Blessings

So lately I’ve been going through some hard times, just different things in my life that aren’t going so well. Over the last few weeks I’ve found myself stressing about all the bad stuff in my life rather then focusing on all the good. I got challenged by one of my closest friends to start counting my blessings, to come up with a list of awesome things in my life that I’m thankful for. To be completely honest I’ve struggled coming up with a list, if it was the bad stuff I could knock out a long list no problem but I guess it’s only because I think about it so much.

God’s forgiveness and everlasting love

William Andrew Torr 

Donna-Kay Kilgour – My twin

Incredibly supportive church

My mother, who always does the best she can

My not so amazing past for making me who I am today

LOL – Our young adults group at church and everyone in it

Memories of awesome things that I have done

Jero and Daniella – My Vanuatu girls for being so encouraging

A roof over my head every night

Food in the fridge

Rad supervisors/managers at work

Christmas music – no matter what, it always cheers me up

Unexpected plane flights to Brisbane

Job interview with Apple

Health

My passions – TWLOHA, Apple, Church, Operation Beautiful, etc.

That I am able to help my friends because of what I’ve been through

My animals for keeping me company when I am home alone

Chocolate – it makes everything better

Worship music – it also makes everything better :)

Freedom from persecution

Bright colours – without these my world would be a boring place

Rad photos that make me smile

Hope for the future

So here is my list in progress and my challenge to you. Try to look at the positives, make a list of blessings. It will change your outlook. Trust me.

All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God - Deuteronomy 28:2

To be continued..

Depression..

Roughly 65,000 people each year will try to commit suicide in Australia alone, of those, about 2,200 of those succeed.

Think about that for a while.

It horrifies and saddens me that so many people in our country feel so alone, so locked into their situation that they believe there is no other way out. Seriously, 65000 reported suicide attempts, not to mention there would be almost twice that figure that would go unreported. Depression and other mental illnesses are the most common causes for youth suicide. It is estimated that one in five Australians aged 18 years and over will experience some kind of mental illness, yet two thirds of those people will never seek help.

When did we become so isolated that over 65000 people felt that they have no one to turn to?

In my life I have both seen what it’s like to live with someone with depression and also suffered from it myself. When I was in year nine, my mother would spend every second that she wasn’t working or caring for my bother and I, laying in bed, tears rolling down her face, staring at the same spot on the blank wall. I never understood it. Weeks later I came home and my mother wasn’t there, but my auntie was. She informed me that my mother was suffering from depression and was so close to the edge that she was admitted into hospital. To be completely honest, I still didn’t understand. I am ashamed to say that I still had the childish opinion of “why can’t you just cheer up”. Mum got out of the hospital 3 weeks later, but nothing had really changed, other than now she was on a lot of medication. She went for a few months of seeming fine, until again she ended up back in hospital. Over the next two years she was admitted into hospital more than five times.

The thing I’m trying to show is that I of all people know how hard it is to deal with some one in your life having depression, how it feels to be completely powerless to help them. It is not an easy thing to deal with and there is no quick fix.

“It (depression) feels like being in a dark hole, and not being able to get out. You can see the light far away, with no way of getting to it. I am not
worth anything nor worthy of anyone”

According to the World Health Organisation, 121 million people worldwide suffer from depression, yet it is still not something we talk about, something we don’t as yet know how to talk about. Seriously, how would you react when faced with having friends or family open up to you about depression and suicidal thoughts? Would you know what to say? In a study done by Pfizer Australia, when asked what actions they would take if they knew a friend or family member was suffering with depression, one in three said they would encourage them to put on a brave face and push on. Is that really what we should be telling our friends?

The thing is; depression is not something you can “just get over”. It is a real medical problem. Dr Grace Groom says "Asking a depressed person to cheer up or focus on the positive things in life is not helpful. It minimises and undermines that person's illness by suggesting it is easily overcome and not a serious condition that requires professional treatment."

Depression and suicide prevention is one of my main passions. There are a couple of organisations that I strongly support because of that passion. The first one being ‘To Write Love On Her Arms’.

To Write Love on Her Arms is a non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide. TWLOHA exists to encourage, inform, inspire and also to invest directly into treatment and recovery. I encourage you to read the TWLOHA vision which I have posted in an earlier blog.

Do you have the courage to come along side someone who’s hurting? Are you able to ask someone how they are, and actually mean it?

"Strategies for helping people with depression are to listen and be supportive, include them in social events and to suggest they seek professional advice with family doctors the first point-of-contact." - Dr Grace Groom.

You can help be the difference. You can help break the isolation.

You can help save a life.

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)