So recently (as within the last year) I have become close friends with someone in my church. We were not really close at all before. I had noticed one day that things were just not right with her. I felt that I needed to go to her and ask her what was bothering her. In doing so I recognized some of the key signs of depression and anxiety. I knew that she was dealing with some huge things. I felt prompted to call her later that week and make sure she was ok. She wasn't. She was struggling with severe depression. I knew it. I started inviting her and her family to dinner and activities at our home. I started building a relationship that I knew eventually would lead to trust. I knew that by doing so she would eventually open up to me.

After a few months something happened that changed how things were going. She was doing so well. One night she had a huge anxiety attack and decided to go walking alone. She was attacked. It was terrible. I felt so bad for her. I didn't know how to help her and she began to shut down. She didn't want anything to do with anyone, she didn't want even her friends to be around. She just wanted to be alone. She often talked about wanting to find a hole and bury herself so no one would have to deal with her.

It was very saddening and I didn't know what to do. SO I decided to just keep serving her. I would go over and make sure her kids were taken care of, and that she was ok. Often times I made sure she wasn't overdosing on her medication, which happened a few too many times during this time. After a few months I finally told her that if she did not start getting a hold of her life that she would end up miserable for the rest of her life or Dead.

I don't know what part of that conversation clicked, but she finally decided that she needed help. I went to the doctor with her to get her a new medication that would be different than the one she was overdosing on. I went with her to help her set up counseling. I have continually kept her medication at my home so she can not possibly overdose. It used to be that she would call or text begging me to give her medication and now it has been nearly 5 weeks since she last asked for even 1!

I know she will come out of this with high spirits. She called me tonight to tell me how glad she was that I started helping her. She told me that for the first time in years, she felt like she had purpose. She wants to do things around the house, she wants to be awake and enjoying her family. She enjoys spending time with friends and family.

I am so glad that God put me in her life to help her. I am glad that I recognized what I went through in her so that I could help her. I hope that I will be able to help many others out there who are in need and don't necessarily know how to ask for help. I hope I will always be able to recognize it when I see it.

This has been some journey. It has been several years since I began this journey. Often I feel the happiness that this journey has brought me to. I also feel the depression, however I am able to come out of it before things get nearly as bad as they were. I am not ever going to be perfectly UN depressed....but I know that through my faith and strength that I can keep coming out of the depression with the help of God and my family and friends.

The journey never ends.....