This is a Christian testimony from Emma who I came to know many years ago. She was passionate about her faith and helping others despite her own conditions. She really had the Christian values in her heart. You can read her account below how she found comfort through her faith and how her faith helped in her battles with mental and phsyical health issues come to a better place.
Emma's story-
Back at the start of 2011 I was a complete Atheist. Christians were boring and "bible bashers", I thought they were deluded and couldn't understand why these people believing in a God.
Fast forward to today and I don't know where I would be without my faith. Knowing God is always there, having my church family, knowing there is a plan for my life. Genuinely I don't think I would be here of I wouldn't have found Christ.
My faith was a huge help in helping me reach the milestone of being over a year self harm and suicide free, and how that, plus the skills id learnt in would help me get through.
My family, friends and church never gave up! I guess i didn’t because although i was on a path of destruction in many ways, I never ended my life. Which lookimg back shows I still had the smallest glimmer of hope.
I came so close to losing my life in the period of time I was refusing help and God is my only explanation as to why I am here. Looking at what protective factors I have in my life to try and show him the community (my church especially) could offer more support than his busy mental health unit. Faith wasn’t ever documented as a protective factor, instead I was told notes of for thing that are tangible, based on science etc. Faith was pretty much all I had been surviving on.
One of the worst nights emotionally a nurse suggested I put my worship music on. Staff would allow me to go to the chapel. They supported my faith and even if they didn’t share that faith they supported me to practice it.
3 years ago I left questioning myself and saw a dark place. This year, I accepted support without a section for the first time in my life time. The contrast from a ward which didn’t see my faith as important and one who did, is really reflected in the way the admission went. While in hospital I applied for a job, one which I was offered last week!
I have a job where I can use my voice as a lived experience worker to share why a person’s spiritual beliefs and ability to practice can tie in with mental illness and recovery.
This job was one id have never dreamed possible 3 years ago and I am SO excited to see what change can be created by me sharing my own lived experience. Faith and improving mental services are two things I’m so passionate about and now I not only get to be involved... but paid to be involved!
I was written off by a doctor who knew my illness, but who didn’t know my God. Change can happen and I’m thankful that i can use my struggles to help others
Last week I spent Sunday at an Alice in wonderland cocktail bar in Sheffield. Monday was unwell (not cocktail related) and was then in hospital midweek until Friday evening.
People ask why I don’t rest between admissions, or how I stay positive. Firstly if I don’t make the most of good days then they’ll pass by, when you have half a week of good health before requiring another admission then you have to make the most of the time. How do I stay positive... GOD! It’s the only answer I have. I have a great team of family, friends and medical staff around me but without my faith I honestly have no idea how i’d manage.
Yesterday listened to Makayla Nobles talk online and she said "when you wake up in the morning that means God's not done with you yet". So True! Makayla was someone I followed based on my interest in Cheer and her faith, when she had her spinal injury her ability to cheer may have been impacted but her faith has certainly only got stronger! She makes the most of every minute and doesn’t focus at what she can’t do, but on what she can.
Upon finding Jesus and entering Church I entered a community of love, a family who all know God and therefore a group that all know hope. Even before I knew God I knew these people were loving me and had my best interest at heart, and their hope in tough times made me want to know more, I was curious as to how I could have what they had. I couldn't find a way to even describe it, but I'd see suffering yet also this light shone from them, people with disabilities, life limiting illnesses, didn't seem to be suffering from the darkness and hopelessness I would have expected had I been in their shoes.
I couldn't explain what I was feeling, this was something else, and I knew then, there had to be a God.
Through suffering he finds a way to help us draw close to him. I know when I reflect on my life, its often the darkest times where I have seen the most incredible things happen, I may not always see this at the time, yet reflecting on my life its clear God was with me, as the struggles alone would not have been overcome with my strength alone.
God not only supports us through our suffering, but has also changed the meaning of suffering. He sent his only son to die for us, and release us from our sins. By accepting Jesus as our saviour we are offered an eternity that will more than make up for the suffering we have gone through here on earth.”
Emma was a street pastor in Chesterfield town centre. I really wanted to do this because about a decade ago street pastors had found me after I had taken a drug overdose (in an attempt to end my life.
Emma
