Soul Food
Soul Food
The Naked Truth: The Disease of the Soul
Depression haunts the soul like an endless body of water, consuming your being without invitation or permission. Amanda knows this darkness intimately. For years, she navigated life feeling unwanted by her mother, who favored her siblings, creating a void nothing seemed able to fill.
"I would do anything to keep the person that I was with," Amanda confesses, recalling her desperate search for connection through a series of disastrous relationships. The scars still visible on her arms tell a story of profound suffering – cutting herself to experience temporary relief from the overwhelming pain inside.
The turning point came when Amanda discovered what her soul truly hungered for. "I only overcame depression when I got to know the true God," she shares. "Until I actually learned about the Holy Spirit... it filled that hole that was inside of me." Now, five years later, she stands transformed. Her powerful testimony challenges the belief that depression is incurable, offering hope to those drowning in similar circumstances.
Are you battling depression or know someone who is? You're not alone. Text or call our helpline at 1-888-332-4141. The Universal Church is open daily, ready to support your journey toward healing. The solution that transformed Amanda's life can transform yours too.
Now streaming on all major podcast platforms, edifying your mind, body and soul. We welcome you to listen now to Soul Food with your main host, bishop Joshua. Here we are always ready to share a word of faith. Unpack powerful testimonies and divinely inspired music to enhance your faith. Walk, feed your faith wherever you go, quench your spiritual hunger, give the food that lasts forever. Here on the soul food podcast.
Speaker 3:Naked Truth. This is now our segment and we are going to uncover the truth here in this program. This is what we do. We show to you the naked truth. We have nothing to hide from you and we are not here to make up stories. We are not here to show to you something that is in between the lines, but we are here to show you the naked truth, the details, everything that you need to know. Usually, when you watch some TV programs, you hear about the word, you hear church services, but what you need to hear you don't. However, we are going to show to you the naked truth. I have here these tools with me that I'm going to use to bless you. I have this book here that is the ministry of the holy spirit. Also, I have the holy the Word of God to help you. You can continue calling us. The number is there 1-888-332-4141.
Speaker 3:Today I'm going to be talking about depression. What is behind depression? I have Amanda. She is my guest today in this Naked Truth and Amanda is going to tell us the before and after the life of Amanda with depression and the life of Amanda with the Holy Spirit. I have been speaking to so many people that say I have the Holy Spirit, I have the Holy Ghost, but they are battling with depression. Amanda is my guest. Hey, amanda, how are you? Thank you for joining me.
Speaker 4:I'm good Bishop, Thank you.
Speaker 3:You are going to be sharing your story with us. How many years of your life you suffered with depression?
Speaker 4:Many years Bishop, until I was 22. All right.
Speaker 2:Until I was 22.
Speaker 3:Okay, I want to show right now what is behind the depression, what causes the depression, that is, the disease of the soul, and I'll be back reading this book of the Holy Spirit and also talking to Amanda people might think that in order to be drowning, the water has to be inside of you, but this body of water is never ending.
Speaker 5:It comes on its own terms. It consumes, eats away, expands, takes up a body, a being, a day, a week, a month, a year, a lifetime. It never leaves, it doesn't ask for permission to stay, you never invite it in, but it settles, some days full-bodied, some days partial, but it's there, it's always there. I feel a tear in my heart, like a part of me is missing and I just can't take it. I feel like I lost who I am. I feel empty. I am trapped. I feel alone, tears on my face. I can't take it. Does anyone hear my cry? If only you knew the effect that depression has on me.
Speaker 3:Depression is the disease of the soul. It's like you are drowning into problems. Depression. Amanda, tell us how did it all start? You were very young. What happened to you? Tell me about your childhood. Growing up, becoming a teenager what caused depression in your soul?
Speaker 4:So it all started when I was younger. Just being at home, I didn't feel loved. I didn't feel like anybody cared about me. My mom always pushed me to the side, made me feel like I wasn't loved by her because she loved my siblings more. I also dealt with bullying Just always people putting me down, saying things about me. I never really felt good about myself and never felt good about being alive.
Speaker 3:It is frustrating when a person has these family problems because you cannot count on anybody. Are you her first daughter? Yes, so you are the first one. And how many siblings you have? I have four, others four. So you felt unloved. You felt that she loved more, uh, your siblings than you.
Speaker 4:Yes, absolutely, I would try to call her attention. You know I would try to do good things, try to do the right thing, and nothing ever worked. Nothing ever worked. She was never happy with me, no matter what I did.
Speaker 3:Okay, Amanda, tell me, if you had no love at home from your mother, no attention. Why did you try? Because I hear people say I don't have a family, Let me find a family on the streets, Let me go to parties, to nightclubs, Let me find friends which I don't have at home. I don't know if that was your case, but tell me what happened to you.
Speaker 4:Oh, absolutely, Because I didn't have that love your case, but tell me what happened to you. Oh, absolutely. Because I didn't have that love at home, I looked for it in other men. So I found a boyfriend, thought it was the greatest thing ever, turned out to be a very abusive one, where I was being beat, cheated on, and that destroyed me even more. And then I, I went to um, I looked for a solution. And drinking and drugs and smoking, doing all these things because I did not know how to, how to build what was, um, the emptiness that was inside of me. I didn't know how to fix it, um, because I didn't know any other solution. The only thing that I've learned is that you have to party, you have to drink and you have to have somebody by your side if you want to be happy, and but none of that brought me happiness.
Speaker 3:None of that works so you told us about this boyfriend. Of course, it did not work. Did you go to the next relationship? What happened in your love life?
Speaker 4:it's the same thing. It seemed like a never-ending circle. I would go, I would find somebody. It would seem really good at the beginning always led to the same thing abuse being cheated on and being put down a lot.
Speaker 3:Every day. I'm reading here the book the Ministry of the Holy Spirit and I want to read something here, and I want you read something here and I want you to let me know if it is related to your past, because the title says those who have the Holy Spirit are not alone. They aren't alone, lonely. So when a person has the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, they are not alone. In your case, you did not have love from your mother. You did not have love from these boyfriends, from friends. Let me read here some theme. Nothing is more overwhelming to the soul than realizing that relationships, even the most intimate ones like you said about your mother, are unable to create inner happiness. There are people who invest heavily in their marriages and children, but if their spouse decides to break up or their children disappoint them, they are emotionally devastated. Disappointment, grief. Let me stop here and ask you, amanda, was that the way you felt back then?
Speaker 4:No, oh, absolutely. I would do anything to keep the person that I was with. I would do anything that they wanted me to do so that they would stay with me. No matter how much it hurt me and no matter how much I really didn't want to, I would still do it, just so that they wouldn't leave because in a certain point of time, I guess that you had what you wanted, like the boyfriend you wanted.
Speaker 3:You had these people around. I say you had a fake life, but even though you had people around you, even though you were at the party I don't know if you had any kind of addiction, but the soul was still hungry, still hungry. And there is this lady watching me right now that she feels the same. She had a husband. She got divorced. Now she has a boyfriend, another boyfriend, and you are empty. You drink, you party, you do drugs, you dance, but you are empty. Why? Because your problem is not outside but inside of you. Let me go back to the book and read here. Disappointment, grief and loneliness have been the cause of depression. That was the case of Amanda. The case of Amanda was depression, self-medication and suicidal attempts. In moments of pain, what people want the most is someone who you listen to, support and guide them, someone who will never leave them. So, amanda, you are looking for dispersa through your mother. You are looking for dispersa through boyfriend sparis, but you did not find what your soul wanted, right? Yep?
Speaker 4:uh, that's the absolute truth. Like I said, like I would do all those things, nothing ever worked. And I would, as I would drink and do the drugs. I would be so happy at that moment. But when I went back home, that's when everything started to hit me and that's when the depression, that's when I got even deeper into a hole that I was in. So I was trying to cover it up with everything that I was doing, but nothing helped at all.
Speaker 3:We just saw here this picture of your arms. You still have the scars of the past. If somebody cannot believe, but we see the scars. Why were you cutting yourself?
Speaker 4:Because of the pain that I was feeling. Um, I did it because it relieved what was going on inside. It relieved it temporarily. It's. It sounds crazy, but just to hurt myself and to see the blood and like it made me feel better, really made me feel better at that moment.
Speaker 3:We see that's a spiritual problem, spiritual problem that people have. When you saw the blood, you felt a relief, yes, but when the pain of healing was there in your body, I believe that you regretted it. Yes.
Speaker 4:Absolutely Well, it was mostly on this arm. This arm there's a lot like there's scars, but they're not that visible. This one is the one where I took a sharp piece of glass and dug deeper than the other ones, so it's more visible on this arm.
Speaker 3:Okay. Why do people cut? Why do they cut? Even when I go to prison, I see men of their. Why do they cut? Even when I go to prison, I see many of the inmates there. They cut the arm when they have no more place to cut. They cut even the neck Because, as you said, they want to see the blood. You know why? I'll tell you. Let me use this camera. I'll tell everybody. Why do people do that? They do that because they want to ease the pain of the soul. One lady said if I had cancer, the pain would not be greater than the pain of the soul. It's so serious, it's very profound. She said, if I had cancer, the pain would not be so strong, greater than the pain of depression. Because, amanda, only those who have the pain of depression they know what depression is all about.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I absolutely agree, and it's like exactly what you were saying, bishop. It does come from the soul. Because it's like exactly what you were saying, bishop. It does come from the soul because it's something much deeper. We try to use things to make us feel better and like the outward appearance or whatever it is that we're doing we think is going to be the solution, but it's something much, much deeper that nothing in this world is like able to really dig deep and really feel whatever is in there that needs to be you just said it nothing the world can't relieve no boyfriend, no husband, no wife, no money, no entertainment, nothing.
Speaker 3:Well, once again, let us watch now another video about depression. And I want you, if you relate to one of the signs about depression, what do you need to do? You need to call us right now. Call this number that you see on your screen 1-888-332-4141. This is the number for those who are desperate, those who need spiritual help. Also, you can send me a text, send me a text message. It's 1-888-312-4141. 888-312-4141. Understand what the signs of depression, the signs, the symptoms of depression are all about.
Speaker 7:I will be right back and you are going to know how's the life of Amanda nowadays. Pay very close attention. 10 signs to identify depression. You have no goals for life. You feel numb. Life has no color nor meaning. Due to the numbness you have inside. Change in appetite and energy level. Change in concentration. You can't focus on anything. You do. Anxiety, you worry and fear about everyday situations.
Speaker 2:Excessive anger and mood swings suicidal thoughts and attempts, sleepless nights, sadness and loss of interest. You are constantly feeling lonely in severe sadness. Can you relate? Even the sparrow has a place to lay its head. So why would I let what we steal my breath? Even the roses? You have golden, brilliant reds.
Speaker 2:Now I'm the one you love more than this. You give me everything. You give me everything. You give me everything I need. Even the oceans push and pull at your command, so you can still my heart with your hand. You tell the seasons when it's time for them to turn. So I will trust you, even when it hurts, cause you give me everything. You give me everything. You give me everything. You give me everything I need. You give me everything. You give me everything. You give me everything I need. And when I can't see, you leave me. When I can't hear, you show me. When I can't stand, you carry me. And when I am lost, you will find me. When I am weak, you are mighty. You are everything I need, cause you give me everything. You give me everything. You give me everything. You give me everything I need. You give me everything. You give me everything. You give me everything. You give me everything I need. Thank you.
Speaker 3:So, amanda, tell us right now how did you overcome depression? How is your life now? How do you feel inside?
Speaker 4:So I only overcame depression when I got to know the true God. I've been to many different churches when I was younger and nothing has ever really been able to help me, and until I actually learned about the Holy Spirit and I overcame it. When I seek the Holy Spirit, sought to get God's help, and nowadays, because I'm filled with the Holy Spirit, it felt, it filled that hole that was inside of me. All those years I try to find solutions and other things, but it wasn't until I received the Holy Spirit that now I'm happy. It doesn't matter if I have a boyfriend, doesn't matter Like I can lose everything at this moment, but the only thing that's helping me to maintain and really be happy and feel that true happiness, not the temporary thing that this world has to offer, but that true happiness. That's what's helping me to keep going.
Speaker 3:All right. So you said that you went to many churches and like you, amanda, there are many people going to many churches. The solution is not in the building or the institution. The solution does not come from no church, from no pastor. The solution comes from God. She was searching the family, was searching for happiness they did not find. Now Amanda is a happy young lady, has the Spirit, spirit of God and overcoming depression. So what could be a message that you leave for ladies that are like you, were cutting themselves? They feel unloved, unwanted, they don't feel welcome for the family. What could be your advice for these people?
Speaker 4:My advice is that there is a solution. Most of the time, we believe that there is nothing that is going to cure depression, nothing that can help it, but there is, and the solution is God. The solution is the Holy Spirit, because I am testimony of that and that's it. That's. The only thing I really have to say is that the solution is God, because at a certain point I didn't really believe in that until I actually gave God the chance to work in my life and it's been great since then and I've never turned back since then Because, again, nothing else was ever able to make me happy.
Speaker 3:Right. How long have you been with us in the Universal Church?
Speaker 4:Let me see, I've been here for about five years now.
Speaker 3:Five years. Amanda, thank you very much for your story, your testimony, congratulations. Thank you for joining us. Thank you, sir. God bless you. You see, my friend, this is not fairytale. What God did in her life, he can do in yours. You are not watching me in vain. I am showing to you the naked truth that your life can change. Do not believe in fairytales. Your life can change.
Speaker 6:Are you ready to fill your soul with the sustenance it needs? Look no further. Bishop Joshua Fonseca's Soul Food Podcast is here to satisfy your spiritual hunger. Get inspired and feed your faith with this Bible-based content for people of all backgrounds, no matter where you are at home, at work or on the go you can listen to these engaging messages of faith at any time, from testimonies and real-life stories to musical entertainment. Feed your soul with more than just physical sustenance, but solid spiritual food. Tune in today for a journey of hope, strength and truth, and be uplifted with each episode. Wherever you are, don't let your soul go hungry. It's time for some soul food.
Speaker 3:My water is ready. Do you have yours? A cup of water, glass of water, a bottle of water. Glass of water, a bottle of water. Let us pray. Let us now talk to God.
Speaker 7:It's now the moment of prayer. Let us talk to God here.
Speaker 2:I am, in this moment of prayer so despised, without love, need to talk with my Lord, oh, my Lord.
Speaker 3:Oh, my Lord, come quickly to help this person that cannot take it anymore, just like Amanda. There are many people out there in suffering, in pain. They have this agony, they are devastated. They don't know, lord, what to do anymore. This person is broken. The life of this person has been miserable. Oh, holy Spirit, my God, broken the life of this person has been miserable. Oh, holy Spirit, my God, and I pray that you transform, that you change the life of this person. She doesn't have the love of the family, the mother, parents, spouse. This person has been empty. But you removed the problems, the pain from the life of Amanda and you gave it to her hope and the Holy Spirit, lord, this person is crying, taking pills, pills to sleep. This person is taking a lot of medications to kill herself, drugs, prostitution, going to the night.
Speaker 3:Lord, deliver this person right now. Remove these grudges, this resentment, the traumas of the past. Lord, forgive this person, forgive for these mistakes, for what they have done, and deliver this person, o God, once and for all. My God, I am asking you that you may bless this water, let this water become a holy remedy, that this person may be set free once and for all. In the name of the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, amen. Praise God, amen. Your water is blessed. When you drink of this water, you are going to drink the power of God inside of your body, wherever you are, perhaps right now, in a motel, in a shelter, in a hotel, in a hotel, in the hospital or even in prison. Drink this water, receive peace inside of you.
Speaker 2:When you feel the sunlight Fade into the cold night, don't know where to turn. Don't know where to turn and all the dreams you're dreaming Seem to lose their meaning. Lonely in your world, baby. Lonely in your world. All you need Is someone you can hold. Don't be sad, you're not alone.
Speaker 3:I will be here for you Somewhere in the night. The Lord Jesus will always be there for you. Amanda is no longer alone. She has been transformed. You are no longer alone. God is with you. I finish now this program. The helpline is available. Call this number. The text is available. Text message Send me a text right now. I will be answering you back. The Universal Church is a non-stop ministry. We are open every single day. Leave the comments there as well. We are going to be ready for you. May the God of the Bible bless all of you.
Speaker 2:I will see there. There's nothing to fear. I will be here for you Somewhere in the night, somewhere in the night thank you for listening to soul food podcast.
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