How it Started.

Hi, my name is Linda and I would like to tell you about the ministry of A Hand Up.

A Hand Up is a support group for Christians suffering from depression, their families and loved ones. The idea for it was born when God spoke to me and said that if I would reach out and help others who were depressed, I would also be helping myself. I have suffered from depression all of my adult life. I am one who tries to fix things myself instead of relying on the Lord for his help. During one of my deepest depressions, he brought me to the end of myself and I literally had to cry out to him for help. I could not fix what was broken.

I went to my pastor and asked for permission to start the group. He gave his approval. The following Sunday, I was to sing a special during the church service. I thought I was just going to get up and sing, but the Lord had other ideas for that time. Little did I know that he would have me give my testimony. I told the congregation that being single, I had to rely on myself for many things. While I could pray for the saints and ask for things that would meet their needs, I could not ask for myself. I guess there was some spiritual pride in there somewhere, or maybe a lack of feeling worthy to receive. I hardly ever asked although I believed in his mercy, his grace and his answers to prayer. I had experienced it myself.

I asked for my church family's forgiveness for the pride and the unwillingness to share when I had a concern. I told them about the depression I had suffered all my adult life and how the Lord had laid on my heart the support group that he wanted me to start. I told them that I had realized that God had literally given me a hand up, now it was my turn to extend it to those who needed one also. Hence, the name A Hand Up came into being.

While I was giving my testimony, a woman in church started to cry. She was suffering from depression caused by grief through the death of a loved one. She knew she now had a place to come and share where she would be understood and loved without judgment. Depression is such a lonely place and because of the stigma attached to depression, or mental illness, if you will, one does not admit to any one that they are depressed, let alone talk about it out loud. Spouses and family members feel helpless because they don't know what to do for the one who is depressed and women have told me that they literally take two or more showers a day just to have a private place to go and cry because no one will listen.

After I testified and sang, we listened to the pastor's sermon and when church was over, several people came up to me to tell me that they knew of someone who suffered from depression and might benefit from such a group as this.

Getting the Group Up and Running.

In order to get the group going, I picked a night and time, announced it the next week and waited for someone to come. No one showed up for the first meeting or the second meeting or the third meeting but I went anyway and used the time to study, pray and meditate. The time was not wasted for I knew that God had a plan and a purpose.. After talking to women who wanted to attend, I found out that the time was wrong. They could not come in the evening and that morning was better for them. That Sunday in Church, I announced the new day and time and the first meeting, five women were present. At the next meeting, six women were present. At this time, no men have come to the meeting but all who need to be there are welcome.

This fledgling group is off the ground and in just two meetings the women have bonded and have become a caring circle of friends. They have exchanged telephone numbers and call each other during the week. They have shared their stories with one another and are ready to embark on whatever God has for them. As the weeks pass, God will give us further vision on where he is taking this wonderful group of women as we seek him in all that we do.

My vision is to see these women go out equipped to start other groups and to spread the message that with the love of God through Christ Jesus there is hope for the future. We will be placing brochures out in the community to reach others who need help with depression and will carry cards for A Hand Up ministry with a name and phone number of the person handing it out along with the day, time and place of the group meetings. On it will be printed "If you need A Hand Up, I offer you mine."

Our Meetings.

Our meetings are opened with prayer, time is given for new members to tell their story uninterrupted and each member shares their experience and hope with the new member and ministers to them. It is to be decided by the group whether we will, now that all have shared their story, either choose a topic to be discussed, start a bible study, bring in speakers from the mental health community, etc. We look for God's leading in this direction also. As new members come to the group, time will be given for them to share their stories and although we come with an agenda, we will stay sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit as to whether it gets used that day or not. Our meetings are set to run an hour and a half and can be changed to meet earlier so as to have more time if need be.

As God further equips us for the healing of the Saints and bringing the lost into the fold to share God's goodness, new postings will be done to let you know what the Lord has been doing with this group. God is healing his people for the times ahead.

If you have any questions or would like more information about A Hand Up, or have any information or tips to share about your own depression support group, please don't hesitate to e-mail me.

I would love to hear from you! Linda