Hallelujah! What a Savior!

I think I should tell you a little bit about myself before I do any more posts.

My name is Kaelan Chamblee (Kay-lin Sham-bley). I am a seventeen-year-old girl who lives in Tupelo, Mississippi. I am a senior who is homeschooled, I play the violin and piano, and I have just started dance lessons. I am child number five in a family of seven children. I have seven nieces and nephews, with more on the way!

I became a Christian in March of 2015. I'm still growing and maturing and discovering Who my Christ is. When I was thirteen, my sister got married. She was kind of like my security blanket, and when she left, I started obsessively washing my hands and began showing signs of anxiety and depression. My hands were constantly red, which became embarrassing because people would ask me what was wrong with them. My anxiety became worse after a few months, and I began to have trouble sleeping. I would have to have ALL the lights on, and sometimes I would even have to get my mom to sleep in my room with me just so I could feel safe. I began to have dark thoughts, but I didn't want to think them. I became physically and emotionally exhausted by the time I was fourteen. I no longer wanted to continue this way. I wanted everything to be over. And that scared me to death.
I struggled like this for a year before my parents became aware that I was in this state. After they knew how anxious I really was, my dad would stay up with me when I couldn't sleep.

Fast forward to March of 2015. I read in John about my Christ, and that night He clearly showed me Himself. I had struggled for years, trying to understand how I was supposed to give my burdens to Someone I couldn't physically see. But that night, I understood. I could JUST COME. I could trust.
And I did. I repented. My Christ bore my sins, my burdens, and my struggles for me. And I was clothed in righteousness through Christ my own. That night I finally slept in perfect peace for the first time in two years.
Ever since then, my OCD and anxiety have subsided. God truly used them to bring me to Himself.

I hope that if you struggle with anxiety, just reading this will give you hope. But while it may encourage you, only Christ can offer freedom from that prison of hopelessness.

"Man of Sorrows! what a name

For the Son of God, who came

Ruined sinners to reclaim.

Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Bearing shame and scoffing rude,

In my place condemned He stood;

Sealed my pardon with His blood.

Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Guilty, vile, and helpless we;

Spotless Lamb of God was He;

“Full atonement!” can it be?

Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Lifted up was He to die;

“It is finished!” was His cry;

Now in Heav’n exalted high.

Hallelujah! What a Savior!

When He comes, our glorious King,

All His ransomed home to bring,

Then anew His song we’ll sing:

Hallelujah! What a Savior!"

-Phillip Bliss-

Kaelan