Greetings from Minnesota

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
Oct 7, 2024
3
3
3
#1
Hello to everyone!

I am just here to chat and find encouragement.

I have been struggling with health issues and depression.

I have been reading the Bible, listening to Christian music, I volunteer at church, I am married with a wife who loves me and two healthy kids, but I just don't have much joy in my life.
 

TabinRivCA

Well-known member
Oct 23, 2018
13,562
11,054
113
#2
Welcome to CC BDC, so glad the Lord led you here! Re your challenges, look up God's promises on healing, joy and peace he's given us and stand on them. God is for us and has done everything He needs to do for us, we just have to discover all, lol. God bless & keep you and yours🙏🙌✝✡
 
Mar 11, 2025
19
23
3
50
#3
Hello to everyone!

I am just here to chat and find encouragement.

I have been struggling with health issues and depression.

I have been reading the Bible, listening to Christian music, I volunteer at church, I am married with a wife who loves me and two healthy kids, but I just don't have much joy in my life.
Welcome here. I’m just north of you, in Manitoba. I also have health issues I’ve been dealing with. Be glad to chat, if you like.
 
Feb 22, 2021
3,415
1,822
113
Midwest
#4
Mar 13, 2014
42,906
17,325
113
70
Tennessee
#5
If you have not already done so pray for God to show you the way to have joy in your life.

It is certainly great to have a wife who loves you, the same is true for me too.

I understand full well about depression also. Mine is not debilitating but does drag me down sometimes. I pray for deliverance for this as well.

Glad to have you onboard with us. Welcome to CC.
 
Sep 17, 2018
4,202
3,276
113
#6
Hello to everyone!

I am just here to chat and find encouragement.

I have been struggling with health issues and depression.

I have been reading the Bible, listening to Christian music, I volunteer at church, I am married with a wife who loves me and two healthy kids, but I just don't have much joy in my life.
I've suffered with depression over 30 years now. And health problems for the last 15. So I get what you're going through.
The depression could be tied in with the health issues. The health issue itself the cause, messing with vitamin levels or hormones. Or it could just be the weight of the health problems. Did the depression start with the health issues, or did you have it before? If so how long before.
You can also ask your doctor to do a blood test to see if anything is off in your system, medically. Depending on the answer can affect the treatment.
But I'd get medically checked out first. If that's not the cause that's when you go to see someone in mental health.

Also what sometimes helps are the three clichés. Sleep, diet, exercise.
Having a consistent time to go to sleep and wake up, ideally sleeping at night, is one thing to do. Another is getting on a healthy diet. It doesn't have to be for weight loss, but just more fruits, veggies, etc... and cutting our fast food, junk food, etc... Though if you're overweight you may still lose weight, which can also affect your depression.
And finally exercise. At home, at a gym, it doesn't matter. Just stick with it, especially cardio, and anything else you may enjoy.
This is often the best first step. Then the medical, then the psychological. And, of course meds should be the last thing.
And the eat, sleep, diet can work for some people completely, or maybe just relieve some of it.
I made the esd suggestion to someone I knew who had depression. He was only 22 and feeling stuck in a rut and had depression. He had a dream job of being in the air force, but the depression he had wouldn't let him.
So he took the esd advice and shortly after, disappeared. A few months later he popped up out of nowhere to tell me the advice worked and he was already signed up to join the air force.
So you never know.

And, yes, I know health problems can have an affect on each of those, just do your best with what you're able to do.

As far as health, just stick with the docs and ask questions.

Hopefully something here is a help.
 

ResidentAlien

Well-known member
Apr 21, 2021
8,868
3,891
113
#7
Hello to everyone!

I am just here to chat and find encouragement.

I have been struggling with health issues and depression.

I have been reading the Bible, listening to Christian music, I volunteer at church, I am married with a wife who loves me and two healthy kids, but I just don't have much joy in my life.
Hi, glad you're here. Hope you can find a little bit of joy. I used to live in Rochester; very beautiful there.

If I may add my two cents (which probably doesn't amount to much), it sounds like you're expecting your external circumstances to give you joy. Joy in the Lord doesn't depend on our outward circumstances; it comes from the Holy Spirit within. It comes from knowing we are children of God in Christ.

All the best.
 

Karlon

Well-known member
Mar 8, 2023
2,969
1,370
113
#10
Hello to everyone!

I am just here to chat and find encouragement.

I have been struggling with health issues and depression.

I have been reading the Bible, listening to Christian music, I volunteer at church, I am married with a wife who loves me and two healthy kids, but I just don't have much joy in my life.
start giving to the poor, assisting the handicapped, helping your neighbors & working in the church you attend, all with a Christ like heart! you'll receive the greatest joy ever!!!!!!