Depression | Laurie Coombs

Archive for the ‘Depression’ Category

Grace upon Grace

Posted on: July 5th, 2018 by Laurie Coombs

All through the book of Deuteronomy, the people of God were told to remember. Remember where God found you. Remember His faithfulness. Remember that He spared no expense to deliver you out of slavery that He might bring you into your promised land. Each time I read Moses’ words to the Israelites as they stood on the edge of their promise, I cannot help but hear these same words spoken over me. “Remember.” We are all prone to forget. One moment we stand in praise of Jesus after He did some crazy awesome thing in our life. And the next moment, fear comes when we face uncertainty, and we forget that Jesus had just parted the Red Sea on our behalf. Just like the nation of Israel, we are called to remember. Remember who our God is. Remember His heart toward us. Remember the gospel and the cross. Remember His…

Grace Disguised

Posted on: May 7th, 2018 by Laurie Coombs

I sat with some family members a number of years ago to tell them what Jesus was doing in my life. How He was redeeming all the losses we share. Taking our moments of indescribably pain and using every bit of it for good not only in my life, but in the lives of others as well. My hope was that Jesus would give them eyes to see Himself for who He truly is, to see what He was doing in my life, and to want it for themselves. I told them about it all. How I was bought to my knees when the anxiety and depression threatened to pull me under. How I was quite literally drawn “up from the pit of destruction” and was saved (Psalm 40:2). How my faith ignited the moment I answered Jesus’s call to follow Him and was transformed by the power of His Word….

Something Greater Than Resilience

Posted on: September 22nd, 2016 by Laurie Coombs 2 Comments

I looked up the word resilience a few weeks ago. I was preparing for a speaking engagement I had coming up on the topic, and this is what I found: resilience noun | re·sil·ience | \ri-ˈzil-yən(t)s\ : the ability to become strong, healthy, or successful again after something bad happens : the ability of something to return to its original shape after it has been pulled, stretched, pressed, bent, etc. Resilience is often prized. I’d venture to say that every one of us would like to be resilient. But what if we could be more than resilient? I must admit I was a bit disappointed with this definition. I had honestly thought resilience was something greater than this. The moment I read this definition, I found myself challenging the notion that we’re to become strong again or healthy again or successful again when something bad happens. I began challenging the…

Jesus Is on the Throne

Posted on: December 17th, 2015 by Laurie Coombs

Jesus is on the throne, now and forever. It seems I’ve been reminded of this continually lately. Life’s circumstances have clouded my vision a bit, but with this simple reminder, I have consistently been brought back to the truth. Troubles lose their weight when we see and believe this reality deep within our souls. This truth gives us a heavenly perspective on the circumstances we face and allows us the ability to endure trials with confident assurance that our God is in control. Now, I cannot pretend to know all the reasons why God allows difficulties into our lives, but when confronted with them, I often think about what Paul wrote to the church in Philippi. He said, “I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance…

For the Love of God

Posted on: December 9th, 2015 by Laurie Coombs

Last week, I wrote about how important it is to engage in the pursuit to know God. About how we can use a Biblically accurate understanding of who God is to see the world and ourselves as they truly are. All truth, remember, begins and ends with God. There is, of course, so much to know about our God. Truly, we will never be able to fully grasp all that He is, and I think that’s okay. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want a God who is able to be fully grasped by a mind limited by humanity. I love how J.I. Packer put it. He said, “A God whom we could understand exhaustively, and whose revelation of Himself confronted us with no mysteries whatsoever, would be a God in man’s image, and therefore an imaginary God, not the God of the Bible at all.” But God does reveal Himself to both…

Join me on Joni Table Talk today!

Posted on: November 17th, 2015 by Laurie Coombs

Laurie Coombs on Joni's Table Talk image

Hello friends! I’d like to invite you to join me on Joni Table Talk today at 2am, 7am, and 8:30pm EST on Daystar! If you aren’t able to make any of those times, be sure to catch it On Demand by clicking here. And, if you’re open to helping me spread the word about the message I’ve been given, I’d be forever grateful if you’d consider sharing this episode on your social media channels or by word of mouth! Thank you! Have a fabulously wonderful day! Blessings, Laurie P.S. If you have any thoughts, I’d love for you to join the conversation on Facebook or Twitter!

You don’t have to have it all together!

Posted on: August 27th, 2015 by Laurie Coombs

If there is one thing I know it’s that I don’t have it all together. Not a day goes by that I’m not faced with my shortcomings. Thoughts flood my mind continually. Thoughts like: I shouldn’t have eaten that. I should have said that differently. I need to love Travis (my hubby) better. I should have given more undivided attention to my girls. I shouldn’t have spoken those critical words. I need to be building up, not tearing down. I should have spent more time with Jesus this morning. I need a greater fire in my belly for the Lord. I should be loving and serving people better. And it goes on and on. I am far from perfect. But you know what? I’ve learned that it’s okay because, you see, I serve a big God. A God who sees my mess and loves me anyway. Despite my inconsistencies, despite my inadequacies,…

Have you experienced anxiety and depression? I’d LOVE to hear your story!

Posted on: July 24th, 2015 by Laurie Coombs

Okay, now I know Letters from My Father’s Murderer has just rolled out the door, but I’m already thinking about my next project, and I need your help! If you’ve experienced anxiety and/or depression, I’d love to hear your story! I’m currently gathering information for what I hope to be my next project (God willing) and would love to hear your struggles and victories with anxiety and depression. Some things I’d like to know are: How old were you when you first began dealing with anxiety/depression? What was your experience with anxiety/depression? How did you overcome anxiety/depression? Or if you’re still dealing with it, what do you believe is holding you back from receiving healing? If you have been healed, are you still tempted with anxiety/depression? How do you sustain victory in this area of your life? How long did you have to endure with your anxiety/depression? What did your anxiety/depression…

“The Fall” – Excerpt from Letters from My Father’s Murderer

Posted on: July 22nd, 2015 by Laurie Coombs

The following is an excerpt taken from Letters from My Father’s Murderer: A Journey of Forgiveness (pages 36-38). The Fall “I don’t know how you do it, Laurie,” some would say. “You’ve been through so much. You’re such a strong person.” And in my heart, I’d think, I know. I am pretty amazing. These comments were intended to be compliments, words to encourage me, but they only fueled my growing pride. And, as they say, pride most certainly does come before the fall. I started noticing issues with my health little more than a year later. I was nauseous all the time, and I just didn’t feel quite right. “I think I’m pregnant,” I told Travis. “Really?” “Yeah, but the tests keep coming back negative. Do you think I should get a blood test?” Travis thought I was being silly, but I went to my doctor the next week anyway. He…

Where the Healing Begins

Posted on: July 8th, 2015 by Laurie Coombs

I didn’t want to revisit my past, but I knew I needed to. I had already seen God move mightily on my behalf in the short time since giving my life to Christ, but I knew He wasn’t finished yet. Healing begins the moment we allow Jesus complete access to the darkness contained within our souls. Darkness must flee in the presence of light, in the presence of Jesus, but light cannot go where it is not permitted. Doors must be opened for light’s rays to touch our darkest dark. And at this point, I was flinging doors open left and right, begging, Come, Lord Jesus, come. Soon, I heard God’s gentle whisper––“It’s time to forgive.” I knew what God was calling me to. I knew I was being called to forgive Anthony, the man who murdered my dad. But quite honestly, I thought I had already done that. Yet…