Shelby's Story

During my first year of marriage I struggled with daily anxiety attacks. Prior to meeting my husband I had experienced some intense psychological trauma. Some days I couldn’t leave my apartment and almost every night I would cry and shake in my husband’s arms until I fell asleep.

I was diagnosed with Complex PTSD and consequently started weekly EDMR therapy and was prescribed medications to help my brain find some kind of peace. The therapy and medications were helpful but I also prayed daily to my Heavenly Father for some kind of divine personal revelation and closure.

But my mind was so busy and clouded with anxiety that I had no way of being peaceful enough to feel the spirit talk to me.

One night I was so mentally , physically, and spiritually exhausted from the daily war in my head that I asked my husband to give me a blessing. I didn’t think much of this because I’d probably had a million blessings from him at that point. But that night God answered a question I’d prayed over the last three years of suffering. I just wanted to know if Jesus Christ knew what had happened to me and knew that I needed help finding peace.

In the blessing my husband said that Jesus Christ knew exactly what had happened, even if no one on earth knew, and He knew the mental pain I was going through. He also said that because of Christ’s atonement, he knew exactly what my feelings were and knew the best way to help me.

After that blessing my mind was clear. I no longer suffer from daily, paralyzing fear. Hearing that Jesus Christ knew what was going on in my mind and knowing that He had experienced the same anxiety and thoughts that I had been struggling with made my fears seem manageable for the first time. That blessing cemented my faith in the atonement of Jesus Christ.