Love and Lean on God

<p>Zach was funny, smart, and well-liked. But he secretly struggled with depression. After he committed suicide at age fifteen, his mom, Lori, said of him, &ldquo;It&rsquo;s just hard to comprehend how someone that had so much going for him would come to that point. Someone like Zach . . . was not exempt from suicide.&rdquo;&nbsp;There are moments in the quiet when Lori pours out her sorrow to God. She says that the deep sadness after suicide is &ldquo;a whole different level of grief.&rdquo; Yet she and her family have learned to lean on God and others for strength, and now they&rsquo;re using their time to love others who are grappling with depression.</p> <p>Lori&rsquo;s motto has become &ldquo;Love and lean.&rdquo; This idea is also seen in the Old Testament story of Ruth. Naomi lost her husband and two sons&mdash;one who was married to Ruth (Ruth 1:3&ndash;5). Naomi grew bitter and depressed and urged Ruth to return to her mother&rsquo;s family where she could be cared for. Ruth, though also grieving, &ldquo;clung&rdquo; to her mother-in-law and committed to staying with her and caring for her (vv. 14&ndash;17). They returned to Bethlehem, Naomi&rsquo;s homeland, where Ruth would be a foreigner. But they had each other to love and lean on; and God provided for them (2:11&ndash;12).</p> <p>During our times of grief, God&rsquo;s love remains steady. We always have Him to lean on as we also lean on and love others in His strength.</p>