Dark Thoughts …

Just like Churchill’s “black dog,” my heart sometimes struggles with “dark thoughts” that would rightly be described, I’m sure, as “depression” or “spiritual depression.”

I won’t beleaguer this post with lots of specifics, but I will let you all know that last night even I realized that my thoughts were spiraling into “the bad place.” And I did reach out for help—and I’m receiving help. Lots of tears. Baby steps of real life progress. But this morning I woke up without a crushing pressure on my chest, so that’s a real grace!

I also wanted to be sure to let you all know how much I appreciate the kind emails and fb notes and especially the prayers! To paraphrase (or quote? might be exact?) D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, depressed Christians are a poor recommendation of the faith (!). And I feel the weight of that too. But mostly I know that my Redeemer lives (and loves me) and feelings don’t last forever, nor do they need to rule my life.

One thing is for sure … you never want to face the black dog/dark thoughts alone! Alone is not good. And I’m not alone.

So … choosing to be of good cheer (or, well, the best cheer I can be of), I’m signing off now and joining Fred and the girls with the little sing off they have going on in the living room.

To all of you who sometimes despair, know that you are not alone.

Your grateful friend,
Tara B.