As a child, I suffered from severe depression. Unable to express how I was feeling or what was going on in my body, I began to write letters to my mother expressing my sadness. I would tell her that I wanted to run away or die. My mother would respond to my letter and tell me that I could leave if I was unhappy. That made me all the more sad and unwanted. As I continue to grow, at the age of 16, I moved in with my older sister who I felt would love me. After a few months, she began to verbally and mentally abusing me. I would have to clean her house and care for her three children while she was out all day and night. When she returned home, my sister would yell at me, verbally attack me and call me names, and kick me out of the house. I was forced to pack up my belongings and sit outside. After a few hours, she would instruct me to come back inside. One night when I was allowed to spend the night back with my mother, I attempted to commit suicide. I cut my wrists multiple times and ingested an entire bottle of Naproxen and alcohol. Unsure if my attempt would work, I wrote a letter to my mother telling her everything that was happening with me. I was in so much pain mentally and physically. When I woke up the next morning, I took the letter and ripped it up. I never told anyone what I did. I continued to suffer in silence. I never went back to my sisters house and I only spoke when someone spoke to me. My depression lasted for many years. In 2020, I began hearing voices to tell me to driveway car off the bridge. After getting married and having three children of my own, I felt like I had enough money to secure them and my life was pointless. I pulled my car to the side of the road and began to cry and ask my Creator to help me. Throughout my journey, I've been presented with many mental challenges. One thing that I have never given up and that has helped me through my mental health challenges is my faith. By praying and staying faithful to my Creator, there is no evil thought or feeling that will consume me into believing that I am worthless ever again. One hobby that centers me is singing gospel music and playing piano. These two things, along with prayer allows me focus on what's positive and brings me joy. My goal is to continue to help those who suffer from any mental health issues and encourage them that a brighter day is coming. I can say these words because a brighter day came for me.

in 2020, I gave birth to my third child. A beautiful baby girl. When I gave birth to her, I experienced the worst postpartum depression. I became suicidal and overall overwhelmed by everything that was going on around me. It was the middle of the global COVID-19 pandemic and I couldn't not rely on anyone to help me or be with me. My husband did his best but could not provide the support that I needed. One day while driving across the Bay Bridge in the San Francisco Bay Area, voices began to tell me to crash my car. I did not have my children in the car with me which prompted me to think about them being better off without me due to me having life insurance. Immediately after processing those thoughts, the Spirit of God began to speak to me. I pulled my car over to the side of the road and began crying out to God to save me from my thoughts. As tears rolled down my face, I prayed and sat on the side of the road for 30 minutes. While sitting there in silence, I hear God say, "Preach my Word". I've been in church all of my life and knew that God had a calling on my life, but that day verified what I have felt and what God had showed me since I was 16 years old. I was so emotional and began to tell God that I'm emotional and I don't have the capacity to preach to anybody. But He continued to tell me to "Preach my Word". Since that day, I have been preaching and teaching God's word every opportunity that I get. My whole life I've been down hearted and feeling insignificant, and from time to time, that feeling comes and attempts to remind me of who I used to be. But I now rely on the Spirit and peace of God to get me through my tough days. Now, through my experiences and the things that God has brought me through, I can encourage someone else. I always tell my church that our experiences in life are not for ourselves, but for the person in a similar situation that we can minister to them and let them know that God brought us through. We all overcome by the word of our testimony and we should share our experiences so that others may be saved.