***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:
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.
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:
