I became a Christian 10 months ago. Until I met Jesus Christ last June, for years I suffered from serious depression. I was stuck in the past, worrying about the future. I tired everything I could do to recover from my depression, and I would go back and forth, and up and down with my depressed emotions.

     But God helped me out! He gave me all that I needed to recover; Christian sisters with whom I can share my life and grow in Christ together, warm acceptance in fellowship, strength to face what I had denied. I can't mention all that He gave me here. He's so generous!

     First I was led to a class called CELEBRATE RECOVERY at TBC. As we went through the class for 6 months, I was given a chance to confront my past pain and hidden resentment deep inside of my heart, which caused my depression. My wound was so deep and resentment was so overwhelming that it seemed that they would never vanish.

     However, I desired to be healed and prayed that He would give me a willing heart to forgive people who hurt me. And, in fact He did! I'm not sure when He took away my resentment because it was more like 'forgot about it' rather than forgive. Also He healed my past pain through a Christian sister who had the same experience. It was the first time ever in my life to have met somebody who could actually understand my pain exactly as I felt it. Sharing the same experience melted my pain away at that very moment. It was a miracle. Then I became free from my past and my self-pity.

     Last year, I was in a little trouble and became kind of depressed again. Then I shared it with a Christian sister. She immediately prayed for me. She said, "God, this matter is in your hands and I pray that you will take care of it." When I heard this prayer, I felt His presence there listening to us. At that moment, all worries were taken away and He put peace in my heart instead. I learned how it's comfortable to give him the control over my life. Since then, many times He has answered my prayers. The more I became sure about His power, the easier it became to surrender to Him. He freed me from worries in my daily life this way.

     Now I'm totally free from depression because I have no reasons to be worried and sad. Whatever happens in my life, God knows what to do.
My life before meeting Jesus was so painful that I was always hoping to die, but those experiences were what I needed to turn back to the Lord from my sinful nature. Without those, I wouldn't have known this joy in my heart right now. In the last 10 months, God has healed me completely and there is no scar now.

     I didn't do anything difficult to recover. I just clung onto God. Then He worked in my life. If any of you are depressed, or have worries in your life, I would like to encourage you to take CELEBRATE RECOVERY and also take just one little step to pour your honest feelings out before God and ask Him for help so that you will be healed as I was.

Yoko I.