By Victoria Ostrosky
Walking in the Garden of Eden in the cool of the day, God called out – “Adam, where are you?” Enoch’s legacy is that he walked with God every day. Then there’s Moses of whom it is said that God talked with him face to face as one speaks with a friend. And we can’t forget David – a man after God’s own heart. God the Father, through the prophet Isaiah entreated Israel to “come now and let us reason together…”
Throughout the Bible, God reveals that He is all about reaching out to us because He desires connection with us. Jesus, in the fullness of time, arrived on the scene and spoke the invitation – “follow me”. “Come to me all who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.”
Jesus instructed His disciples and us today about the importance of abiding in Him. This is not a New Testament only theme. God has always desired a relationship with us. We wonder, in our modern day, what exactly Jesus meant. There’s a cute saying from years ago – “home is where, when you go there, they have to let you in.”
Zach Kiley grew up in Spring, Texas, and was raised in the Catholic faith. “I knew God existed, but I didn’t want Him in my life, so I stepped away.” His world came crashing down in 2020, when he experienced a complete mental breakdown, partially brought on by abusing his body with alcohol, excessive energy drink consumption, and virtually no sleep for many days. His sleep-deprived hallucinations caused disruptions at work. He soon found himself in a mental hospital.
The Christian mental hospital staff had placed Bibles throughout the facility, and he was encouraged to read. After years of ignoring God, he prayed, and God touched his heart. “I started writing in a journal. It blew me away the love God had for me. I encountered Jesus when I read the Bible.” Jesus, the living Word, used the written Word to call out to Zach – “come to me…”.
After his discharge from the hospital, Zach moved back with his parents and they relocated to the Destin area. He came out of isolation and discovered something amazing–connection with other believers. “I met Darryl who brought me to a small group. Those men have become brothers to me and have blessed me with mentorship.” Zach is now an active member in his church and participates in a small group of men encouraging each other to walk with God and abide in Jesus, daily.
Zach knows that in order to live a fruitful life and walk in freedom, getting in the Word, staying in the Word, and praying the Word is essential. He understands depression and anxiety are crippling. “I still struggle with depression at times, but I know I’ll come out of it.” Memorizing scripture is paramount to combating anxiety.
Thinking of the Psalmist, David, what did he do when he was depressed or anxious, afraid or uncertain? He cried out to the One he knew would hear him. That’s how David walked with God. His heart was fixed and his feet never wandered far from the path.
Zach’s advice for anyone experiencing incapacitating depression or anxiety – “know that it’s not going to kill you. You’ll get through it. Depression feels like forever, but it will pass. Lean into connection.” Staying close to Jesus with prayer and reading the scripture and connecting with other believers is God’s way of protecting and growing His children. Abiding in Jesus takes time and effort. The payoff is a closeness with Him that is indescribable.
You can listen to Zach Kiley’s entire interview and many other incredible stories on the weekly Road to Redemption radio show and podcast at www.rtrdestiny.com.
Author: Sowal Editor
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