we frequently give such sentiments of caution to our young adult children because, at our age, we have more wisdom and experience to know potential problems before they occur. We caution and encourage because we want the best for our children. As I considered a verbal exchange with our son, I sensed God sharing, “It’s the same with me.” “Excuse me?” I answered silently in prayer….
Every year, 45,000 Americans die by suicide. And for every completed suicide, there are 25 more unsuccessful attempts. That’s over 1 million suicide attempts in the U.S. every year! Through my own physical illness and descent into depression’s valley, I came to realize that even Christians get depressed and consider suicide.
“I want what you have,” she declared as she stared deep into my soul with her searching eyes.
I was a bit taken aback. “Excuse me?” What I really meant was, “What do you mean?”
“You’re always so full of joy. I can see it in your eyes.”
I’ve heard similar sentiments many times over in the last few years, and often it brings me to tears…tears of joy.
Have you ever longed for someone, maybe even God, to speak encouragement straight to your heart? Have you ever needed to know that despite the pain, despite the heartache, that God saw you?
If we were honest, I think we’ve all been there. We’ve all had those times when the weight of our daily lives threatened to pull us under, and we just needed to hear we weren’t alone, we were seen, and that God still had our backs.
I’ve been there many times, and as I look back, I’m so grateful for the encouragers God brought along my path to speak His truth and encouragement and bring hope to the situation. That’s why I’m excited to share with you my friend, and fellow encourager, Debbie Kitterman, with you today for her to share her gift of encouragement with you. You might remember I recently shared a post from her called “The Reluctant Encourager.” There’s a Book Giveaway so be sure to read to the end!
It started as a little desire that rattled around in my heart like a wayward pinball. I shared with a friend, “I just want to help those who live too far away to come into my office. Depression doesn’t have to be a way of life.”
She affirmed what my heart already sensed, “All of your years of training, as well as your decades of experience and your love of writing, puts you in an excellent place to write a book, a resource for those in need.”
