Sandi Greene: When Life Comes Back

Everyone's Story warmly welcomes author Sandi Greene. I was introduced to Sandi and her stirring fiction when I won her YA novel THE TRUTH ABOUT SECRETS and devoured this wonderful read. It's my great pleasure that Sandi is my guest this week. Sandi shares with us a very special message that I hope you will consider for both yourself and loved ones. I hope you appreciate her encouraging heart, and candid testimony, as much as I have. Perhaps consider sharing this post with a friend or family member that may also be uplifted. And, do check out Sandi's BookGiveaway offer. Both Sandi and I are looking forward to hearing from you.

***I'll love for you to take a moment and take the short poll on the right-hand sidebar of how far you're willing to read before deciding a book isn't for you. Thanks so much.

BookGiveaway:

Sandi is offering 1 copy of either THE TRUTH ABOUT SECRETS or BROKEN HALO, US residents only. The winner will be announced here on Friday, March 13th between 5-6 PM EST. To be entered in the Giveaway, please leave your contact information within your comment. 

The Light That Will Come by Sandi Greene

Once upon a time I was full of life. I smiled at everyone, and passion and drive filled multiple areas of my life from my faith, to being a college teacher, to being an author, and to being a wife and mother. People asked me how I did it because I went non-stop, finishing graduate school at a young age, working, writing, and taking care of two kids.

Then something happened I didn’t understand. I was often fatigued and tired. All the time. I became very depressed. On a regular basis. My chronic back and neck pain inflamed even more, and I was often in physical pain.

All of this tormented me, but the worst part was often the depression. I couldn’t comprehend my loss of passion for everything and the pain that followed. This darkness that had weighed down on my shoulders made no sense. I was a healthy young woman. I was a person of strong faith. What was happening to me, why was it happening to me, and why couldn’t I snap out of it?

I finally managed to admit to myself that I needed professional help and saw a doctor who diagnosed me with clinical depression. For the next several years I would see many doctors, be hospitalized once for major depression, and go through a painful divorce. I would continue to lose my passion for work, for writing, and family.

It wasn’t an easy journey by means, but soon medicine, therapy, and a lot of love from family and friends helped me to heal. One therapist told me not to not take life day by day, but rather minute by minute, so I did. On bad days, I would allow myself to have that day, knowing the next day would be new and I could try again. Over time, I was able to pull myself together and begin anew. One of the most meaningful parts of my journey was coming out on blogs and social media about depression and having others share with me their painful journeys and how they could relate, and how my story gave them hope.

However, it hasn’t all been easy. One of the areas that hasn’t fully come back is writing. I haven’t written a book in a couple of years. That desire is still there, and I know it will one day come back around. What I did grow passionately about, though, was higher education, and now I am halfway through my doctoral degree in this field. I work on several contracted positions with colleges related to teaching and curriculum.

Something that often makes me cringe is when those who aren’t close to me write me on social media or talk to me and tell me how perfect my life looks. I wish it were that easy. The truth is, the dark days still sometimes come. I still suffer greatly from chronic back and neck pain. I still have up and down days with my kids and my new marriage. I am a work in progress as everyone is. What you see on social media or someone’s website is never the full story of what life is really like for that person.

Even for those who may not have clinical depression, I know there are days of sadness or hopelessness or mountains that make you feel like quitting before you even start climbing them. But eventually the morning comes and you feel a little bit better, a little bit stronger. Eventually a year passes and you realize you’re happy again. Whatever you’re going through right now, if it has gotten in the way of your dreams, passions, and even everyday living, be encouraged that the light will come. It will return, or you may even discover a new passion. Get the support you need, and take it minute by minute, giving yourself the okay to hurt and learn and grow.

Sandi's Ah-hahs To Tweet:

#ChristianFiction author Sandi Greene @Sandi_Greene1 shares about absence from writing #BookGiveaway (Tweet This)

Everyone’s Story: author @Sandi_Greene1 opens up about #ClinicalDepression (Tweet This)

Like #YA #ChristianFiction? Check out @Sandi_Greene1’s #BookGiveaway (Tweet This)

Author's Bio:
Sandi Van Lieu Greene has taught literature and composition at the college level for more than a decade. She is also a freelance writer and editor for books and for college curriculum. She is currently earning her EdD in leadership with an emphasis in higher education while also being a wife and mom to two kids in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Places to connect with Sandi:

Website

Twitter

Facebook

Goodreads

Amazon