Free at Last

The words of Martin Luther King Jr. are echoing in my head...

Free at last! Free at last!


I am happy to say, as of 12:00 AM on February 13, 2011, my chains are gone! I've been set free!!!

Let me explain what I mean by that. After a conversation last night, I realized that my illness has basically come to define who I am- it has taken complete control over my life. It has shackled me down in ugly chains. I was too weak, and Satan was too powerful for me to realize that my life was being defined by my illness.

And I always tried to break the chains, but, I was too weak. It was because I was trying to break the chains on my own.

As I said on Thursday, I repaired my relationship with God, and he has arrived and has given me the strength to break free from my chains.

Don't get me wrong- I still have the chemical imbalance, I still have the thoughts, I still have problems.

BUT- they are no longer defining who I am or taking me captive. I am no longer their prisoner, but a warrior against them. I am still weak- but in Christ, I am made strong, as 2 Corinthians 12:10...
That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.


Though I am weak, in Christ I am strong and have the power to be set free from these ugly chains.

The illness will no longer be the topic of my conversations. When people look at me, they will not see a depressed individual, but, one who is now strong enough to fight depression and  overcome it.

I am officially a new person. Let me introduce myself. My name is Dylan. I have an illness, but it is no longer in front of me, but, beside me.

I am strong in Christ. I am strong enough to be happy and be my own person. There is only one person that I can control and make happy- and that person is myself.

And because I am God's child, I have a reason to be happy.

If I know you, let's start over. Forget the past.  That was the old me, the "me" who let depression define my life and my decisions. And that is no longer me.

I don't even like looking back myself. I don't like to see that person who was controlling me. It was an ugly person. I will never let that person's lies run or ruin my life. I am new.

Now in Christ I'm a new creation.