Honesty and wisdom about mental illness

Treasures of the Darkness: Finding a Hope Stronger Than Our Hurts Esther Manuel. Essence Publishing, 2004. 240 pages. To order phone 604-852-2151 or e-mail.

Treasures of the Darkness tells of one woman’s struggle with the mental illness of her husband and its devastating consequences for her and their family. If you’re expecting a fairy-tale ending where everything gets fixed, you’ll be disappointed. However, if you’re looking at how to cope in a painful situation or how to walk with someone going through emotional pain, you’ll find it in these pages.

Mental illness is not an easy subject to discuss nor is it easy to walk through. Manuel plainly describes her struggles, and her victory. She is honest about her doubts and fears. She was faced with incredibly difficult decisions and suffered horrible losses. It isn’t a pretty story but one that desperately needs to be told.

In the midst of the story, Manuel takes opportunities to teach. Scripture and experience combine to give very practical help. She shows how support from praying family and friends and a personal walk with God sustained her in her crumbling world.

These quotes sum up the essence of Treasures of the Darkness:

“Loving God doesn’t erase painful human emotions.”

“Faith has not brought a cure, but it has brought another kind of miracle. It is the miracle of serenity in the midst of tragedy, of courageous coping and compassionate caring. As you give yourself to Christ again and again . . . you grow from a fear-filled Christian to a faith-fortified Christian.”

The ending is filled with hope and looking forward. I highly recommend this book.

Lani Wiens is a freelance writer from Saskatoon.