From doom and darkness to joy and light

Before I was saved by Christ, I struggled with depression and anxiety so much that I attempted suicide at 16. My mom took me to the ER where I had to drink charcoal and then started seeing a psychiatrist, but nothing helped. I married my high-school sweetheart at the age of 18, looking for fulfillment in him, and my dad died only weeks before the wedding. My depression became deeper and I began self-medicating with drugs. Our marriage struggled over the next few years as we battled addiction and depression, then we started a family. We were about to separate, when we decided to give it one more try and go to church together.

I remember crying myself to sleep at night because I had this sense of "impending doom" that I could not escape.

My husband and I both came to faith and received new life in Christ over those next few weeks.

Now that I have faith in Christ, He has given me hope, joy and new desires. I am a completely new person and that old life is just a memory, almost like it was someone else.

My family and I have gone through many life changes and struggles in the past 4 years as Christians, but I have never once had thoughts of doom or depression because I know that if God is for me, no one can be against me.

I find comfort in knowing that there is nothing that can remove me from God's hands and that He will never leave me. God is constantly working on my heart and preparing me for eternity with Him.