I was sick for seven years from age nineteen to twenty-five. I was studying at the university when, at some point, I lost touch with my emotions. My dad is a pastor here in Nigeria, so I have never smoked, drunk alcohol, or used hard drugs. Until today, I don’t know the cause, but I think it was an attack from the enemy.
After a while, I had to be admitted to a mental hospital because my behavior was getting bad. After some months, I had to leave the hospital as many terrible things happened to me after taking the medicines. In a nutshell, I was not mentally well for about seven years until last year.
At that time, I discovered Pastor Prince and joined GRC Online, which is now my home church. Even though I was better, I was worried about every area of my life after being mentally sick for all those years.
On day seventeen of the daily church experience, the pastor gave us an exercise to give our anxieties to the Lord. He told us to do it for just one area of our lives that we were most worried about. Before this, I didn’t understand how someone could live without worry. I was someone who could only be better but not totally worry-free.
But to the glory of God, when I did it for one area of my life, I began to experience aggressive peace in that area and that peace has not stopped or lessened. When I experienced this, I couldn’t help but give four more areas of worry to the Lord, and I have been experiencing aggressive peace in those areas too.
I thank Pastor Prince, his ministry, and all our pastors at GRC Online for choosing to create a community for those with proximity challenges. I am so grateful and do not take it for granted.
I am grateful for the digital care groups—they are really blessing us. Being free from worry after seven years of being mentally sick as a young person is no small matter, and it just happened one morning with one exercise of giving Jesus my cares.
There are times when worry comes, but the peace I have is too aggressive for it to get me. I’m in a fortified place and worry cannot gain access to me. Glory to God! I am living a worry-free life, especially in the area of my health!
Samuel Adebayo | Nigeria
