Finding Freedom in God
A testimony of God's goodness by Lia Rubio
Throughout my life, I was always a positive and faithful little girl, smiling and living for the Lord. However, everything changed when Covid-19 hit in 2020. I fell into a funk that deeply impacted my life. The passing of my grandpa from Covid at the age of 91 shattered my faith, trust, and happiness—everything I once cherished about the Lord crumbled. This loss led to my diagnosis of social anxiety, severe depression, and anxiety. For four long years, I endured overwhelming panic attacks every day, feeling trapped in a relentless cycle.
As two years passed, I still felt like a negative girl merely existing, waiting for life to end. I stopped attending church, convinced that nothing could help me. I believed I was too far gone, trapped in a hole of my own making. During this difficult time, I suffered a severe knee injury that required surgery. I tore my meniscus while dancing and was sidelined from competitive dance for two years. This setback worsened my depression, and I found myself unable to leave my bed for six months, fearing I would never dance again—the one thing that brought me joy.
As two years passed, I still felt like a negative girl merely existing, waiting for life to end. I stopped attending church, convinced that nothing could help me. I believed I was too far gone, trapped in a hole of my own making. During this difficult time, I suffered a severe knee injury that required surgery. I tore my meniscus while dancing and was sidelined from competitive dance for two years. This setback worsened my depression, and I found myself unable to leave my bed for six months, fearing I would never dance again—the one thing that brought me joy.
After those six months, I returned to dance, but the initial surgery had not been performed correctly, necessitating a second operation to truly fix my knee. At that point, I felt lost and numb inside. Fast forward a year, I was a freshman, and my knee was stronger than ever. I tried out for my school’s dance team and made varsity, despite my two-year hiatus from dancing. While I was improving, I still felt off. I began hanging out with the wrong crowd, which negatively affected my mental health, as I mistakenly believed they were my friends.
Months went by, and one day, while sitting in my room, I felt a profound conviction from God. A voice that I initially thought was my own gently reminded me, “You're not too far gone.” This message resonated deeply with me, shifting my entire mindset. I realized I didn’t want to continue living in despair. I understood that God was urging me to surrender all my weariness and burdens to Him. My broken heart was no longer shattered; it was mended. Through the power of Jesus' name, I was set free from depression, anxiety, fear, and frustration. The times I let the devil take control of my mind were over, for in the mighty name of Jesus, I was saved and healed by His stripes because he is the God who brings the dead back to life.
Months went by, and one day, while sitting in my room, I felt a profound conviction from God. A voice that I initially thought was my own gently reminded me, “You're not too far gone.” This message resonated deeply with me, shifting my entire mindset. I realized I didn’t want to continue living in despair. I understood that God was urging me to surrender all my weariness and burdens to Him. My broken heart was no longer shattered; it was mended. Through the power of Jesus' name, I was set free from depression, anxiety, fear, and frustration. The times I let the devil take control of my mind were over, for in the mighty name of Jesus, I was saved and healed by His stripes because he is the God who brings the dead back to life.