5 Gospel Divas Who’ve Struggled With Depression

I think we can all agree that life isn’t always easy. I don’t know any one person who has been able to escape hurt feelings, devastation, or loss (of any kind).  This is even true of people in ministry. My father has been a preacher most of my life. I remember being a little girl, standing in front of the church with my mother and siblings as he was awarded his ministry license.  Growing up a P.K. (preacher’s kid) has one great advantage. It allowed me to know that people are just people. I gained the perspective early that one person isn’t better than another because of what he or she does for God.  I’ve seen my dad make a number of mistakes. But with every mistake, I’ve seen him be quick to admit he was wrong and to ask for forgiveness when needed. Growing up knowing that God doesn’t make people less vulnerable to trials and tribulations because they are in ministry has served me well. I tend not to be shaken by ministers who make mistakes or “fall from grace”. I realize that anything can happen to anyone at any time (according to God’s will of course). It’s ironic. Even though I know that Christians, especially ministers are fallible, it has still been difficult for me to discuss my battle with depression.  I still rarely talk about it. I suspect that if I had difficulty sharing my experience, others might have the same apprehensions, especially those in the church.

Thankfully, social media is picking up the slack the church is missing in regards to sharing awareness about depression within the church. Many well-known Christian ministers are sharing their message and helping to heal so many hurting brothers and sisters.  Yes, even well-known artists within the church community have experienced depression. I want to share the stories of five female gospel artists who have publicly admitted to battling depression.

 

Who doesn’t love Mary Mary?  Tina Campbell, one half of the gospel duo hasn’t been shy about her battle with depression.  There are many reasons that might spark depression.  For Tina, she shares how her husband’s infidelity took her to an especially dark place full of death.

Tasha Cobbs is one of gospel music’s newest sensations. She expresses her love and passion for God through beautiful praise and worship music. For Your Glory is my personal favorite. Many people don’t know that Cobbs battled depression. She shares her testimony with Essence magazine.

 

Mandisa is one of American Idol’s success stories. She took ninth place in the fifth season of the hit music competition.  While on the show, she stayed true to her gospel roots which won her a large fan base.  Since then, she’s won numerous music awards including a Grammy. Mandisa talks about her struggle with depression on various platforms. She uses her testimony to help others who might be struggling with the loss of a loved one.

 

LaShun Pace has one of the most recognizable voices in gospel music.  Her rendition of I Know I’ve Been Changed is probably one of her most popular recordings. After the heartbreaking death of her daughter, Pace went through a serious depression.   Reading the tragic events surrounding the death of her daughter, might help to understand Pace’s struggle. Thank you LaShun Pace for sharing such an intimate story.

You may know Jessica Reedy from the 2009 season of the BET hit show Sunday Best. While she didn’t win the competition, the Saginaw, Michigan native didn’t allow her defeat to keep her out of the gospel music industry.  She is thriving as a gospel artist. What I like most about Reddy is that she is using her testimony to impact the world. Her hit song Better was birthed out of her battle with depression.

I hope learning more about the struggles of  these gospel artists will help to alleviate the stigma some might have about depression within the church community. I hope these stories might help start a conversation at local church women’s meetings, at hair salons, on social media, and even over the telephone. Let’s follow the lead of these brave women and share our stories so that we can help others. And as always, let’s press on together!