I reached out to Kates soon after I moved to Maryland. She seemed hungry for friendship—taking a seat beside me on a chair or a church bench, leaning close, talking in tones that were…how do you describe a voice? Quiet. Precise. Needy. Hopeful.
She invited me to visit her at her apartment, so one day I made the hour’s drive to Grantsville to see her. We sat at the kitchen table in her small apartment connected to her sister’s house and feasted on hot drinks and muffins, over which I exclaimed and asked for the recipe. She told me about her photography and about the book she wanted to write…she had a file on her computer, she said… would I look at it and see if I thought it could be made into a book, and would I be willing to edit it?
She wanted to write about her journey with schizophrenia and the hope and healing she’d found in Jesus, in order to encourage others. I promised to look at the file, and though in the end I was not the one who helped her turn it into a book, I encouraged her to tell her story.
I had never heard anyone else talk about dealing with schizophrenia, and I am a strong believer in openness about mental illness. There is too much stigma surrounding it.
Tell your story, I told Kates. Name what is as what is.
Two years later, after much prayer and perseverance on her part, she has. Reading the fleshed-out, clarified version she arrived at with the help of author Gertrude Slabach, I understand more of what happened behind the scenes, the miracles happening in Kates’ life right over the time I was getting to know her.
I appreciate Kates’ story because I know Kates. I first reached out to her for her sake—and now she has reached out to me more than once, during times of sadness or loneliness, for my sake. I have found her to be a perceptive and understanding friend with a nonthreatening and humble demeanor, profound wisdom to share, and a sweet, sweet relationship with Jesus—character qualities bloomed from the soil of her lifelong journey with mental illness.
A different friend who struggles with mental illness recently posted this status update on Facebook (edited):
When you’ve had a bipolar manic episode at the age of 44 and the ensuing two years of crippling depression and the next two years of stable, flat life induced by antipsychotic/antidepressant medications, and you are decreasing your drug intake, and it’s summer and you’re feeling very good and peaceful and so much like your old self…you get scared.
You get scared that you are gearing up for a “high” in the bipolar world. You get afraid that you’ll go haywire again and then have that horrible depression again. “The higher you go, the lower you go” seems to be pretty accurate with this disorder.
Right now, I’m a little on edge because I’m a little scared. But I’m sleeping long and hard, thanks to a little blue pill. And I’m so, so grateful for every good day. I find myself singing again. I have energy to work. My children roll their eyes at my wacky sense of humour. There are things to talk about with friends and strangers again. I can read and listen to books.
I don’t know why I feel the need to say these things out loud to so many of you. But I guess I just want you to know that you’re not alone in your big, hard problems. It’s cliche, but I want to help shatter the stigma of mental illness. I want to say that it’s ok to be in therapy or on medication. Your bipolar or schizophrenic neighbour is a person who loves and lives just like you do.
Here’s to summer and flowers and God’s grace and the love of friends and family.
Don’t give up. The world needs you.
Out of the Shadows is a thoughtful journey from inside the mind of someone who didn’t give up while struggling through complex mental illness eventually diagnosed as schizophrenia and obsessive-compulsive disorder. She writes from the perspective of one looking back on her journey with greater insight and personal growth. Broader-level insights and clarifications from Slabach have been placed in the footnotes and would be helpful to anyone trying to understand in an objective way how to deal with mental illness in oneself or others. To me, the final effect is a rounded picture of mental illness, told from the perspective of the one who is mentally ill while taking the perspectives of friends and family into account.
The book has wisdom to share with someone living with mental illness, with the parents, caregivers, and friends of an individual with schizophrenic or OCD tendencies, and for all of us who struggle with the tendencies Kates experienced (albeit at a more manageable level that allows us to appear “normal” to other people).
Every page of text is paired with a page of Kates’ beautiful nature photography, making this a nice gift or coffee table book, as well as an easy and enjoyable read for your personal enrichment.
Don’t give up, Kates. On your dreams or photography or friendships or your beautiful, sweet relationship with Jesus. The world needs you.
***
Kates gave me a copy of Out of the Shadows in exchange for my honest review. Now I’d like to give another copy as my personal gift to one of you. Comment below to have your name entered in a drawing for an autographed copy of Out of the Shadows. Winner announced on Wednesday, July 27.
Update: The giveaway is no longer open. The winner was announced on this post.
You can buy your own copy on Amazon or at Masthof Press and Bookstore for a very reasonable price, considering the number of full-size photographs included. Be sure to help a small-press author by leaving a review!
Stories like this can be an encouragement to anyone even tho not going thru a mental illness! Blessings to you Kate’s and Luci as your lives intermingle!
Sounds like a very interesting book giving insights to us who need to be more understand of those who have mental struggles.
I’d love to read it.
Would love to have a copy of this book. Thank you for this giveaway opportunity.
I’m drawn to this story because of my father in law’s journey with mental illness. I would love to read the book!
Sounds like an excellent encouraging
book that I would like to read. It’s hard walking with dear friends and family and clients through the darkness of mental illness. A story of cloning to Jesus and growth would be encouraging.
I’m so happy for people that can talk about this kind of illness that no one else can see and most people DONT want to believe. I know I live with depression and I don’t like to hear people talk about people that are like this. I don’t like to hear them say just get over it stop thinking about yourself. They are stabbing words to use. We’d love to get over it we don’t want to live like this either. Thank you Kate for taking the step out. I wish people would understand this illness more.
Yes, amen! ❤️
This sounds intriguing. I’d love to read it!
Sounds like a story that needs to be told.
I would love to read this book!
I’d love to have & read this book!!
I’d dearly love to win this book. But I’ll be buying it nonetheless. Kates, I am so proud of you.
I would love to read & learn from her experience!
Having raised a neighbor girl whose mother was diagnosed with schizophrenia and then the girl with bipolar, we knew nothing about these conditions. We made lots of mistakes along the way. I would be interested in reading this story.
I would enjoy reading this book!
The book highly interest me; I’d love to read it. Those of us that haven’t experienced mental illness can only learn by seeing it through the eyes of others.
Would love to read this book
Sounds like an interesting and educational book to read!!!
I would like to read this book!♥
Definitely need to read this book!
I am thankful that mental illness no matter the diagnosis) is being talked about!
I’d love to read this book!
Past experience with a person or people with those same tendencies makes it sound especially interesting to me.
Sounds like a very worthwhile book!
Thanks for doing a book review and a giveaway. I would love to read this book.
I would love to read this book!!
I’d love to win this.
I’d like to read this book!
Yes! I would love to hear more about life with mental illness and learn how to respond to it.
I, too, would like to read this book. Mental illness is something I’ve not learned much about yet, but I would like to understand it better.
This sounds like a good book! I’d love to read it. ;)
As someone who has battled with depression as a side effect of Lyme, I would appreciate the opportunity to read about someone else’s journey.
I would like to read this book.
Would love to read it..
Thankful for more sharing on mental health!
Thank you Lucinda for this giveaway. Have a blessed weekend.
I would love to read this book! I agree that mental illness has a stigma and it’s sad. May this book help bring healthy awareness!
As a counselor in a school and a mother of an adult child with OCD and Borderline Personality Disorder, I would love to read this book as it’s rooted in strength, experience, and love. The author and my daughter share the perspective that mental illness doesn’t have to define a person in a negative way. Praise God.
Lucinda…..I’m enjoying getting to know you through your books and blogs. May God continue to bless you. 💛
Would definitely love to read this book!
Count me in as one who would love to read this book!
I love a story of someone overcoming, and not identifying in an illness or circumstance they experience in life, no matter how difficult. There is SO MUCH POWER in seeing a life lived out of the abundance of Gods grace and presence! Telling the story always takes courage, but it opens up opportunity for relationships and is a powerful testament of the work of God!
Yes, I’m glad to see more openness on this subject. Thanks for sharing, Luci.
I want to read this!
I’d love to read this!
I would love to read this….I have struggled with depression and anxiety…it’s real and not a fun thing to go through!
I’d enjoy reading the book.
I would love to have and read this book!
This book is a huge positive step in the right direction! I too have battled depression and know the anguish of being misunderstood by those who should have been my support. To be open about ones mental health struggles and in the process educate those who have no experience with mental health struggles, is a gift to the world!!
Thank you for doing a give away and I would love to read this book!
I’m intrigued and would enjoy reading this book
I want to read this book!
Would love to read this book!!!!
Yes! Yes! Yes! It’s wonderful to have conversations about this kind of thing. Mental illness is a scary thing and not easily labeled. What works for me probably won’t be the answer for you. But kindness and empathy and prayers always work!
Thank you for this book review. I like the format you described as well as the subject of the book.
Sounds like a book I’d enjoy. God bless her for sharing.
I’d love to read this book!
Will appreciate learning from this book you generously are giving away. Thanks.
I would like to learn from this book!
I’d love to read this book!
Sounds like an interesting and beautiful book I’d love to have!
I am glad to see this book reviewed, I recently read it. I found this book an easy read, although emotional, walking a similar path as a parent. The photography is beautiful.
I would also encourage anyone to read it, especially if you have a loved one or have interactions with anyone that has a mental illness or disorders. As a parent of one, I so appreciated Kates’ perspective. I am thankful she wrote this book, a beautiful testimony.
After reading a second review for this book, I’m definitely adding this one to my ‘to be read’ list.
I appreciate your gentle, hopeful presentation of the book…there is much to learn about walking beside those who are facing these things.
Blessings
I would enjoy reading and learning.
It takes great bravery and strength to share openly about personal mental health challenges. Thanks for your bravery, Kates and thank you Luci for writing this lovely review.
Ahh a story about how someone with mental illness triumphs with God’s power and grace… I’d love to read this.
I would love to read her book.
It sounds like a book that we all need to read to understand those who deal with mental health issues. Prayers it would get in the hands of those who walk alongside people who deal with this. I think she sensed your Godly spirit that she reached out to you. Or maybe she read The Turtle Heart? I would like to think your experience back then paved the path to your friendship with Kate’s! It is amazing how God works when we make ourselves available! God bless you richly
Very interested in reading this book! Also have a family member going thru this .
This sounds like a needed book! I’m interested in learning more about mental illness.
I’d enjoy reading this book; I think more people should honestly write about their struggles, so that others will know they’re not alone.
This book may be helpful to me as the parent of a child with mental health struggles. Thanks for the review and opportunity to win this book.
Since I have also struggled with mental illness in the form of depression and anxiety I would enjoy reading this book. I totally agree that it needs to be talked about more. It is as real as cancer and the many other health problems we accept and care about.
I truly respect the author of this book. It takes a tremendous amount of faith and courage to write about oneself,especially on a subject to seen to be taboo still today. I have long been in the health care arena and fail to see why mental issues should be viewed any differently than other physical issues. Thanks for bringing such an important subject to the forefront with a first person view. Bless you.
I know a little about struggles in the mind! It’s not fun; I’d love to read Kates’ experience.
This book has been on my ‘to buy’ list. I’m really wanting to educate myself more on mental health. Bless you for doing your part!
Sounds like a book I’d like to read.
Sounds like an interesting book. I’d enjoy reading it.
As Mennonites, I think we do not know enough about mental illnesses. This sounds like such a good book, and I’d love to read it!!
I would love to read this book!
I would love to read this book!
I’d be interested in reading the book.
I’d love to win this book!
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