Philip Janvier

Honest before God Philip Janvier

Not so long ago, I felt myself under so much pressure that I went to my doctor and asked, "How much stress is too much stress?" My doctor's response implied that if I was asking that question, then I needed, to be honest with myself and take stock of my life and work. The truth was I was depressed and that I had been going down slowly for years, a combination of deafness in one ear, coeliacs disease, the usual chaotic family life and too many commitments had taken their toll. For years as a pastor I have dealt with those battling with depression, I was good at seeing the signs in others but very nearly missed my own. I was fortunate because I have a loving family, close friends and a church that were simply amazing, who walked with me, and a doctor who made sure I got the right support. A combination of counselling, prayer and medication has assured that I am at last coming out the other side. Inspired by the Rt Revd James Jones, this book charts my journey from the valley of the shadow into the light. It is my prayer, that wherever you are on your spiritual journey, you will find comfort, hope and challenge through the radical honesty embedded in the heart of the Psalms.