When Darkness Seems My Closest Friend : Reflections On Life And Ministry With Depression

'I'm looking for the words and writing for those who can't imagine the words.' Mark Meynell articulates a heart pain that most of us simply couldn't express. He connects strongly and immediately with fellow cave dwellers. We relive significant moments from boarding school, Uganda, Berlin and London. We visit the Psalms, Job and The Pilgrim's Progress. If you're after neat conclusions and a fair-weather faith, this is not for you. This book serves up gritty reality and raw honesty, but also the heartfelt hope that the author's brokenness 'can somehow contribute to another person's integration' and 'inspire their clinging while beset by darkness or fog or blizzards'. Contents 1 The mask 2 The volcano 3 The cave 4 The weight 5 The invisibility cloak 6 The closing 7 The way 8 The fellow-traveller 9 The gift Appendix 1 Managing the symptoms Appendix 2 Unexpected friends in the cave Appendix 3 Some words from inside the cave 'I'm looking for the words and writing for those who can't imagine the words.'Mark Meynell articulates a heart pain that most of us simply couldn't express. He connects strongly and immediately with fellow cave-dwellers.If you're after neat conclusions and a fair-weather faith, this is not for you. This book serves up gritty reality and raw honesty, but also the heartfelt hope that the author's brokenness'can somehow contribute to another person's integration'and'inspire their clinging while beset by darkness or fog or blizzards'.'All who read this will feel deeply indebted to Mark, and to God.'Roger Carswell'Mark invites fellow cave-dwellers and those who love us to walk (or collapse) with him on the road... For the first time in a long while, we rest.'Zack Eswine'Moving and fascinating.'Sean Fletcher'Fine writing, personal honesty, intellectual analysis, theological incisiveness and simple open-endedness... A must-buy and a must-read.'Julian Hardyman'Written straight from the heart of pain - yet brimful of hope and courage.'Rachel Kelly'We are pointed to a Saviour who brings us purpose, grace and hope.'Emma Scrivener'Practical wisdom and hope... without being trite.'Derek Tidball'Profound, unusual and very personal... demonstrates the extraordinary relevance and power of the Bible in helping us to connect our often mysterious and confusing experiences to God's bigger story. Mark's creative appendix of music, books, poetry, websites and blogs, which have helped him survive his'cave', is invaluable.'Richard Winter A window into the troubled world of the depression sufferer, interspersed with helpful biblical wisdom and reflection