Episode 10: Discovering God's Grace in the Midst of Depression with Author Heidi Austel

Depression is a condition that can affect every aspect of your life. Things that fell into place before become significantly more difficult and even your faith can begin to feel like it isn't functioning. Thankfully, there is hope in finding God's grace and love in those moments of darkness. Our guest on today's episode is Author Heidi Austel. Heidi shares her story of learning to live with her clinical depression, which lasted almost 12 years. She talks about how God showed her how to reconcile her life from her illness by rebuilding her with a faith that worked, even in depression. One of the most crucial ways Heidi says she rebuilt that faith was through music. Heidi shares how she created a playlist of faith-based songs that covered a variety of emotions and used them while she would exercise. She also breaks down some of the Music for the Soul songs that had the greatest emotional and spiritual impact on her during her battles with depression. Who is Heidi Austel? Heidi Austel was born into a first-generation, Christian family and accepted Jesus as her personal Savior at the tender age of five. Heidi was diagnosed with severe clinical depression in 2003 which began the 12 most difficult years she had ever experienced. Suddenly, God healed her. But He taught her the most precious things about Himself during her illness: His love, kindness, presence, grace and mercy. Grace-saturated, gospel principles gave her the ability to bear up under such a difficult affliction. Her passion in life will forever be to use that period of suffering to broadcast the amazing grace of God and the glory of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the world.  Resources: Our listeners can check out Heidi's book, her playlist and more on her website: www.discoveringgodsgraceindepression.com You can also get in touch with Heidi through her email: [email protected] Thank you so much for listening to this episode of the Music for the Soul Podcast! If you haven't already, please leave us a five star rating and review wherever you get this podcast. We are so grateful to bring you this powerful story and many more like it in the future.