t your thoughts.
Those are thoughts whispered to you by an enemy who seeks to steal from you, kill you, and destroy your very being. He is a liar and he hates you. He only wants to hurt you and if he can do it by lying to you and convincing you that you are alone and that no one understands you and your pain, then he will.
The real problem is that we don’t often recognize that we have been fed a lie, or that the thoughts we have are often not our own. And we can’t fight back until we know what we are fighting against.
In the battle against depression, we must address the spiritual side of the battle. If we don’t we are just applying band aids and hoping our soul gets well.
Hey y’all! My name is Shelly Richardson and I am so excited to be here to share with you about “Hope Prevails” by Dr. Michelle Bengtson. Her book releases in August of 2016 and I have had the honor and privilege of serving on her launch team and reading an advance copy.
This book is so special to me, as I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression about seven years ago.
In “Hope Prevails,” Dr. Michelle shares about her journey through depression as a neuropsychologist. She shares about her tools of working with her patients and how they just weren’t working for her. She was trying to connect the dots as to why that wasn’t working and realized that there was something missing.
Sure, she was working on the emotional and physical side of depression, but what about the spiritual side? We are made up of mind, body and soul. So, if we are going to heal, we need to heal all three parts of those. And, in “Hope Prevails,” Michelle talks about that healing of that spiritual side.
When we are in the throes of depression or anxiety, we have thoughts that:
- We are not enough.
- We’re all alone.
- No one gets me.
- No one wants to hear this.
- I’m going to be too much.
- I can’t share this with anybody.
- It becomes very lonely.
And in that place when we have those thoughts the enemy just grabs hold of those and he just speaks them over and over and over to us. And, they’re all lies.
Dr. Michelle talks about this in her book. And, not only does she have a beautiful narrative of her story, but with each chapter she shares practical, tangible tips for healing: actual steps that you can take as you are walking through this journey. And she prays over you at the end of each chapter.
The book is so personal that you feel like you are sitting in a room with Michelle sitting across from you. It’s like you are sharing your story with her, and she’s saying, “I understand and I get it. Let’s pray together. And, let’s take these tasks and let’s work on these together. Let’s take that journey, that first step in healing. And you won’t feel alone.”
One of the things that God has given me is just the joy of music and worship. That is another thing that Michelle includes. With each chapter, with each set of tasks, the prescriptions that she gives you at the end, she gives you a playlist of worship songs to enjoy on that path and to listen and to carry you on that journey of healing.
I know some of you might be listening and you’re thinking, “oh, I haven’t dealt with depression and I’m all good. But the one thing that I really would like to get across to you is that if you are a mother, a friend, or a woman in ministry, is that we all have those thoughts that we’re not good enough. We all compare ourselves to the next woman that might be doing so much more than what we are. And, they’re lies because God created us for a purpose and that purpose isn’t the same as the woman standing next to us. So, even though this is a book about depression, I think this is just a practical book for all of us because it helps us build that spiritual side, that relationship with God that He wants us to have for us to know that we are uniquely created for a purpose.
And, Michelle beautifully, beautifully shares that in “Hope Prevails.”
I hope you’ll grab your copy today!
A short brief about Hope Prevails and a free offer!
Hope Prevails
Insights from a Doctor’s Personal Journey through Depression
Dr. Michelle Bengtson
Speaking from personal and professional experience, a neuropsychologist unpacks what depression is, shows how it affects us spiritually, and offers hope for living the abundant life.
Neuropsychologist Offers Hope to Those Struggling with Depression
-By 2020, depression will be our greatest epidemic worldwide
- An estimated 350 million people worldwide suffer from some form of depression
- As with the bestselling My Stroke of Insight, the author experienced the same condition she treats
- Helpful features include personal stories, biblical truths, prayers, and music recommendations
In Hope Prevails, Dr. Bengtson writes with deep compassion and empathy, blending her extensive training and faith, to offer readers a hope that is grounded in God’s love and grace. She helps readers understand what depression is, how it affects them spiritually, and what, by God’s grace, it cannot do. The result is a treatment plan that addresses the whole person—not just chemical imbalances in the brain.
For those who struggle with depression and those that want to help them, Hope Prevails offers real hope for the future.
Hope Prevails is available for pre-order now. To find out more, see: https://drmichellebengtson.com/hope-prevails-book/.
A special offer is available for a Limited Time Only.
If you Pre-Order Hope Prevails by 8-15-16, you’ll get a Free Study Guide with your order!
Free Study Guide and more when you Pre-Order Hope Prevails!
This Study Guide contains questions that go more in depth and help you pinpoint where you are and how to get where you want to go and find help, hope, and healing.
But, that’s not all!
In addition, I will send you:
- my free eBook, How To Help a Depressed Loved One, and
- 99 Life-Changing Truths from God’s Word to Speak Over Your Life to Combat the Lies of the Enemy.
And, you will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win these items:
- a gift box of Hope Inspired goodies worth more than $50.00,
- a 16×20 poster, “A Letter to my Depressed Self,” and
- a link to the audio version of Hope Prevails.
Pre-order your copy today! Free Study Guide Offer
(If you have a question you’d like Dr. B to answer, contact her here now. Your name and identity will be kept confidential.)
Thank you Shelly, for sharing your heart. God bless you. Dr. Michelle Bengtson’s book is important for everyone to read. We are all touched by anxiety and/or depression in one way or another. Either ourselves or someone we know may be experiencing this and I am thankful that there is help.
As a believer who became so depressed I was hospitalized because I became suicidal, I greatly appreciate the efforts to educate, equip, and support us in ways that are more than “if you had enough faith, God would heal you” approach. I met Dr. Michelle last week at the Declare conference. I MUST pick up her book!
(Dropping in from w2w where I write about “When the lies of the enemy touch the insecurities of my heart”
Thank you Michelle for writing the book and giving me the honor of also being on your launch team so I could read an advanced copy and Thank you Shelly for sharing your heart. I am stopping by today from #ImpartingGrace where we got to be neighbors.
For many years, we were in a church where they preached regularly that there is no such thing as mental illness…that depression and other things are just sin in the life of a believer. Of course, if you were on meds for such things, you were in sin too. As you can imagine, some people got off their meds…with disastrous results. Many others were too intimidated to seek the help they needed.
No wonder Christians suffering from depression don’t want to share what they’re going through with others.
Wow! Sounds like a great book that so many could be ministered to by! I know I have gone through little bouts of depression and they definitely are spiritual and physical! Thank you for being vulnerable and sharing your story to minister to others!
“No one wants to hear this” is something I have said many times during periods of depression. I don’t want to burden my friends or family, but I know that’s wrong and they would love to help me during my hard times. <3 Erin at http://www.stayathomeyogi.com
gag.