“I didn’t realize how badly I was searching for a home until I actually found it.”

The sun was going down as Ericka sat on her screened porch, retelling the story of her mental health struggles that had caused her life to deteriorate. As evening closed in on her beautifully landscaped backyard, she opened up about how she found healing.

Ericka grew up in a stable home, but one without a strong religious foundation. When Ericka had questions about her faith, she wasn’t always supported or encouraged. As an adult, she realized how badly she wanted a true spiritual connection to help her navigate the mental health concerns that plagued her.

During the past decade, Ericka was battling anxiety and depression that would often send her spiraling downward. She couldn’t sleep as thoughts of hopelessness kept ruminating in her mind. She found herself sabotaging her personal relationships. She craved the feeling of belonging – the feeling of home.

Several years ago, Ericka met a co-worker who piqued her interest about attending church and encouraged her to find a relationship with God. Ericka began a quest to find a church that would ease her feelings of isolation and insecurity and help her find a community of support. She visited a couple of local churches and began to grasp what had been missing in her life. Yet, she still struggled with mental health challenges.

Then God began to open doors that would finally give Ericka the spiritual and mental balance she was looking for. She met John, who is now her boyfriend. John was a member at a church that partnered with Christian Family Solutions (CFS). Through the partnership, people like Ericka could receive mental health support through education, pastoral care, and clinical care integrated with God’s Word. This congregation was meeting the needs of its members and caring for the community.

As she began attending church regularly with John, Ericka felt welcomed with open arms and greatly supported by a community of believers. She also found a trusted therapist at the church who offered the mental health support she needed, integrated with the Gospel motivation she was craving. Ericka realized that her relationship with God put her mind in a better place, too.

Additionally, Ericka was able to work with the medication management team at CFS in collaborating with her therapist on her treatment plan. “This med service – along with the support of my church family, my boyfriend, and my therapist – offered another piece of my healing.”

Ericka discovered the sense of home she had been longing for. She found the balance she needed – mentally, physically, spiritually.

“I know this was God’s plan all along. I know that He’s got me through all of this,” Ericka says. “We live life forward, but we understand it backwards. When you are out of the storm, you might have a better understanding of why you went through it.”

We are grateful to our partner congregations and our donors who help make care accessible to more people.