Just when I was beginning to catch up with the Joneses (Pastor Bob is a writing friend of mine) – I got tired, really tired. That tiredness turned into burnout, and that burnout turned into anxiety and depression.
And then one day, after a season of trials, I couldn’t get out of bed. I couldn’t drive my kids to school, or cook dinner, or shower, because I was mentally ill.
Battling For My Life
I began having panic attacks that turned into a full-blown panic disorder. Then I developed a life changing anxiety disorder, OCD, and deep depression. I went from “how does she do it all” to stuttering, faint spells, heart palpitations, irrational fears, and despairing and suicidal thoughts.
Thrust into a season of mental, spiritual, emotional and physical torment, I battled for my life. My mind raced twenty-four hours a day.
What if I went crazy? What if I lost it all? I was terrified. I had never been here before. Where was God in all this? Was this my future?
In that season I had two choices, “Trust God” or “Die.” I was faced with the possibility that this could be me, forever. So I started looking up ways to “cope” with it. My identity became tangled in my mental illness, and I began accepting my fate.
Sarah E. Ball lives in Coaldale, Alberta, Canada with her husband and five children. Sarah, is an author, blogger, speaker and mental health survivor. She inspires others to live fearlessly by sharing her humor, vulnerability and faith. Sarah has appeared on several national television programs and has been published in several Christian publications sharing her powerful story from panic to praise. Sarah offers fearless hope to many through her blog, online courses, speaking and book, Fearless in 21 Days. Check out her blog.
Healed
I don’t remember a specific moment, but internal stubbornness in me rose up.
The stubbornness that had gotten me through many hard times, rose up in me and said, “No way!” I sought God for answers.
And I sought Him until I found Him, and when I found Him, He healed me.
Pulling The Next Person Out
Sarah Ball is determined to reach back into the pit of anxiety and depression and pull the next person out. She began sharing the intimate details of her breakdown and recovery, creating an online series Fearless in 21 Days as a daily guide to overcoming anxiety.
Sarah will take you through twenty-one revelations that focus on healing the whole self – body, mind, and soul – and bridging the gap between effective mental health therapies and Scripture.
21 Days begins with practical tips that can dramatically reduce the immediate symptoms of anxiety and then dives deeper into spiritual and mental truths to create a hope-filled guide to freedom from anxiety.
I highly recommend Sarah’s book to you as a resource and guide to help conquer the fear that’s at the heart of mental illness. It uses biblical truth to clear up many of the misconceptions that swirl around this disorder, and yet it emphasizes the importance of well-rounded therapies that address a person’s physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual needs.
More From Sarah
APPLICATION: Purchase a copy of Sarah’s book in North Pointe’s bookstore or through her website. Please leave a comment for Sarah below. Thank you.
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I write to inspire people to be real, grow an authentic faith in Jesus, enjoy healthy relationships and discover their life purpose.
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Looking forward to digging into this. Shared on FB and Twitter. Thanks Bob.
Thank you, Gary! Its a candid, helpful, hopeful book.