Adaris Rivera: Wife, Mother, Sister, Friend, Volunteer, Missionary, Student. To come: Christian Counselor.
What have you overcome? There’s a quote that has been very dear to my heart for many years, “You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have.” In the last eight years, I have overcome cancer three different times, a fall that broke my back, lost my job, and the betrayal of my husband. Yet the most difficult thing I have overcome is the depression that came after every painful situation. It was really hard to get out of bed in the morning. I just wanted to hide under the covers and not talk to anyone. I didn’t feel much like eating and I lost a lot of weight.
Nothing seemed fun anymore. I was tired all the time and I wasn’t sleeping well at night, but I knew I had to keep going because I had my kids, husband, pets that needed to be fed and a house that needed me to keep her clean. It simply felt impossible; like nothing was going to change or get better. Acknowledging that depression was a serious medical illness; and it was not something I had planned in my mind… it was really hard for me to admit this because of my Christian beliefs… “if only you had enough faith.” “Be anxious for nothing” and “do not worry about your life.” When I opened up to friends about my own depression, they were often surprised. “You seem so happy all the time!” I had become really good at hiding my symptoms.
Now I realize they are many Christians like me. Christians hiding their symptoms because of the stigma attached to the illness. I keep Jeremiah 29:11 close to my heart. Jesus understands my/our feelings, my/our doubt, my/ours discouragement, and yes, even my/our depression; and His desire is to help us. Sometimes, the help we need might include professional counseling and antidepressant medication. After all, God created the minds that created these medications, and it is not a sin to take them if you truly need them. I got help, and today my depression is under control.
One of the things that was really difficult for me during this eight year process was finding a counselor that understood my beliefs and could relate on what I was going through. I had visited many counselors before, but it wasn’t until I met the counselor that could relate to what I was going through that I started seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. I thank God for them every day.
Now God has put in my heart a career as a Christian Counselor. It is a way of telling my testimony and letting other people see there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. I have been through a lot myself and look where I am right now. By becoming a counselor I can have a lasting, positive impact in people’s lives.
For more of Adaris Rivera, and the many faces of perseverance order your copy of the November | December, Overcoming Issue here.
Mavian Arocha-Rowe
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