Friends, We had an amazing podcast interview with Jay Lowder, where he shared his personal story of how God saved him from suicide in an unexpected way. Jay’s roommate was the instrument that God used to prevent his suicide due to severe depression, and this event greatly marked his life, leading him to form Jay Lowder Harvest Ministries.
During their conversation, Jay talked about his journey through depression and how difficult it was for him to share it with others. He also spoke about the stigma experienced by Christians and society as a whole towards mental health problems, and the need for churches to support and listen to people who have mental health problems.
It’s time for us to leave behind the idea that mental health problems are a result of a lack of prayer or not being close enough to God. We must acknowledge that it is a real problem, and there are many teenagers and adults struggling with the idea of suicide. Jay also shared some warning signs that we can look out for in people who are going through suicidal thoughts.
What we need is accessibility, not judgment. We must be willing to listen, support, and encourage people who are going through mental health issues and struggling with suicidal thoughts. Let’s be the hands and feet of Christ in reaching out to those who are hurting and in need.
Jay Lowder is founder and president of Jay Lowder Harvest Ministries, an organization dedicated to reaching diverse groups of people with the message of Jesus Christ. Through his ministry, Lowder travels around the world providing a message of hope to the hurting.
Drawing from personal experience, Lowder is committed to reach those who struggle in everyday life. At 21, Lowder turned away from God and headed toward a life of destruction, eventually reasoning that his life was no longer worth living.
One fateful day, Lowder considered suicide with a pistol at his temple; however, his attempt came to an abrupt halt when his roommate unexpectedly walked through the door. Sensing God spared his life to fulfill a purpose, Lowder began a search for truth, which culminated at a Sunday night Christian gathering where he committed his life to Christ. Soon after, he attended a youth event where he witnessed hundreds of teens respond to the call to accept Jesus Christ. It was there he realized God was calling him to spend the rest of his life proclaiming his personal faith story and helping others find God’s purpose for their life.
Since the call to full-time ministry in 1989, Lowder has participated in more than 500 church-wide events, rallies and conferences, and has been invited to speak to numerous groups including NFL teams such as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers. Additionally, he developed the nationally acclaimed school assembly “Crossroads,” which has been presented to 2 million students nationwide, as well as the national television show, “The Darkest Hour,” featuring raw and compelling stories of individuals who have found their way out of the pit of defeat by discovering a purpose
for living.He resides in Wichita Falls, Texas, with his wife, Melissa, whom he married in 1993,
and their three children Lane, Kayley Faith and Graham.
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After listening to this podcast, we encourage you to email us at info@FreshHope.us with a comment or question we will share on our next podcast.
If you are listening to this podcast on iTunes, we encourage you to comment on the podcast. Or you can leave a voice message for us on the site: www.FreshHope4MentalHealth.com.
Pastor Brad Hoefs is an ordained Pastor and Member of the Association of Free Lutheran Congregations. He has been pastoring since 1985, and he is currently the pastor of Anchor of Hope Church in Omaha, Nebraska (since 1995). The church has seen over 110% growth in the 18 months after Fresh Hope started meeting.
Pastor Brad is the Executive Director of WorshipOutlet.com. He founded Fresh Hope in 2009.
He is a State-certified Intentional Peer Support Specialist and was appointed by Governor Heineman of Nebraska to serve on the State Advisory Committee on Mental Health Services.
He is also the author of Fresh Hope: Living Well in Spite of a Mental Health Diagnosis, published in 2013.
Pastor Brad has been married to his college sweetheart, Donna, for 34 years, and is the proud father of two adult married children, and ‘Papa’ to 3 grandsons and 1 granddaughter.
If you are interested in more information about Fresh Hope, go to www.FreshHope.us or email info@FreshHope.us, or call 402.932.3089.
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