This weekend, Saddleback Church founder and best-selling author Rick Warren returned to the pulpit with his wife Kay for the first time since their 27-year-old son’s suicide four months ago. Their son Matthew suffered from a lifelong battle with mental illness and depression. In April, the family launched a campaign to raise awareness about mental health issues, and have established a memorial fund benefiting mental health programs at churches, in memory of their son. Though emotional, the message was ultimately about choosing joy and God’s peace even in the most difficult times.
“For 27 years I prayed every day of my life for God to heal my son’s mental illness … it didn’t make sense why this prayer wasn’t being answered. When you go through a difficult time, you automatically start to try and find an answer. But explanations never comfort. You don’t need explanations; you need the presence of God.”
The sermon is currently available on the Saddleback website …
