spiritual post #1 (that should've been written last week)

last week at small group, i had the opportunity to encourage/admonish someone. i don't speak up often there, as most of the struggles are not ones i have gone through, so i don't really have much to say. this time, however, the girl was struggling with depression, struggling with every day seeming the same, struggling with not knowing her purpose, struggling with, not being suicidal, but wanting to die, and, she was embarrassed to admit, struggling with turning 30. i thought, 'oh my gosh, i know every single one of those things.'
i let the other women speak first. they are a fountain of wisdom, and as elders (church title, but also i suppose in years, but only by about 10-15 years) i think we all feel that they should lead. however, i knew right away that i had to share, and as i listened, i got the feeling that they hadn't necessarily been in her shoes. and so finally i got to share. i was so blessed by it, and i believe she was, too. you don't want to be told, 'God's got this,' when you're going through depression. you want to be told, 'it sucks. but you're not alone. i've been there, too.'
it's so encouraging to me to see that i can use what i've been through to help someone else. i sent her a message on fb, too, because i have so much more i would love to share with her, but fb won't let me send a friend request, and the message went to her 'other' folder, so who knows if/when she'll ever get it. i would love to be able to get together with her some time, but didn't get the chance (rather, didn't make the opportunity because i thought i could friend her on fb) to get her number after group. hopefully next week i'll be able to do so. i'd like to be able to minister to someone like that.