Hi everyone,

I am so glad to get to know you all.

How often do you come to this site?

I would like us to encourage each other along, perhaps do a weekly subject for us all to communicate on.

Do you all have any ideas?

I'm trying to check it every couple of days.
I like the idea of a topic we can comment on and encouraging each other.

GodisFaithful,

I like your name, He is so faithful!!

Well even it is just you and I it is worth the discussion every week. Although, I do believe others will join in with us.

Do you have any topics in mind.

I have a few.

We could start Sunday or Monday of the week so we have all week to comment.

May you see His Faitfulness this week in your life.

Hi everyone

Tonight, I was finally in a place to be able to respond to Sarita's idea to introduce ourselves.

I became a Christian when I was about five or six years old. My faith became "real" to me while I was on a missions trip when I was in grade nine.

I had my first major bout of depression that I clearly remember(but didn't know what it was) when I was 18. I started taking antidepressant medication, for a few months only, when I was 22, during my second bout. I had another bout when I was 25, and went back on medication, this time for about one year. I also started counselling at this point, to help me deal with the illness. I am now 28 and on medication again to help me through another bout of depression. Because of my history, I was diagnosed with depression as being "part of my biological makeup"/"the way I was made" in about April of this year. Before that, the diagnosis was circumstancial.

At really low points, it is difficult for me or I am not able to carry out basic responsibilities of life (eating, sleeping, socializing, grocery shopping, studying and/or work).

I feel like I am coming out of this bout of depression. I am also accepting that this is an illness that I have that is part of the way I was made that I will have to make a lifestyle change in order to live with. I am still on medication, and will take it for the rest of my life if I need to. I also go to counselling every month as "maintenance" (At lower points, I went every week). I am starting to make plans and goals again...and to socialize and carry out responsibilities like I did before this bout. I am scared but choose to LIVE, even though I have this.

I like the idea of a discussion group; thanks for suggesting it, Sarita!

I am not in the place to be able to contribute to the organization of the group (in terms of who will choose which discussion topics for when, etc.), but am interested in contributing to discussions when they are posted when I am able.

Usually, I have been checking this site about once a week or more.

Hi Everytone,
I need to know that God still loves me and is with me in this depression. I haven't been to church in awhile. I heard one time you can't have a relationship with God apart from the church.( I don't know if I misunderstood this or not.) I don't socialize alot, only when I feel like I can. I'm 59yrs. old, diagonised with chronic depression, I've had it for about 40yrs., along with anixiety, and panic attacks. I've had better days with it when I was younger and stronger. Now it is like all I want to do is eat, and sleep. I don't know if it's the meds or not. I'll find out more today. My house suffers and needs a good cleaning. I need help and to really believe God loves me even if I can't do much right now. Sometimes things just seem too overwhelming to me.

Thanks for listening,
Born Again

Hi Born Again,

So glad to hear that even though you are not feeling very well, you still believe that God loves you.

Even in my darkest times in my latest bout of depression, I still know God is with me, and because of this knowledge, I think my relationship with God has become stronger. He sees me at my worst, when I cannot do very much, and loves me anyway. He is my reason to continue on. I pray this for you, too.

I praise God for his unconditional love...and pray that we would all experience it, know it, and love each other as He loves us.

Laurie