Depression can feel like a wet blanket that weighs us down or a dark fog that keeps us from seeing clearly. It can lead us to feeling helpless and alone—even to the point of hiding our feelings because we’re afraid of being shamed or misunderstood.
But when we’re struggling, we have two choices: we can either sink even more deeply into our own sadness or—through God’s grace—we can seek help.
We need each other! None of us are designed to do this life alone … without support, without community. But sometimes we just don’t know how to get over our self-reliance and get honest with others.
So, today on the 4:13 Podcast, we’re going to learn from author and podcast host, Heather MacFadyen, about how to not mom alone. But her insight isn’t just for moms! This applies to whoever you are and whatever you do.
Have you ever felt like you’re barely holding on? Some days—some seasons—are just hard, and no matter how much we know we need to chin up and soldier on, we often just want to let go.
Well, today’s guest candidly and vulnerably shares her personal struggles with mental health and how those struggles threatened to overwhelm her, especially during the pandemic.
Rose was a widow who lived in West Palm Beach, and when I was in college, many of us students visited her. My friend Mike told me how one evening he popped in on Rose at dinner time and she invited him in. They visited a few moments in her kitchen until he noticed her kitchen table was set for two. “Oh Rose,” he said, “I didn’t realize you were having a guest for dinner. I will scoot out.”
She put her hand on his arm, stopping him and told him she always set two places at her table ever since her husband died over 30 years earlier. Mike assumed the second place setting was to remind her of her late husband and he commented about how sweet it was that she remembered him in that way. Rose quickly corrected my friend saying, “Oh, no. I set a place at my table every evening for Jesus. I sit with Him, listen to Him and expect Him to be with me. This is my way of showing Him.”
“Mom, do I have to get up?”
“Yes, Jennifer, you have to get up. You are the Mom!”
I would begin most days coaching myself to get up and be the grown-up I was supposed to be. But, I didn’t want to face the day because that day was probably going to be like all the yesterdays…dark, hard and long.
