A Story of Grace & Friendship.

I want to share a little story with you.

Once upon a time there was a girl. Her sophomore year of high school she began a battle with the dark disease of depression. She was ashamed because Christians aren't supposed to have such dark thoughts, and she was angry at the Lord and everyone around her.

She also did not know anyone else who struggled with depression. This made it really hard to feel comfortable talking about it. That girl, who struggles with depression, just so happens to be me.

Fast forward to college. I finally began to share with others about this struggle but still didn't know anyone else who had the same struggles. Then, I went to Nicaragua with a team of young adults from all around the country. As people shared their testimonies, there was a commonality that many of us had struggled with depression. It felt so real to finally have people in my life that had the same battle as I did. Unfortunately, my time with those people ended and I was back at school feeling kind of alone again in this battle.

I had learned how to share my story and I had learned when to ask for prayer. But I only shared the basic story and I still felt alone so often.

Then we get to senior year, second semester. A dear friend of mine confessed that she had been struggling with depression again. I guess in my struggles of my own life, I didn't realized when SHE had been battling depression.

Here's where it gets good: There's something special about the bond that is formed when two people are fighting a similar battle especially something like depression. Think of losing a loved one, people only understand when they've been through the same thing.

I have learned so much from this girl. I think the ability to communicate openly about something that is so difficult to talk about, a disease that is such an internal battle, is the most beautiful thing. I've had countless conversations with my friend about this struggle, putting words to feelings that I've had for so long. It's been so freeing. And more importantly, our friendship has deepened in a way that I didn't really know was possible. When someone understands the deepest battles of your heart, it's the ultimate way of being open, honest, and vulnerable. And when I say it's freeing, I really mean that.

And the most important reminder that our friendship has taught me is that I am not alone in this battle with depression or in life. Having someone who just "gets it" is such a God thing. God knowing that we both needed each other. God is constantly showing His grace to me by having someone listen to me and my heart with grace. I feel like His grace is so interwoven throughout our friendship, and it serves as a constant reminder to me to trust the Lord with every single aspect of my life.