Mystery of Hope || Dreaming about the possibility of healing & connection

Depression, anxiety, hopelessness and despair are never easy to navigate and especially difficult to heal from when one feels isolated and alone.  It is easy to feel, in valleys such as these, that you are the only one experiencing these feelings, these realities, but more and more the reality is that so many are dealing with an insurmountable wall of depression.  In Church history, we haven't done a great job of affirming and validating folks who feel this darkness instead we have given poor advice like: chin up, Christians are not living in the full joy of Christ if they experience depression, perhaps you should pray more or maybe there is something faulty in your prayer life for you to be living with this depression and on and on...  This hasn't created a very supportive environment for men and women to express their stories and pain. 

We, at Quest, don't have the corner of the market when it comes to all the answers on depression, anxiety, sickness and disease, but what we do believe is that we are not meant to journey these roads alone in seperation and isolation.  We believe that community can be a place where healing, understanding and hope can be experienced.  So in a small attempt to bring care and support we will be hosting a focus group called Mystery of Hope.  This group is really meant to provide support to those that are in similar situations of depression and anxiety.  We will study together, pray together, grow together and seek together. 

The group will be meeting Sundays from 2-3:30 pm.  If you are interested in hearing more and discerning if this is a group you'd like to participate in please contact Pastor DeAnza at deanza@seattlequest.org