Dealing With Depressionنموونە

Happy 100th Birthday, Mom! 🎂 

My mom is 100 years old and I want to celebrate her life with you. I want to celebrate her attitude and her ability to overcome tough circumstances. Georgiana Mabel Gonthier Goulet is my mom, one of the most incredible human beings in the world. She deserves praise, love and admiration. Living to 100 years old is not her greatest achievement; it’s living a life of an overcomer, a life of character and integrity.

The Bible says, “For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.” (2 Peter 1:5-7, NIV) 

My mom has a truckload of character with a beautiful disposition. Some may think she’s had an easy life, but it’s really the opposite. Character does not come from a life of ease—it comes from a tried, tested and true life. Although she was born into a very good family, her mother died when she was young. Her younger brother drowned in a nearby river. Her father lost everything in the Great Depression, she was sent to a boarding school because her father slipped into a depression and she suffered from Menière’s Disease for many years. I'll stop right there. Suffice it to say, she had to face incredible adversity, but somehow she did it with an amazing attitude. My mom had the ability to reinterpret the trials of life with hope, faith and love.

Who’s your inspiration in life? Is it a mom, dad, coach or teacher? Apostle Paul told his protégé, Timothy, that his faith came from his grandmother and mom: “I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.” (2 Timothy 1:5, NIV) 

Where does your faith come from?

Depression and adversity almost destroyed my family, but my mom has three qualities that carried us through it all: “And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13, NIV) 

Because of COVID-19 and the government’s restrictions, I won’t be allowed to hug her, laugh with her, cry with her or eat some famous Montreal barbecue chicken, but I’ve chosen to have an overcoming attitude like my mom.

What are you facing? Can you draw from the strength of the three “superpowers” listed in 1 Corinthians 13:13, “faith, hope, and love”? Can you be inspired by heroes like my mom or others? 

You will make it through these challenging days with faith, hope and love, just like my mom. 

Because God is real, and you’re a miracle. 

And I’m Paul Marc Goulet.