Wednesday

How One Woman Won Against Depression

Please join me in welcoming guest blogger Chris Ludington. Chris and I had the privilege of working together on the Praying with Power Women's Day Retreat in Troutville, Virginia. Christ is a talented writer, inspiring woman of God, and dear friend. Be sure to leave a comment for Chris if her post blesses you!

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I remember, as if it were yesterday, the story my friend told of how God delivered her from severe depression.
I knew she had suffered from depression for many years, but I also knew she was much better now. As she told her story that night, she shared how she had been close to giving up the battle when she read Romans 6:16. Through these verses, the Holy Spirit gave her revelation knowledge about her depression.
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She saw a mental picture of herself bowing down to Satan when she felt the strong downward spiral of her negative thoughts and resulting depression. God showed her that she had a choice to make every day. She could bow down and say, “Yes, master, I am depressed and can't overcome it.” Or she could say, “No, depression, you are no longer my master, I will not give in to you anymore.
Each time the tormenting thoughts would come that would trigger hopelessness, instead of welcoming them, she would say NO. She applied 2 Corinthians 10:5 to her thought life by "casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ." She took charge against depression and no longer bowed her knees to it. We know that sometimes people have a chemical imbalance that requires medication, but in her case, it was a spiritual battle that she fought and won with the Word of God.
What is your battle? When Satan tries to tell you that you'll never win, are you bowing down and saying, "Yes, master?"
The next time the enemy knocks, we have a choice to make: will we open the door and bow down, continuing to be a slave to sin which leads to death, or will we bow to our master Jesus Christ in obedience which leads to righteousness? The choice is ours.
  “Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey—whether you are slaves to sin which leads to death or to obedience, which leads to righteousness.” Romans 6:16
Dear Lord and Master,
Please reveal to us anything in our lives that you are not Lord over. We want to be slaves for you. Amen.


Chris Ludington is a wife of 35 years, mother of three grown children, and grandmother to five. Her passion in life is to help others in need of truth and tell them about God's love, healing, hope, and trustworthiness. Chris has been a devotional writer for about a year.











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19 comments:

  1. Anonymous2:18 AM

    Thank you Chris for your post :) I struggle with Bipolar and I am trying to find passages in the bible that can help me with overcoming it and not be a slave to it. Thank you. Kind Regards.

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    1. So glad Chris's post was encouraging to you. I took a moment to pray that God will reveal himself in ways you've never imagined as you seek freedom and wholeness. God bless you and thanks for stopping by today.

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  2. Depression is curable, same as other mental health problems. Point is to have strong will, motivation and to do positive things in life.

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  3. Thank you for sharing this. I am a full time missionary and there have been so many times that Satan has tried to get me to give up the ministry. He works in subtle ways and usually it is in getting us to be too hard on ourselves.
    I've been learning to overcome clinical depression since I was a child and as I've found my strength in Christ I have been able to shake off the chains that bind me. Never give up friends.

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    1. Elle Jane,
      Thanks so much for sharing your encouraging testimony. God is faithful!

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  4. Thanks for leaving a friendly comment on my blog, Happy Moms, Happy Homes. Great post! One funny thing, you wrote "Christ is a talented writer" and I'm sure He is! ;) I sometimes write Christina when I'm trying to write Christian.

    I'm now following you through GFC and I've Tweeted this post and gave it a +1, because I know many people struggle with depression.

    God bless!

    Tina - American mom raising 4 kids in South Africa
    http://happymomshappyhomes.blogspot.com

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  5. We have a choice to make each day, don't we? It is good to know that God is there, waiting for us to look to him. Great post.

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  6. Thanks for this great post giving encouragement and hope.

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  7. I don't often leave comments on blogs about myself, but this post spoke to me because I too was set free from the bondage of depression. I had suffered from depression my entire life and was treated for depression/ anxiety with therapy and medicaiton since I was 15. It got to the point that the dr.'s gave me pills to counteract all the side effects I was suffering each time I visited...I had changed dr.s numerous times and each one wanted to try something different. I was up to 14 medications and had enough when I started having seizures as a result of the pills and pain. Nothing was working and each visit was nothing more than a band-aid; which would eventually fall off and reveal a nasty infection within. Feeling hopeless and wanting to give my family a better mom and wife, I turned to the bible and prayer...and my answer was my diet, an active life-style, and changing my focus. Could this answer really work? It seemed too simple. Over and over, I was convicted that our body is a temple for the Holy Spirit and my temple was in ruin. So, I began the journey of rebuilding. It took over a year to come off all the pills. This change in focus had a trickle down affect on my family...they too have stronger, healthier temples and relationships with the Lord. I'm almost 34 and I've been medicaiton/depression free for almost 3 years now. The best 3 years of my life! I notice a difference in how I feel when my focus isn't on Christ. I still have much to learn and my relationship with Christ is constantly growing; I am blessed and thankful for what God revealed to me when I gave it all to him. I'm thankful that those chains are broken, that I have the ability to cope and get through difficulties, that I'm no longer in captivity, and my family no longer suffers from my sin.

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    1. Melissa,
      You are very brave to share your story. I know God's going to use your encouragement to empower many women who struggle in this way. It's a deep, deep hole, but you've proven that with God's help, we can be healed.

      You were so wise to realize the vicious cycle you were trapped in. My sister experienced the same merry go round with many different doctors, too many conflicting medications, and little hope. Sadly, she never broke free, and died at 44 years old from an interaction between physician-prescribed medications, taken as directed. Such a waste of a beautiful, creative, potential-filled life. We miss her so much.

      Thanking God today that he has healed you, and praying the same for those in similar bondage. God bless you!

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  8. Stopping y from Mistys Wisdom Wed blog hop!
    This was a great article! Thank you for sharing it!

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  9. Lori, thanks so much for linking this article up with us at Courtship Connection! Depression is so real, and I love how this post points ladies to Scripture, and also acknowledges that at times there is a chemical imbalance causing it. I've had depression from the chemical imbalances, but it was still VERY important for me to guard my thoughts, and claim the truth of God's Word to help me.
    Kathie

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    1. Kathie,

      I think we're all vulnerable, and you are very wise to have realized how critical it is to take every thought captive and live in light of God's Word. With that being said, depression is such a tangled, complicated condition that it's also wise to carefully explore the physical/physiological side of treatment. We are mind, body, and spirit, and to ignore one over the other is unbalanced. Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing your thoughts :)

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  10. Thank you so much for your encouraging words. I am glad that there is hope and power when we call on the name of the Lord to overcome! Thank you for linking up at Leaving A Legacy!

    Blessings~
    Shari

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  11. This was such a blessing to me!!

    I am so thankful that you linked this on WholeHearted Home this week!!

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  12. What a nice post. I had severe postpartum depression that came to a head when my daughter was a year old! I thought I was possessed when I started having suicidal thoughts and out of desperation I pleaded with the Lord to help me. My prayers were answered! I was able to find help, I started digging in the Bible for guidence in my new job as a mother ( am a stay at home mom which I resented when I was depressed because I felt that it had taken away my independence and I was no longer important) I found other wonderful women who embraced their role as homemakers and viewed it as a gift from the Lord to be in the role as mother and homemaker. It was the reassurance I needed. Thank you for the post I love hearing stories like this!

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    1. Jacquie,
      Thank you so much for sharing your story. Post-partum depression is real and dangerous. You were so wise to seek out the Lord's help as well as the help of others. Your story is an encouragement to myself and women who experience much more than just "the blues." God bless you!

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  13. Very nicely written! I love that she acknowledges that there is a spiritual depression as well as a chemical imbalance. I think that is very important, I struggle off and on with spiritual depression, but have family members that require medication for their imbalance. Thank you for sharing and linking up at Simply Helping Him! Blessings! :)

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