I think this is one of the most challenging posts that I HAD to write, and the reason that I say HAD is because, this is a conversation that needs light shed on because soooo many people battle everyday with feelings of being less than, unloved, and unworthy of living.

Suicide.

• Every 14.2 minutes someone in the United States dies by suicide.

• Nearly 1,000,000 people make a suicide attempt every year.

• Men are nearly 4 times more likely to die by suicide than women. Women attempt suicide 3 times as often as men

These stats are tough but they are real. Suicide doesn’t have a certain look or type, young or old, rich or poor, so many people, even ones that we know very well, deal silently with thoughts of suicide. Recently, someone I knew committed suicide, a young woman with children, so much potential and life ahead of her…..her life came to an end. It was a time in college after my father passed away, it was one of the lowest points in my life and I felt like I had nothing left, but it was Christ on the inside of me that gave me strength to get through anything I was facing.

A couple of days ago, I was thinking about how mothers deal with so much emotionally and many get depressed or are depressed and never share it with anyone, they just continue trying to handle it all by themselves….kids, work or a lack of work, stress, family issues, or whatever it may be. If you are depressed or having thoughts of suicide you don’t have to deal with it alone, find someone to talk to a friend, family member, counselor, doctor, me….whoever. Don’t be ashamed about what people will think or say. This is real. Suicide not only affects you but it affects your children, family, and friends.

I plead with you, there are so many great things that are going to come out of your life and so much more for you to do.

Don’t let this be the end.

If you or someone you know are having thoughts of suicide call 1-800-273-8255