Mom Needs Prayer

Kristine over at The Fire Within is dealing with PPD following the birth of her first child little Avila. She writes about her experience and uses the words of saint Terese of Avila as an encouragement:
"Let nothing disturb you,
Let nothing frighten you,
All things are passing:
God never changes.
Patience obtains all things.
He who has God
Finds he lacks nothing;
God alone suffices."
Although I have never been diagnosed with PPD myself I have had times of deep depression which I had to reconcile with my life's duties as wife and mother. That is the hardest part. We can not just turn inward and work on healing the depression as one might who hasn't the responsibilities of motherhood. Yet, I have found that those very responsibilities are what brought me out of the depression. Seeking out the joy in motherhood can be a real task at times. when babies are fussy and sleep is fleeting and older kids are crabby and demanding. At times just the sight of a pile of laundry could move me to tears. But through prayer in those darkest moments I have grown so much closer to Jesus. He has been able to redirect my eyes from the piles of things to be cleaned to the pictures drawn for me and the bouquet of dandelions picked for me. Through prayer I have been able to let go of wanting to control and change those things that bring me down and weigh on me like a led weight around my neck. When I am brought low I have learned not to struggle so much. I just lay there quietly and ask Jesus to keep me company instead. Loneliness is a big part of depression. Feeling trapped in that loneliness is the worst. The great thing is that we are NOT alone. Jesus is right there beside us. This truth has made it possible for me to rise up out of many a depression. The best thing about "rising up and walking" is that you are a changed person. Every time I have fallen into a depression which is more often than I'd like to admit. I have been called by Jesus to "get up and walk" and I have left so much dead weight behind me.
My hope for Kristine is that she will be able to persevere and hold onto to Jesus very tightly in this time. It is so difficult to relax under the weight of many burdens and anxieties. We want to break free and just be "the same ol' girl we've always been" again. But Jesus doesn't want us to be the same ol' girl he wants to make us better, more perfect. I will keep Kristine and Avila and Mike in my prayers. I KNOW that Jesus has BIG plans for them! May Jesus hold Kristine in a tender embrace and may she take great comfort in the sound of His sacred heartbeat.