July 30, 2024 • 47 mins
Living with bipolar disorder presents unique challenges. In this episode, writer, artist, and speaker Lydia Lascola shares her powerful testimonial on the intersection of faith, marriage, and mental illness. She candidly discusses societal stigmas and misconceptions surrounding mental health and faith. Lydia reveals how her personal relationship with Jesus Christ not only improved her marriage but also transformed her suffering into sanctification, encouraging listeners to view faith as a meaningful relationship rather than a set of rigid practices. Tune in for a message of hope and encouragement for anyone grappling with mental health issues, marriage, or similar struggles.
CONNECT WITH LYDIA: @livinglascola
✨NEW HERE? ✨ Meet Jemese LaChel Drewery, LCSW, CCTP - Spirit-filled trauma expert and host of A New Creation Podcast. Through Christ-centered conversations and inspiring testimonies, Jemese guides women to healing, deeper faith, and freedom in Jesus Christ.
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🌱 Mentorship: jemeselachel.com
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Lydia Lascola (00:00):
I felt like I was the exception and I felt like
God forgot about me.
And you know, it was almostlike this cruel joke, that like
I wanted back into the club ofChrist but like I wasn't good
enough because I had bipolar.
Jemese LaChel LCSW (00:23):
This is a new creation podcast.
I'm your host, jamece Lachelle.
I'm a Christian traumatherapist.
You just heard a little bitfrom our guest, a little teaser.
She's speaking a little bit inthis episode about faith and
life and how the Lord has walkedher through mental illness,
bipolar we talk about marriageand all of the things.
So you definitely don't want tomiss this episode.
(00:44):
Let's dive right in.
I want to welcome everybodyback to the podcast.
I am super excited to introducemy new friend.
Her name is Lydia Laskola.
Is that how you pronounce yourlast name, laskola?
I got it right.
Yes, I know, it means theschool in Italian.
Oh, how beautiful.
Ooh, that's deep.
(01:05):
I want to hear more about that.
Okay, so I'll just read thisbio and you, of course, will add
to it.
So this is Lydia, with a hearton fire for Jesus.
Lydia Lascola is growing hercareer as a writer, painter and
a speaker to combat mentalillness and align with the Holy
(01:28):
Spirit.
Lydia can be found volunteeringwith the youth group or as a
caretaker for children.
Her favorite day of the week isSundays, when she and her
husband Michael habituallyattend church gatherings, get
breakfast, have their favoritegreasy spoon and take their dog
to the park to catch up on thepast week and look forward to
the blessings ahead.
(01:48):
So beautiful.
Her main passion and priorityas of late is drafting her first
book, which aims to addressthose who do not believe with a
gracious and kind call to christ, while weaving her personal
trials with bipolar disorderthrough its benediction.
They're so beautiful.
So that is the super officialbio introduction.
Lydia Lascola (02:12):
But tell us a little bit about you, lydia, in
your own words.
Yeah Well, thank you.
I will say I'm pretty new toChrist and maybe that
contributes to my heart on firefor Jesus, because I do know
(02:33):
like new believers tend to bemore from what I've found, more
vivacious, just because they'relike just discovering the Lord's
power and it's like a whole newworld opens up and the veil
just falls before your eyes andit's, it's incredible, but you
know.
So it's been about two yearssince I've been saved.
(02:56):
But I did.
I was raised in the church, so Iwas familiar with Jesus and I
had, like I went to youth groupgrowing up and and I church
every Sunday, but it neverreally felt personal, it just
felt more like traditional and Iwas forced to go and that's
just how I was raised.
(03:16):
But as I hit my adult years andthen I was diagnosed with
bipolar disorder, I reallystarted to seek.
Then I was diagnosed withbipolar disorder, I really
started to seek and in thatseeking I tend to be a very
flexible person and I never wantto a people pleaser, I never
(03:37):
want to disappoint anyone and Istill tend to be that way.
But before finding Christ Idefinitely was open to a lot
more activities and experiencesand, just like, allowed a lot of
things into my life.
And you know, in the last fewyears since finding Christ, I've
become more grounded andintentional with my time and the
(04:03):
things I spend doing, and youcan find me cooking a lot, a lot
more and painting, and I feellike I've just become more
confident in who I am and notI'm not like floundering.
Jemese LaChel LCSW (04:19):
Yeah.
Lydia Lascola (04:20):
Yeah, I don't know if that answered your
question.
Jemese LaChel LCSW (04:23):
It does.
It gives us an L peak about youknow.
You know who you are.
What stood out to me in yourstory was the part about you
find yourself cooking because,um, I don't know, I remember
when I found Christ like the joyof doing those little things,
he I mean he literally had toteach me how to start cooking
again and, um, I don't know,it's just cool, the very I don't
(04:46):
know, it's just cool, the veryI don't know.
It's like things that I thinkwould be easily overlooked.
But you can now see him in itwith you.
You know he's giving you backpainting and all of that.
So that's kind of cool.
Lydia Lascola (04:58):
Yeah, god is definitely found in those
mundane moments.
I think a lot of people oftenexpect, like you know, he's
powerful and he should be likeon the throne and like loud and
in your face, and that's not atall how he moves.
I've definitely found that inthose quiet moments and doing
simple things like foldinglaundry or cooking that he shows
(05:21):
up most strongly in my life.
Jemese LaChel LCSW (05:23):
Yeah, very cool, very cool.
So, oh gosh, I have.
I have lots of questions.
I'm just curious.
I love it.
Before we do that, I am feelingled to pray now, at the
beginning of this episode, andso we'll just pray for the
(05:44):
listener, because I really dobelieve strongly that something
shared here today is gonna touchsomebody's heart, and we just
wanna do that with prayer.
Father God, we just thank you.
I thank you for bringing Lydiahere today.
I thank you for us getting tohear more of the way that you're
moving in her life and the waythat you desire to move in all
(06:08):
of our lives.
As we give you reign, as weallow the work that you're
trying to do to be done, we justget out of the way and let that
happen and stop resisting you.
And so that's my prayer for thelistener today that something
shared here today would be ablessing, that you would open up
(06:31):
their ears to hear it and thatyou would open up their eyes to
see your presence all aroundright now.
And the precious name of Jesus,we pray Amen.
Precious name of Jesus, we prayamen.
Yes, so I've got lots ofquestions, yeah, so one of my
questions is this I am curiousto hear, like, as you talk about
(06:53):
really finding your faith.
So, on the one hand, one of myquestions is you know, you said
you were raised in church, butit sounds like it wasn't until
like a few years ago that youactually had a profound heart
change, I guess, and really cameto know the Lord.
Um, so I kind of want to talkabout that.
(07:16):
But what I'm really getting atis this I want to know, like,
how have you seen yourrelationships change, like your
marriage, for example?
How have you seen thatrelationships change, like your
marriage, for example?
How have you seen that changeas a result of just this new, of
you really becoming a newcreation?
Can you tell us a little bitabout that?
Lydia Lascola (07:34):
Most definitely.
It's actually interesting thatof all relationships in our life
, you chose my marriage becausethat that has been the most
radical relationship change.
Because when Michael and Ifirst were married, it's
actually going to be ourthree-year anniversary in six
days, yeah.
And so if we do the math, I wasonly saved two years ago.
(07:56):
So when we got married I wasnot and I wasn't going to church
and we were living a verysecular life, just kind of led
by our own desires, and Iwouldn't say anything has
substantially changed.
But when I decided to commit mylife to Jesus, I started to go
(08:18):
to church every single Sunday,and I still do to this day.
And in the beginning it wasvery hard because you know, I
believed and my husband did not,and the Bible talks about how
you should be equally yoked toyour partner, and so I really
struggled with this dynamic oflike, what does that mean?
(08:39):
Like it really took a toll onlike a lot of doubts on my end
in this marriage.
But then I, on the other hand,I have this wonderful man before
me who I love with all my heart, and he hasn't changed.
I was the one who changed.
I had the heart change.
So it was really a difficultperiod and it's been really
(09:02):
amazing to see how God hasworked our relationship, because
now, two years later, michaelcomes to church with me every
Sunday.
He has given his heart to Jesus.
We pray together and it's ourhome, welcomes Jesus into it,
when before it was very muchlike hand distance away, like
(09:26):
yeah, you can believe and that'syour thing, but like I'm gonna
go golfing and I'm gonna godrinking with my friends and and
that kind of thing and and fora long time there was, um, this
natural misunderstanding of likechurch for me was my thing,
like volunteering on Wednesdaysand Sundays, where it was like
(09:47):
something that I do that'sequivalent to him going to golf
league.
And I think in time he's come tosee my heart change and how it
really is a profound experiencein my life that I live out daily
and it's not just the thingsthat I do or the words that I
(10:08):
say, but it's literally been amental shift in my mind,
developing this relationshipwith Jesus that is so palpable.
And I think when he openedhimself to like realizing how
real it was for me, and then hestarted coming to church with me
, just seeing thistransformation, it was one thing
(10:30):
for me to go through it, butnow witnessing it like watching
someone else that's so close toyou also walk this journey.
We're still in different areasof our life.
I'm heavily involved in likeBible study groups and he's like
, please leave me out of that.
(10:51):
But I know it's just.
He has changed so much and he'sso much more open and he's so
much more just like himself,like who he's meant to be, who
he's been created to be, andit's just been a wonderful
unraveling of our relationship.
So you know, in the beginning Ifelt like I was dishonoring my
(11:16):
husband and tearing us apart andin reality God was weaving us
back together tighter than we'veever been yeah, like tighter
than you even knew possible.
Jemese LaChel LCSW (11:26):
Yeah, that is so beautiful.
I just love that.
And I work with a lot of womenwho have that story.
So I work as a trauma therapist, christian counselor, and I do
my coaching, mentorship.
So the Lord will just send meladies who need support.
And I work with a lot of ladieswho have the story of my
(11:51):
husband doesn't have faith andeven like a little deeper than
that, my husband's faith is notas strong as mine.
You know whatever that'ssupposed to mean.
And so I wonder, like what wouldyou tell a wife, or even you
(12:13):
know someone who is thinkingabout getting married?
What would you tell them about?
Like that part, like how didyou walk out having this
knowledge of who Jesus is?
Like you were saying, when wefirst come to ourselves and wake
(12:34):
up to Jesus, it's like whoa,you can't help but be on fire
and tell everybody you know likehe changes you that way,
everybody you know.
You know like he changes youthat way.
No-transcript was able to startspeaking your same language, so
to speak.
You know, I hear you sayingthat he's not.
(12:55):
You know, he may not pursue thethings of God the way that you
are pursuing them.
It doesn't mean that it's wrong, but like I don't know, it was
making sense what I'm askinglike that I understand, yeah,
yeah, there, there is definitelya transitional period, I guess.
Lydia Lascola (13:14):
And you know, when I was going through my
transition from secular tobiblical and looking at life and
realizing that every aspect oflife is addressed in the Bible
and everything you questionabout Jesus has already suffered
through and he knows and heunderstands.
(13:36):
And when I woke up to thatreality and accepted him into my
life and have since worked onmy relationship with him, there
are points where I getfrustrated that, like you said,
like other women will be like,his faith is not as strong as
mine and I have those samethoughts.
But I've come to realize that Iwas just reading Isaiah,
(14:02):
chapter one about Cyprus King.
Jemese LaChel LCSW (14:06):
Yeah, it's yeah, I was just in.
That's where I've been the pastcouple days.
Lydia Lascola (14:11):
Isaiah, yeah, that's so funny, yes, and it
talks about how God chose him,even though he's a pagan king
and he doesn't believe.
But God still used him and so Ihang on to and Michael's in a
different place.
He's not a pagan or a king byany means.
He's my king, right, he's stillnew to his faith and his
(14:37):
journey, but I know God is stillusing him and he's still
walking through his own journeyand I know I just have the
comfort.
It's taken me a long time.
I've had many prayers of likeI'm praying for Michael and
praying for Michael.
Like you know, I really wanthis relationship with Christ to
go deeper and I really want, youknow, us to be on the same
(14:59):
exact page.
But I also have grace forMichael because I was exactly
where he was before, so I'm justlike a few chapters ahead.
I wouldn't say like I, you know, an expert on Christ by any
means.
I'm still learning and I'mstill new in my faith as well.
But I have a lot of empathy forMichael because I know exactly
(15:22):
where he is and I also know fora fact that God is moving in his
own time and I've already seenso much transformation.
So I guess for the women thatare frustrated.
It's natural to be frustrated,but it's also you have to give
it to God.
And something in my prayersI've stopped praying for Michael
(15:44):
and I've started praying likedeepen my relationship with you
because you'll strengthen me.
And the reason Michael came toyou in the first place is
because he did see that changein me.
So if he continues to see thatchange in me, you know, I do
feel like my responsibility isto keep that bar high, keep that
(16:08):
relationship with Christ, andhe will naturally come to know
him as well.
It's just in his own time.
Jemese LaChel LCSW (16:16):
I love that .
Thank you so much for thatresponse.
I know that that isspecifically for someone
listening, so thank you.
You make it sound so simple andI think it is when we let it be
, you know, like it's hard, butit doesn't have to be.
Lydia Lascola (16:32):
We make it hard and there's been times where I'm
very frustrated.
But then I look out and I alsothink it depends on the man, and
I am blessed with a man who isopen.
His heart isn't closed, but Ialso.
In the beginning there is aprayer that asks God to turn his
(16:53):
heart of stone to one of flesh,and that prayer, I swear, is
what started it all and, yeah,it was very powerful.
And I have seen Michael's heartsoften.
It's not softened all the way.
So that's the frustration part,but that's where you have to,
(17:17):
like, let go of your frustrationand let God my, my um.
The only thing that matters ismy relationship with Jesus, and
I have no control over Michael'srelationship with Jesus, so I
have to take a step back and lethim explore that for himself.
Jemese LaChel LCSW (17:37):
Yeah, it's like you remove yourself from
taking undue responsibility forhis faith walk, right, like.
I think we have aresponsibility to continually,
of course, be like pointing eachother to Jesus.
I think that's what he wouldwant in a marriage.
The Lord, right, but it's notyour responsibility to be the
(17:58):
Holy Spirit for your husband,right?
Yeah, so very cool.
Lydia Lascola (18:02):
Thank you for sharing that, yeah so yeah,
that's interesting that westarted with that, because it is
a.
It's a constant prayer on myheart.
Jemese LaChel LCSW (18:11):
Yes, that's so beautiful and I think that's
really is what it means to be,you know, our husband's helper,
our husband's help.
It's like we have to know whatthat means.
You know, I think some peoplecome to.
I don't know if you were likethis, but when I came to um
christ and like understandingthe bible because I had I was
(18:33):
baptized at a young age I didn'tfully.
I never really had a personalrelationship, didn't really
understand, didn't really knowmuch of the bible at all.
And it wasn't until I was wellin my 30s that I finally picked
up the bible and I startedreading oh, everything really is
in here, but uh, everything,everything, like, just like you
(18:54):
said, everything about life isfound in the bible.
Uh, but it, um, I don't know.
I don't remember where I wasgoing with this thought, but I'm
just remembering how, likepursuit, like coming to the
scriptures and reading it forthe first time, I struggled in
(19:15):
the beginning with like, likeyou talked about having no
secular belief.
You know, I came, I came intoit with this worldview, a very
secular worldview of like, oh,uh, the, the bible, or christian
, um, christians have a low viewof women and all this kind of
stuff.
(19:35):
But you read it and it's likethat's not what it's saying at
all.
No, it's not.
Yeah, sorry Go ahead.
Lydia Lascola (19:42):
Well, yeah, I think you know that's the devil
in disguise is is the secularworldview will will eat at you
with all these misconceptionsuntil you actually pick up the
book and read it in context andalso understand you know the
times that it was written andtake that into account, but then
(20:05):
how it translates into theworld that we live in now and I
can see where, you know, the lowview of women comes into play.
But I think we also are lookingat um, our, our definition of
equality today is has migratedaway from um, order and what,
(20:29):
what it means.
Like we live in a culture wherewe don't want to be told what
to do.
Everyone's independent, we'reall individuals and while there
are benefits to those umcharacteristics, hierarchy in
the bible speaks to aneverlasting peace and in an
(20:54):
order that you can't.
Without order you'll have chaos.
That's just they.
They go hand in hand, and forthere to be order there has to
be complementary pieces, and soa man's role and a woman's role
are very different, but they'recomplementary.
(21:16):
And what I found in reading theBible and applying it to my
marriage is you know, they talkabout submitting to your husband
and, and you know, in ourculture the word submit is is so
um, I know I'm going to turn alot of people off by even saying
that, but but I think for me itmeans more.
(21:37):
You know, even what we justtalked about is like I'm ahead
of Michael in my walk withChrist, so like it would appear
that I'm stronger in myrelationship with Christ and
Michael is weaker, right and,and the Bible says the is strong
, and that's not what it means.
It's more.
(21:58):
I'm submitting to Michaelbecause I'm giving him the space
to develop his own relationshipwith Christ.
And so for me, submission isbeing respectful to where anyone
is, not just my husband, butany person in this world, just
(22:18):
giving them that space and not,um, overstepping, like throwing
it in in their face, like thisis how life is and this is what
you believe, and that kind ofthing.
I.
I do think evangelism can getvery.
It has to be done tactfully andtastefully.
(22:43):
We are called to evangelize andthat is what God instructs us
to do.
But I know Michael has hadexperience with evangelists who
are like throwing it in his faceand are so harsh and like you
have to believe this and that's.
No one's going to come toChrist that way.
(23:05):
Yeah, you know.
So, yeah, there's a lot of justmisunderstanding.
I would say, if you're new tothe faith, really A you can't do
it alone.
If you are walking with Christalone, you're actually walking
with the devil.
Jemese LaChel LCSW (23:23):
Come on.
Lydia Lascola (23:24):
Yeah, yeah, I really I think you need a
community.
You need like-minded people whoare going to challenge your
questions and and level you toto be thinking in in a biblical
perspective so good, oh my gosh,so much wisdom.
Jemese LaChel LCSW (23:46):
I love this .
Thank you.
So, um, yeah, kind of like.
Uh it's.
It seems like topic jumping,but I think somehow it all, it
all will lead back.
That's what life is, yes, rightchaotic so I want to talk a
little bit, if you'recomfortable, about just how
(24:07):
you've come to find peacethrough mental health struggles,
um, how you reconcile, like youknow what the Lord has taught
you about that.
You're writing a book about thetopic, so tell us a little bit
about you know that wholejourney and kind of where you
(24:31):
know it collides with Jesus andall that he's done in your life
through that.
Lydia Lascola (24:38):
Yeah.
So I really wish I could saythat I met Jesus in the middle
of my trauma, Because I feellike, you know, everyone wants
that story when you're saved,it's just miraculous.
But my saving story is morelike I cried in a bathroom and I
cried out to Jesus.
I just really felt his presenceand I was not intending to be
(24:58):
saved at that time.
But this is years after beingdiagnosed with bipolar and about
when I was 20, I was going tocollege.
I was attending parties, youknow, staying up late,
experimenting with things that Ishouldn't have been involved in
.
Of staying up late,experimenting with things that I
shouldn't have been involved inand making friends, probably
(25:19):
with the wrong crowd, and reallynot walking with Jesus at all,
Like he was not top of mind.
I don't think I ever, likepicked up the Bible or went to
church during that time, fellaway from what I was raised and
(25:43):
I one night literally startedhallucinating and it led me to a
hospital, stay in a psych wardfor about a month and I didn't
know my name or you know, reallyanything.
I didn't know the year, myfamily, none of that, and it was
a really, really dark time.
And you know, people don'treally know what bipolar
(26:08):
disorder is.
I've found like it's so easilylike, oh, that's so, you're
being bipolar when, when yourmoods fluctuate, you know from
happy to sad or you're all overthe place, and and really I
easily like, oh, that's soyou're being bipolar when, when
your moods fluctuate, you knowfrom happy to sad or you're just
all over the place, and andreally I'm like well then,
everyone's bipolar, becauseeveryone goes through that,
right Um, but uh, when you addin mania with psychosis, and
(26:28):
then the drop is for me, it goesto depression, with suicidal
ideation.
That cannot be managed withoutmedication, and so my biggest
struggle in my healing in theaftermath was getting myself on
a schedule eating healthy foods,going to bed at the same time
(26:52):
every night, waking up at thesame time every morning, and I
still, like I woke up at 11amtoday.
That's another conversation.
So I still struggle with myschedule, but something that I
I'm still continuously liketrying to learn is taking my
medication on time, because forme it's.
(27:12):
I'm learning, I'm reteachingmyself, but my initial thought
about medication is oh, it's areminder that something's wrong
with me.
You know something's wrong withme, like what you know?
Why was I, you know, createdthis way?
When I, when I came to Christ,that was a big question.
Um, yeah, so I had thishospitalization and then I, you
(27:34):
know, being a very, a peoplepleaser and just like open to
experiences, I never really.
I went to college forphotography, but you don't
really get a job in photographyunless you create it yourself,
and after a hospitalization likethat, I was in no shape to
start a business or anythinglike that.
(27:55):
Like that, I was in no shape tostart a business or anything
like that.
So I really floundered with mycareer and I kind of just
accepted any job that came myway, which has built a lot of
skills, um, and I have like aresume that like is very diverse
.
Um, but through this whole walkI was never grounded.
(28:16):
I was always floundering andand not focused on what I wanted
or who I was.
I didn't.
One day I realized, like Idon't know what I like, like I
don't know what I dislike, Idon't know, um, like I don't
know what my favorite color is,like just simple things.
Um, so, fast forward, probablyI think it was like 20, it was
(28:40):
right before I got saved, liketwo years ago.
So two years ago I I lost my job, I got fired and it was the
first job I ever got fired fromand I was like you know, that
takes a huge hit to the ego andand I was like what?
Like I gave this my all andthere was definitely things that
I, looking back, I could havedone differently.
(29:02):
But I was fired for a reason,but nothing like bad, but I just
, you know, I was very I thinkit was my first job as a project
manager and I was just veryfull of myself and I needed some
humble.
God knew that.
So I got fired literally theday before we were supposed to
(29:25):
leave for vacation and onvacation, there was a massive
storm and we ended up our threeday vacation in Florida turned
into like an eight day vacationbecause all the airlines weren't
leaving because of the stormand we were broke at that time
and I just lost my job and, andyou know, I was still struggling
(29:49):
with, you know, experimentingwith different things and you
know, just, my life was all overthe place and then losing my
job was like the last straw, andso that's when I was crying in
the bathroom and I just finallysomething came over to me to
reach out to Jesus, and it wasalmost like a childhood pull,
(30:10):
like what I was raised with.
It's like my life was orderedthen so that there's something
that was working in my childhoodand and something is missing
now and, um, you know, I Istarted to pray and I don't
think I got any sentence out oranything and I just was like I
this, okay, like this, is it?
(30:30):
You know um.
So now finding Christ, um, Ideal.
(30:52):
I used to identify myself assomeone who is bipolar right and
now I identify as a child ofGod, with bipolar like it's.
It's a different, it's reframedmy mindset completely, so
absolutely, yeah, what you said.
Jemese LaChel LCSW (31:11):
I was going to ask you that and you just
said it.
Yeah, how your identity changed.
Now you know I was going to askabout you know what?
Did you struggle with?
The knowledge that you knowcoming to christ, like you can't
deny when his presence comesupon you?
(31:34):
Of course, we know he'somnipresent, like he's
everywhere, but there is his,like tangible presence that he
allows with me, and this is theway, this is truth, this is life
(32:00):
, and the bipolar did not justinstantaneously, oh away.
Did you struggle with that?
Lydia Lascola (32:09):
yeah, yeah, yeah, I remember knowing that, like,
okay, I know I'm supposed tofollow Christ, like I know this
is the purpose of my life, but Ihad so many questions and the
biggest question was like whywas I created this way?
Like you claim that we'recreated in your image and you
(32:33):
know, in my head God is perfect,right, and so shouldn't I be
perfect if I'm created in yourimage and, you know, by having
bipolar?
That's not perfection.
And I couldn't make sense of um, I felt like I was the
exception and I felt like Godforgot about me.
And you know, it was almostlike this cruel joke, that like
(32:55):
I wanted back into the club ofChrist but like I wasn't good
enough because I had bipolar.
Now I realize everyone hassomething, someone is struggling
, every single person on earthhas a flaw and we joke about it
like, oh, we're all messed up,but a we're living in a fallen
(33:16):
world, right, like the bite ofthe apple has severed our
relationship from christ, so heknew we are going to fall into a
world of sin.
So I do believe he created uswith these quote-unquote flaws,
because when we do recognize him, they are our reason to go back
to him.
So my bipolar disorder hasturned into that space to make
(33:41):
that relationship reconnectedwith Christ.
So my flaw has turned into mylifeline.
So my flaw has turned into mylifeline.
It's completely transformed.
Jemese LaChel LCSW (33:54):
Yeah, I love that.
It's your reason to worship him, it's the reminder to you that
he's still in it with you.
And, like, this is of no waysthe same at all, but I remember.
So I've got young girls and Ijust remember, um, struggling
(34:16):
with motherhood.
I didn't know how to do it, youknow, and at some point coming
to an understanding, like, okay,well, this lack of
understanding, this thing thatI'm struggling with, that is my
reason.
I'm going to use that to remindme every single time to run to
you and so, like, that's kind ofwhat I'm hearing you say, is
(34:36):
that you, um, it's, it's nolonger something that you
condemn or shame yourself for oreven let society because I mean
mental health stigma stillexists and it shouldn't, but you
know it's very frustrating too.
Lydia Lascola (34:52):
Yeah, even now I'm applying for jobs and there
is a.
Every single application asksyou if you have a disability,
and then they list out what theydefine as disabilities, and one
of them is bipolar oh really,that's so interesting.
Jemese LaChel LCSW (35:06):
I don't know that I've seen that
application.
Lydia Lascola (35:08):
That's wild uh huh, yeah, I see it on all of my
I don't know if it's a statething or it's on all my
applications and I have toeither say yes, I am, no, I'm
not, or I prefer not to answer.
So I always say I prefer not toanswer because I'm not going to
lie, but then it's justfrustrating because like if
someone sees like oh, sheprefers not to answer, like
(35:30):
clearly she has, and so then I'mjust like alluding yeah, so
society definitely makes it verydifficult in a very roundabout
way but then, like, enters Jesusright, because he's your
freedom and he teaches us how tonavigate in this fallen world.
Jemese LaChel LCSW (35:48):
You, you know, and it sounds like he has
done that in your life, you know.
Lydia Lascola (35:54):
Yeah, at least he's, he's in the he's.
I'm coming to terms with it.
I don't have all the answersand there are definitely days
where I still wonder, likewhat's wrong with me?
Why do I feel this way,especially when I'm suicidal.
Like you know, I can't say Ialways feel God's presence on my
life.
I definitely haven't felt himas powerfully as the day I felt
(36:19):
him enter into my life when Iaccepted him.
But he still shows up, a whenyou least expect it, but b when
you least know most need it,least note it.
Um, yeah, so uh, I would say my, my bipolar disorder reminds me
(36:46):
that I am not whole without himand I'm not created to be whole
all on my own.
I need him, yeah, I need thatrelationship with him, because
without it I'm simply someonewho has bipolar yeah, right, oh,
that's so beautiful.
Jemese LaChel LCSW (37:05):
Thank you so much for being so candid
about that.
I know that, um, there's a lotof ladies listening who are
struggling with bipolarspecifically and uh, so so cool
to hear you just share thisglimpse into what life is like,
because I think there's thismisconception that jesus comes
into our life and then all ofour problems fade away and yeah,
(37:29):
and reality is they get harder.
It is harder, isn't it?
I mean, yeah, it's like it'seasy.
His yoke is what is it?
His yoke is easy, the burdenmight Burden is light.
Lydia Lascola (37:41):
That's true.
Jemese LaChel LCSW (37:42):
That is absolutely true.
And we still go through trials,tests, we still go through
things.
Persecutions come, like youknow there's.
I had a lot of naivete.
When I just got completely soldout for Jesus, I was like, oh,
(38:02):
because it's such a wonderfulfeeling, you know, like, oh, my
goodness, I found the truth, Ifound the truth, goodness, I
found the truth, I found thetruth.
And then you know, uh,something terrible happens in
life and it's like, oh, okay,this is what it looks like to
walk your, your, your life outwith him.
You are going through the stormwith him, he, he's right there
(38:23):
with you, but you're still goingthrough.
You're going through it withhim, and I think that can be a
misconception.
Lydia Lascola (38:30):
Sometimes there's a beautiful story about um I
don't really know who, where itcomes from, but um, it's about a
man who confronts he, he diesand he meets God in heaven.
He's like God, like I wentthrough all this time of my life
and there's points that youweren't with me, and God replays
(38:52):
his life and he's like you know, see the footprints.
There's four footprints.
There's you and me and he'slike no, but God, look here,
there's only two sets offootprints.
I was alone and you weren'twith me, and God's like I was
carrying.
Those are my footprints and Ithink we need to remind
(39:13):
ourselves that.
You know, everyone goes throughthose struggles and those
obstacles, but the differencewith Christians is that we are
walking with God, or even beingcarried by God, and I've come to
learn that it's through oursuffering that we either just
simply suffer or we can besanctified because of our
suffering, and it's in thatpurification that we come to.
(39:36):
You know, our pain becomes ourpurpose and it brings a whole
other level of meaning for life.
Yes, when you have Jesus.
Jemese LaChel LCSW (39:49):
So powerful .
So this one last question whatwould you tell someone a young,
the young woman, anybody really,who who does not know jesus
like they?
They maybe know of jesus, butthey don't know him?
What would you tell that personif they wanted help to actually
(40:15):
know him?
What would you say yeah, a fewthings.
Lydia Lascola (40:20):
So people get turned off by any religion
because of all the traditionsand, um, you know, they feel
like a rite of passage is toknow the whole Bible or know
specific facts.
And I would just say surrenderall of that and realize that
(40:41):
really Christianity is set apartbecause there's religion and
then there's a relationship, andall other religions in the
world are man's attempt through.
You know, if they behave in acertain way, then they'll please
(41:01):
God.
Right, it's man's attempt toreach God, but Christ,
christianity, is the onlyreligion.
Christianity is the onlyreligion, and I quote religion
because at the end of the day,it's a relationship that the
world confuses as a religion,because we partake in worship
and we have traditions and allof that.
But that's just a way tostrengthen our relationship,
(41:24):
because Christianity only waythat God comes to us and he sent
his son for us.
And so for people who are on thefence about you know, do they
believe or not?
You know.
First you do have to decide.
(41:45):
You know if you believe or youdon't, it's there's, it is black
and white.
But if you do decide to takethat step and accept Christ in
your life, he will figureeverything else out for you and
it's not painful, like thingswill change in your life, but
your mindset changes and thenyou don't desire things that you
(42:05):
originally desired before,originally desired before.
And he walks with you and youknow you.
It puts you on a path to trulyfind your purpose, because
you're not working towards yourindividual ideas, you're working
towards what God has envisionedfor your life.
So it's just you know thatsurrender, walk by faith and not
(42:31):
by sight.
People really do struggle withit because they want all the
evidence.
But if you do surrender andwalk by faith and you accept
Jesus, then you will get theevidence.
Jemese LaChel LCSW (42:44):
You can't get the evidence before you do
that you that yeah powerful, sogood, yeah, okay, I have another
question, this is my.
Lydia Lascola (42:51):
I mean at this time last question.
Jemese LaChel LCSW (42:55):
So what would you tell the woman who is
struggling with her mentalhealth right now?
Lydia Lascola (43:00):
yeah, in terms of like, so even, yeah, just go
ahead well, even even if youdon't believe, it's a very real
issue.
And, um, I, I, it's funny thatwe've we've transitioned away
from mental illness and intomental health just that simple
change of word, because Ipersonally still think we should
(43:23):
call them mental illnesses,because mental health gives you
this idea that it's morepositive, which is good, but it
dilutes the fact that there isan issue, there is an illness,
there is something that needs tobe addressed very, very hard.
(43:53):
It's scary.
It makes you confront thingsthat are uncomfortable and
gritty and raw and you've buriedthem for so long that you know
you don't want to dig them up.
And then, in the process ofdigging them up, it's painful.
But going back to what I saidearlier, it is in your suffering
that you're sanctified.
You will, you will only knowtrue peace when you're able to
(44:14):
confront your pain.
Um, so you know you can.
You can do.
I did all of that withoutChrist.
I went to a secular counselorand you are able to treat your
mental illnesses without Christ,but adding him into the picture
makes it so much more like,filled with much more grace and
(44:37):
comfort and support, than likeany friend could lend you.
So just reach out and verbalizewhat you're going through,
because you're worth it so good.
Jemese LaChel LCSW (44:49):
Thank you so much.
What a rich episode.
I feel like we talked about somuch, so much juicy nuggets.
So if anyone listening wantedto connect more with you, is
there a way to find you?
Like, do you have a?
Lydia Lascola (45:04):
Yeah, well, I'm very much in the beginning of
you know kind of focusing on myonline presence.
Really, the only way to reachout to me is through my
Instagram, which is my handle islivinglascola
L-I-V-I-N-G-L-A-S-C-O-L-A, andI'm very much new to
(45:29):
broadcasting my beliefs andwriting my book and getting out
there about all of it, so Idon't have too many platforms
yet, but this is only thebeginning.
Jemese LaChel LCSW (45:40):
Yes, okay, that sounds good.
And I think I found you onInstagram.
Oh there you are, okay, so coolyou on instagram.
Oh, there you are okay, so cool.
I will have um that linkavailable.
If you're comfortable, I'll putthat in the show notes so that
sometimes people listening theyjust connect with you and, you
(46:01):
know, may want to dm you orsomething.
So I will, um, yeah, absolutelyhave all of that in the show
notes somewhere and in the.
I just want to thank you somuch for your openness.
Lydia Lascola (46:12):
Yeah, this has been a pleasure and I would love
to keep in touch.
So thank you so much forlistening to me.
Jemese LaChel LCSW (46:22):
That's it for another dynamic episode.
What a powerful conversation.
Listen, if you are strugglingwith mental illness, know that
the Lord is there.
Know that you can go to Godabout this and know that there
are other believers, other women, other Christians who are
dealing with this stuff.
It should not be taboo in thechurch.
Seek God, and if you need toseek a counselor, don't be
(46:44):
afraid to do that.
Hey, go and follow me onInstagram.
Right now, my Insta handle isat Jameice Lachelle.
That's where you can find themost up-to-date content.
And, okay, I'll see you in thenext episode.
May the Lord bless you and keepyou until we meet again.
I felt like I was the exception and I felt like
God forgot about me.
And you know, it was almostlike this cruel joke, that like
I wanted back into the club ofChrist but like I wasn't good
enough because I had bipolar.
Jemese LaChel LCSW (00:23):
This is a new creation podcast.
I'm your host, jamece Lachelle.
I'm a Christian traumatherapist.
You just heard a little bitfrom our guest, a little teaser.
She's speaking a little bit inthis episode about faith and
life and how the Lord has walkedher through mental illness,
bipolar we talk about marriageand all of the things.
So you definitely don't want tomiss this episode.
(00:44):
Let's dive right in.
I want to welcome everybodyback to the podcast.
I am super excited to introducemy new friend.
Her name is Lydia Laskola.
Is that how you pronounce yourlast name, laskola?
I got it right.
Yes, I know, it means theschool in Italian.
Oh, how beautiful.
Ooh, that's deep.
(01:05):
I want to hear more about that.
Okay, so I'll just read thisbio and you, of course, will add
to it.
So this is Lydia, with a hearton fire for Jesus.
Lydia Lascola is growing hercareer as a writer, painter and
a speaker to combat mentalillness and align with the Holy
(01:28):
Spirit.
Lydia can be found volunteeringwith the youth group or as a
caretaker for children.
Her favorite day of the week isSundays, when she and her
husband Michael habituallyattend church gatherings, get
breakfast, have their favoritegreasy spoon and take their dog
to the park to catch up on thepast week and look forward to
the blessings ahead.
(01:48):
So beautiful.
Her main passion and priorityas of late is drafting her first
book, which aims to addressthose who do not believe with a
gracious and kind call to christ, while weaving her personal
trials with bipolar disorderthrough its benediction.
They're so beautiful.
So that is the super officialbio introduction.
Lydia Lascola (02:12):
But tell us a little bit about you, lydia, in
your own words.
Yeah Well, thank you.
I will say I'm pretty new toChrist and maybe that
contributes to my heart on firefor Jesus, because I do know
(02:33):
like new believers tend to bemore from what I've found, more
vivacious, just because they'relike just discovering the Lord's
power and it's like a whole newworld opens up and the veil
just falls before your eyes andit's, it's incredible, but you
know.
So it's been about two yearssince I've been saved.
(02:56):
But I did.
I was raised in the church, so Iwas familiar with Jesus and I
had, like I went to youth groupgrowing up and and I church
every Sunday, but it neverreally felt personal, it just
felt more like traditional and Iwas forced to go and that's
just how I was raised.
(03:16):
But as I hit my adult years andthen I was diagnosed with
bipolar disorder, I reallystarted to seek.
Then I was diagnosed withbipolar disorder, I really
started to seek and in thatseeking I tend to be a very
flexible person and I never wantto a people pleaser, I never
(03:37):
want to disappoint anyone and Istill tend to be that way.
But before finding Christ Idefinitely was open to a lot
more activities and experiencesand, just like, allowed a lot of
things into my life.
And you know, in the last fewyears since finding Christ, I've
become more grounded andintentional with my time and the
(04:03):
things I spend doing, and youcan find me cooking a lot, a lot
more and painting, and I feellike I've just become more
confident in who I am and notI'm not like floundering.
Jemese LaChel LCSW (04:19):
Yeah.
Lydia Lascola (04:20):
Yeah, I don't know if that answered your
question.
Jemese LaChel LCSW (04:23):
It does.
It gives us an L peak about youknow.
You know who you are.
What stood out to me in yourstory was the part about you
find yourself cooking because,um, I don't know, I remember
when I found Christ like the joyof doing those little things,
he I mean he literally had toteach me how to start cooking
again and, um, I don't know,it's just cool, the very I don't
(04:46):
know, it's just cool, the veryI don't know.
It's like things that I thinkwould be easily overlooked.
But you can now see him in itwith you.
You know he's giving you backpainting and all of that.
So that's kind of cool.
Lydia Lascola (04:58):
Yeah, god is definitely found in those
mundane moments.
I think a lot of people oftenexpect, like you know, he's
powerful and he should be likeon the throne and like loud and
in your face, and that's not atall how he moves.
I've definitely found that inthose quiet moments and doing
simple things like foldinglaundry or cooking that he shows
(05:21):
up most strongly in my life.
Jemese LaChel LCSW (05:23):
Yeah, very cool, very cool.
So, oh gosh, I have.
I have lots of questions.
I'm just curious.
I love it.
Before we do that, I am feelingled to pray now, at the
beginning of this episode, andso we'll just pray for the
(05:44):
listener, because I really dobelieve strongly that something
shared here today is gonna touchsomebody's heart, and we just
wanna do that with prayer.
Father God, we just thank you.
I thank you for bringing Lydiahere today.
I thank you for us getting tohear more of the way that you're
moving in her life and the waythat you desire to move in all
(06:08):
of our lives.
As we give you reign, as weallow the work that you're
trying to do to be done, we justget out of the way and let that
happen and stop resisting you.
And so that's my prayer for thelistener today that something
shared here today would be ablessing, that you would open up
(06:31):
their ears to hear it and thatyou would open up their eyes to
see your presence all aroundright now.
And the precious name of Jesus,we pray Amen.
Precious name of Jesus, we prayamen.
Yes, so I've got lots ofquestions, yeah, so one of my
questions is this I am curiousto hear, like, as you talk about
(06:53):
really finding your faith.
So, on the one hand, one of myquestions is you know, you said
you were raised in church, butit sounds like it wasn't until
like a few years ago that youactually had a profound heart
change, I guess, and really cameto know the Lord.
Um, so I kind of want to talkabout that.
(07:16):
But what I'm really getting atis this I want to know, like,
how have you seen yourrelationships change, like your
marriage, for example?
How have you seen thatrelationships change, like your
marriage, for example?
How have you seen that changeas a result of just this new, of
you really becoming a newcreation?
Can you tell us a little bitabout that?
Lydia Lascola (07:34):
Most definitely.
It's actually interesting thatof all relationships in our life
, you chose my marriage becausethat that has been the most
radical relationship change.
Because when Michael and Ifirst were married, it's
actually going to be ourthree-year anniversary in six
days, yeah.
And so if we do the math, I wasonly saved two years ago.
(07:56):
So when we got married I wasnot and I wasn't going to church
and we were living a verysecular life, just kind of led
by our own desires, and Iwouldn't say anything has
substantially changed.
But when I decided to commit mylife to Jesus, I started to go
(08:18):
to church every single Sunday,and I still do to this day.
And in the beginning it wasvery hard because you know, I
believed and my husband did not,and the Bible talks about how
you should be equally yoked toyour partner, and so I really
struggled with this dynamic oflike, what does that mean?
(08:39):
Like it really took a toll onlike a lot of doubts on my end
in this marriage.
But then I, on the other hand,I have this wonderful man before
me who I love with all my heart, and he hasn't changed.
I was the one who changed.
I had the heart change.
So it was really a difficultperiod and it's been really
(09:02):
amazing to see how God hasworked our relationship, because
now, two years later, michaelcomes to church with me every
Sunday.
He has given his heart to Jesus.
We pray together and it's ourhome, welcomes Jesus into it,
when before it was very muchlike hand distance away, like
(09:26):
yeah, you can believe and that'syour thing, but like I'm gonna
go golfing and I'm gonna godrinking with my friends and and
that kind of thing and and fora long time there was, um, this
natural misunderstanding of likechurch for me was my thing,
like volunteering on Wednesdaysand Sundays, where it was like
(09:47):
something that I do that'sequivalent to him going to golf
league.
And I think in time he's come tosee my heart change and how it
really is a profound experiencein my life that I live out daily
and it's not just the thingsthat I do or the words that I
(10:08):
say, but it's literally been amental shift in my mind,
developing this relationshipwith Jesus that is so palpable.
And I think when he openedhimself to like realizing how
real it was for me, and then hestarted coming to church with me
, just seeing thistransformation, it was one thing
(10:30):
for me to go through it, butnow witnessing it like watching
someone else that's so close toyou also walk this journey.
We're still in different areasof our life.
I'm heavily involved in likeBible study groups and he's like
, please leave me out of that.
(10:51):
But I know it's just.
He has changed so much and he'sso much more open and he's so
much more just like himself,like who he's meant to be, who
he's been created to be, andit's just been a wonderful
unraveling of our relationship.
So you know, in the beginning Ifelt like I was dishonoring my
(11:16):
husband and tearing us apart andin reality God was weaving us
back together tighter than we'veever been yeah, like tighter
than you even knew possible.
Jemese LaChel LCSW (11:26):
Yeah, that is so beautiful.
I just love that.
And I work with a lot of womenwho have that story.
So I work as a trauma therapist, christian counselor, and I do
my coaching, mentorship.
So the Lord will just send meladies who need support.
And I work with a lot of ladieswho have the story of my
(11:51):
husband doesn't have faith andeven like a little deeper than
that, my husband's faith is notas strong as mine.
You know whatever that'ssupposed to mean.
And so I wonder, like what wouldyou tell a wife, or even you
(12:13):
know someone who is thinkingabout getting married?
What would you tell them about?
Like that part, like how didyou walk out having this
knowledge of who Jesus is?
Like you were saying, when wefirst come to ourselves and wake
(12:34):
up to Jesus, it's like whoa,you can't help but be on fire
and tell everybody you know likehe changes you that way,
everybody you know.
You know like he changes youthat way.
No-transcript was able to startspeaking your same language, so
to speak.
You know, I hear you sayingthat he's not.
(12:55):
You know, he may not pursue thethings of God the way that you
are pursuing them.
It doesn't mean that it's wrong, but like I don't know, it was
making sense what I'm askinglike that I understand, yeah,
yeah, there, there is definitelya transitional period, I guess.
Lydia Lascola (13:14):
And you know, when I was going through my
transition from secular tobiblical and looking at life and
realizing that every aspect oflife is addressed in the Bible
and everything you questionabout Jesus has already suffered
through and he knows and heunderstands.
(13:36):
And when I woke up to thatreality and accepted him into my
life and have since worked onmy relationship with him, there
are points where I getfrustrated that, like you said,
like other women will be like,his faith is not as strong as
mine and I have those samethoughts.
But I've come to realize that Iwas just reading Isaiah,
(14:02):
chapter one about Cyprus King.
Jemese LaChel LCSW (14:06):
Yeah, it's yeah, I was just in.
That's where I've been the pastcouple days.
Lydia Lascola (14:11):
Isaiah, yeah, that's so funny, yes, and it
talks about how God chose him,even though he's a pagan king
and he doesn't believe.
But God still used him and so Ihang on to and Michael's in a
different place.
He's not a pagan or a king byany means.
He's my king, right, he's stillnew to his faith and his
(14:37):
journey, but I know God is stillusing him and he's still
walking through his own journeyand I know I just have the
comfort.
It's taken me a long time.
I've had many prayers of likeI'm praying for Michael and
praying for Michael.
Like you know, I really wanthis relationship with Christ to
go deeper and I really want, youknow, us to be on the same
(14:59):
exact page.
But I also have grace forMichael because I was exactly
where he was before, so I'm justlike a few chapters ahead.
I wouldn't say like I, you know, an expert on Christ by any
means.
I'm still learning and I'mstill new in my faith as well.
But I have a lot of empathy forMichael because I know exactly
(15:22):
where he is and I also know fora fact that God is moving in his
own time and I've already seenso much transformation.
So I guess for the women thatare frustrated.
It's natural to be frustrated,but it's also you have to give
it to God.
And something in my prayersI've stopped praying for Michael
(15:44):
and I've started praying likedeepen my relationship with you
because you'll strengthen me.
And the reason Michael came toyou in the first place is
because he did see that changein me.
So if he continues to see thatchange in me, you know, I do
feel like my responsibility isto keep that bar high, keep that
(16:08):
relationship with Christ, andhe will naturally come to know
him as well.
It's just in his own time.
Jemese LaChel LCSW (16:16):
I love that .
Thank you so much for thatresponse.
I know that that isspecifically for someone
listening, so thank you.
You make it sound so simple andI think it is when we let it be
, you know, like it's hard, butit doesn't have to be.
Lydia Lascola (16:32):
We make it hard and there's been times where I'm
very frustrated.
But then I look out and I alsothink it depends on the man, and
I am blessed with a man who isopen.
His heart isn't closed, but Ialso.
In the beginning there is aprayer that asks God to turn his
(16:53):
heart of stone to one of flesh,and that prayer, I swear, is
what started it all and, yeah,it was very powerful.
And I have seen Michael's heartsoften.
It's not softened all the way.
So that's the frustration part,but that's where you have to,
(17:17):
like, let go of your frustrationand let God my, my um.
The only thing that matters ismy relationship with Jesus, and
I have no control over Michael'srelationship with Jesus, so I
have to take a step back and lethim explore that for himself.
Jemese LaChel LCSW (17:37):
Yeah, it's like you remove yourself from
taking undue responsibility forhis faith walk, right, like.
I think we have aresponsibility to continually,
of course, be like pointing eachother to Jesus.
I think that's what he wouldwant in a marriage.
The Lord, right, but it's notyour responsibility to be the
(17:58):
Holy Spirit for your husband,right?
Yeah, so very cool.
Lydia Lascola (18:02):
Thank you for sharing that, yeah so yeah,
that's interesting that westarted with that, because it is
a.
It's a constant prayer on myheart.
Jemese LaChel LCSW (18:11):
Yes, that's so beautiful and I think that's
really is what it means to be,you know, our husband's helper,
our husband's help.
It's like we have to know whatthat means.
You know, I think some peoplecome to.
I don't know if you were likethis, but when I came to um
christ and like understandingthe bible because I had I was
(18:33):
baptized at a young age I didn'tfully.
I never really had a personalrelationship, didn't really
understand, didn't really knowmuch of the bible at all.
And it wasn't until I was wellin my 30s that I finally picked
up the bible and I startedreading oh, everything really is
in here, but uh, everything,everything, like, just like you
(18:54):
said, everything about life isfound in the bible.
Uh, but it, um, I don't know.
I don't remember where I wasgoing with this thought, but I'm
just remembering how, likepursuit, like coming to the
scriptures and reading it forthe first time, I struggled in
(19:15):
the beginning with like, likeyou talked about having no
secular belief.
You know, I came, I came intoit with this worldview, a very
secular worldview of like, oh,uh, the, the bible, or christian
, um, christians have a low viewof women and all this kind of
stuff.
(19:35):
But you read it and it's likethat's not what it's saying at
all.
No, it's not.
Yeah, sorry Go ahead.
Lydia Lascola (19:42):
Well, yeah, I think you know that's the devil
in disguise is is the secularworldview will will eat at you
with all these misconceptionsuntil you actually pick up the
book and read it in context andalso understand you know the
times that it was written andtake that into account, but then
(20:05):
how it translates into theworld that we live in now and I
can see where, you know, the lowview of women comes into play.
But I think we also are lookingat um, our, our definition of
equality today is has migratedaway from um, order and what,
(20:29):
what it means.
Like we live in a culture wherewe don't want to be told what
to do.
Everyone's independent, we'reall individuals and while there
are benefits to those umcharacteristics, hierarchy in
the bible speaks to aneverlasting peace and in an
(20:54):
order that you can't.
Without order you'll have chaos.
That's just they.
They go hand in hand, and forthere to be order there has to
be complementary pieces, and soa man's role and a woman's role
are very different, but they'recomplementary.
(21:16):
And what I found in reading theBible and applying it to my
marriage is you know, they talkabout submitting to your husband
and, and you know, in ourculture the word submit is is so
um, I know I'm going to turn alot of people off by even saying
that, but but I think for me itmeans more.
(21:37):
You know, even what we justtalked about is like I'm ahead
of Michael in my walk withChrist, so like it would appear
that I'm stronger in myrelationship with Christ and
Michael is weaker, right and,and the Bible says the is strong
, and that's not what it means.
It's more.
(21:58):
I'm submitting to Michaelbecause I'm giving him the space
to develop his own relationshipwith Christ.
And so for me, submission isbeing respectful to where anyone
is, not just my husband, butany person in this world, just
(22:18):
giving them that space and not,um, overstepping, like throwing
it in in their face, like thisis how life is and this is what
you believe, and that kind ofthing.
I.
I do think evangelism can getvery.
It has to be done tactfully andtastefully.
(22:43):
We are called to evangelize andthat is what God instructs us
to do.
But I know Michael has hadexperience with evangelists who
are like throwing it in his faceand are so harsh and like you
have to believe this and that's.
No one's going to come toChrist that way.
(23:05):
Yeah, you know.
So, yeah, there's a lot of justmisunderstanding.
I would say, if you're new tothe faith, really A you can't do
it alone.
If you are walking with Christalone, you're actually walking
with the devil.
Jemese LaChel LCSW (23:23):
Come on.
Lydia Lascola (23:24):
Yeah, yeah, I really I think you need a
community.
You need like-minded people whoare going to challenge your
questions and and level you toto be thinking in in a biblical
perspective so good, oh my gosh,so much wisdom.
Jemese LaChel LCSW (23:46):
I love this .
Thank you.
So, um, yeah, kind of like.
Uh it's.
It seems like topic jumping,but I think somehow it all, it
all will lead back.
That's what life is, yes, rightchaotic so I want to talk a
little bit, if you'recomfortable, about just how
(24:07):
you've come to find peacethrough mental health struggles,
um, how you reconcile, like youknow what the Lord has taught
you about that.
You're writing a book about thetopic, so tell us a little bit
about you know that wholejourney and kind of where you
(24:31):
know it collides with Jesus andall that he's done in your life
through that.
Lydia Lascola (24:38):
Yeah.
So I really wish I could saythat I met Jesus in the middle
of my trauma, Because I feellike, you know, everyone wants
that story when you're saved,it's just miraculous.
But my saving story is morelike I cried in a bathroom and I
cried out to Jesus.
I just really felt his presenceand I was not intending to be
(24:58):
saved at that time.
But this is years after beingdiagnosed with bipolar and about
when I was 20, I was going tocollege.
I was attending parties, youknow, staying up late,
experimenting with things that Ishouldn't have been involved in
.
Of staying up late,experimenting with things that I
shouldn't have been involved inand making friends, probably
(25:19):
with the wrong crowd, and reallynot walking with Jesus at all,
Like he was not top of mind.
I don't think I ever, likepicked up the Bible or went to
church during that time, fellaway from what I was raised and
(25:43):
I one night literally startedhallucinating and it led me to a
hospital, stay in a psych wardfor about a month and I didn't
know my name or you know, reallyanything.
I didn't know the year, myfamily, none of that, and it was
a really, really dark time.
And you know, people don'treally know what bipolar
(26:08):
disorder is.
I've found like it's so easilylike, oh, that's so, you're
being bipolar when, when yourmoods fluctuate, you know from
happy to sad or you're all overthe place, and and really I
easily like, oh, that's soyou're being bipolar when, when
your moods fluctuate, you knowfrom happy to sad or you're just
all over the place, and andreally I'm like well then,
everyone's bipolar, becauseeveryone goes through that,
right Um, but uh, when you addin mania with psychosis, and
(26:28):
then the drop is for me, it goesto depression, with suicidal
ideation.
That cannot be managed withoutmedication, and so my biggest
struggle in my healing in theaftermath was getting myself on
a schedule eating healthy foods,going to bed at the same time
(26:52):
every night, waking up at thesame time every morning, and I
still, like I woke up at 11amtoday.
That's another conversation.
So I still struggle with myschedule, but something that I
I'm still continuously liketrying to learn is taking my
medication on time, because forme it's.
(27:12):
I'm learning, I'm reteachingmyself, but my initial thought
about medication is oh, it's areminder that something's wrong
with me.
You know something's wrong withme, like what you know?
Why was I, you know, createdthis way?
When I, when I came to Christ,that was a big question.
Um, yeah, so I had thishospitalization and then I, you
(27:34):
know, being a very, a peoplepleaser and just like open to
experiences, I never really.
I went to college forphotography, but you don't
really get a job in photographyunless you create it yourself,
and after a hospitalization likethat, I was in no shape to
start a business or anythinglike that.
(27:55):
Like that, I was in no shape tostart a business or anything
like that.
So I really floundered with mycareer and I kind of just
accepted any job that came myway, which has built a lot of
skills, um, and I have like aresume that like is very diverse
.
Um, but through this whole walkI was never grounded.
(28:16):
I was always floundering andand not focused on what I wanted
or who I was.
I didn't.
One day I realized, like Idon't know what I like, like I
don't know what I dislike, Idon't know, um, like I don't
know what my favorite color is,like just simple things.
Um, so, fast forward, probablyI think it was like 20, it was
(28:40):
right before I got saved, liketwo years ago.
So two years ago I I lost my job, I got fired and it was the
first job I ever got fired fromand I was like you know, that
takes a huge hit to the ego andand I was like what?
Like I gave this my all andthere was definitely things that
I, looking back, I could havedone differently.
(29:02):
But I was fired for a reason,but nothing like bad, but I just
, you know, I was very I thinkit was my first job as a project
manager and I was just veryfull of myself and I needed some
humble.
God knew that.
So I got fired literally theday before we were supposed to
(29:25):
leave for vacation and onvacation, there was a massive
storm and we ended up our threeday vacation in Florida turned
into like an eight day vacationbecause all the airlines weren't
leaving because of the stormand we were broke at that time
and I just lost my job and, andyou know, I was still struggling
(29:49):
with, you know, experimentingwith different things and you
know, just, my life was all overthe place and then losing my
job was like the last straw, andso that's when I was crying in
the bathroom and I just finallysomething came over to me to
reach out to Jesus, and it wasalmost like a childhood pull,
(30:10):
like what I was raised with.
It's like my life was orderedthen so that there's something
that was working in my childhoodand and something is missing
now and, um, you know, I Istarted to pray and I don't
think I got any sentence out oranything and I just was like I
this, okay, like this, is it?
(30:30):
You know um.
So now finding Christ, um, Ideal.
(30:52):
I used to identify myself assomeone who is bipolar right and
now I identify as a child ofGod, with bipolar like it's.
It's a different, it's reframedmy mindset completely, so
absolutely, yeah, what you said.
Jemese LaChel LCSW (31:11):
I was going to ask you that and you just
said it.
Yeah, how your identity changed.
Now you know I was going to askabout you know what?
Did you struggle with?
The knowledge that you knowcoming to christ, like you can't
deny when his presence comesupon you?
(31:34):
Of course, we know he'somnipresent, like he's
everywhere, but there is his,like tangible presence that he
allows with me, and this is theway, this is truth, this is life
(32:00):
, and the bipolar did not justinstantaneously, oh away.
Did you struggle with that?
Lydia Lascola (32:09):
yeah, yeah, yeah, I remember knowing that, like,
okay, I know I'm supposed tofollow Christ, like I know this
is the purpose of my life, but Ihad so many questions and the
biggest question was like whywas I created this way?
Like you claim that we'recreated in your image and you
(32:33):
know, in my head God is perfect,right, and so shouldn't I be
perfect if I'm created in yourimage and, you know, by having
bipolar?
That's not perfection.
And I couldn't make sense of um, I felt like I was the
exception and I felt like Godforgot about me.
And you know, it was almostlike this cruel joke, that like
(32:55):
I wanted back into the club ofChrist but like I wasn't good
enough because I had bipolar.
Now I realize everyone hassomething, someone is struggling
, every single person on earthhas a flaw and we joke about it
like, oh, we're all messed up,but a we're living in a fallen
(33:16):
world, right, like the bite ofthe apple has severed our
relationship from christ, so heknew we are going to fall into a
world of sin.
So I do believe he created uswith these quote-unquote flaws,
because when we do recognize him, they are our reason to go back
to him.
So my bipolar disorder hasturned into that space to make
(33:41):
that relationship reconnectedwith Christ.
So my flaw has turned into mylifeline.
So my flaw has turned into mylifeline.
It's completely transformed.
Jemese LaChel LCSW (33:54):
Yeah, I love that.
It's your reason to worship him, it's the reminder to you that
he's still in it with you.
And, like, this is of no waysthe same at all, but I remember.
So I've got young girls and Ijust remember, um, struggling
(34:16):
with motherhood.
I didn't know how to do it, youknow, and at some point coming
to an understanding, like, okay,well, this lack of
understanding, this thing thatI'm struggling with, that is my
reason.
I'm going to use that to remindme every single time to run to
you and so, like, that's kind ofwhat I'm hearing you say, is
(34:36):
that you, um, it's, it's nolonger something that you
condemn or shame yourself for oreven let society because I mean
mental health stigma stillexists and it shouldn't, but you
know it's very frustrating too.
Lydia Lascola (34:52):
Yeah, even now I'm applying for jobs and there
is a.
Every single application asksyou if you have a disability,
and then they list out what theydefine as disabilities, and one
of them is bipolar oh really,that's so interesting.
Jemese LaChel LCSW (35:06):
I don't know that I've seen that
application.
Lydia Lascola (35:08):
That's wild uh huh, yeah, I see it on all of my
I don't know if it's a statething or it's on all my
applications and I have toeither say yes, I am, no, I'm
not, or I prefer not to answer.
So I always say I prefer not toanswer because I'm not going to
lie, but then it's justfrustrating because like if
someone sees like oh, sheprefers not to answer, like
(35:30):
clearly she has, and so then I'mjust like alluding yeah, so
society definitely makes it verydifficult in a very roundabout
way but then, like, enters Jesusright, because he's your
freedom and he teaches us how tonavigate in this fallen world.
Jemese LaChel LCSW (35:48):
You, you know, and it sounds like he has
done that in your life, you know.
Lydia Lascola (35:54):
Yeah, at least he's, he's in the he's.
I'm coming to terms with it.
I don't have all the answersand there are definitely days
where I still wonder, likewhat's wrong with me?
Why do I feel this way,especially when I'm suicidal.
Like you know, I can't say Ialways feel God's presence on my
life.
I definitely haven't felt himas powerfully as the day I felt
(36:19):
him enter into my life when Iaccepted him.
But he still shows up, a whenyou least expect it, but b when
you least know most need it,least note it.
Um, yeah, so uh, I would say my, my bipolar disorder reminds me
(36:46):
that I am not whole without himand I'm not created to be whole
all on my own.
I need him, yeah, I need thatrelationship with him, because
without it I'm simply someonewho has bipolar yeah, right, oh,
that's so beautiful.
Jemese LaChel LCSW (37:05):
Thank you so much for being so candid
about that.
I know that, um, there's a lotof ladies listening who are
struggling with bipolarspecifically and uh, so so cool
to hear you just share thisglimpse into what life is like,
because I think there's thismisconception that jesus comes
into our life and then all ofour problems fade away and yeah,
(37:29):
and reality is they get harder.
It is harder, isn't it?
I mean, yeah, it's like it'seasy.
His yoke is what is it?
His yoke is easy, the burdenmight Burden is light.
Lydia Lascola (37:41):
That's true.
Jemese LaChel LCSW (37:42):
That is absolutely true.
And we still go through trials,tests, we still go through
things.
Persecutions come, like youknow there's.
I had a lot of naivete.
When I just got completely soldout for Jesus, I was like, oh,
(38:02):
because it's such a wonderfulfeeling, you know, like, oh, my
goodness, I found the truth, Ifound the truth, goodness, I
found the truth, I found thetruth.
And then you know, uh,something terrible happens in
life and it's like, oh, okay,this is what it looks like to
walk your, your, your life outwith him.
You are going through the stormwith him, he, he's right there
(38:23):
with you, but you're still goingthrough.
You're going through it withhim, and I think that can be a
misconception.
Lydia Lascola (38:30):
Sometimes there's a beautiful story about um I
don't really know who, where itcomes from, but um, it's about a
man who confronts he, he diesand he meets God in heaven.
He's like God, like I wentthrough all this time of my life
and there's points that youweren't with me, and God replays
(38:52):
his life and he's like you know, see the footprints.
There's four footprints.
There's you and me and he'slike no, but God, look here,
there's only two sets offootprints.
I was alone and you weren'twith me, and God's like I was
carrying.
Those are my footprints and Ithink we need to remind
(39:13):
ourselves that.
You know, everyone goes throughthose struggles and those
obstacles, but the differencewith Christians is that we are
walking with God, or even beingcarried by God, and I've come to
learn that it's through oursuffering that we either just
simply suffer or we can besanctified because of our
suffering, and it's in thatpurification that we come to.
(39:36):
You know, our pain becomes ourpurpose and it brings a whole
other level of meaning for life.
Yes, when you have Jesus.
Jemese LaChel LCSW (39:49):
So powerful .
So this one last question whatwould you tell someone a young,
the young woman, anybody really,who who does not know jesus
like they?
They maybe know of jesus, butthey don't know him?
What would you tell that personif they wanted help to actually
(40:15):
know him?
What would you say yeah, a fewthings.
Lydia Lascola (40:20):
So people get turned off by any religion
because of all the traditionsand, um, you know, they feel
like a rite of passage is toknow the whole Bible or know
specific facts.
And I would just say surrenderall of that and realize that
(40:41):
really Christianity is set apartbecause there's religion and
then there's a relationship, andall other religions in the
world are man's attempt through.
You know, if they behave in acertain way, then they'll please
(41:01):
God.
Right, it's man's attempt toreach God, but Christ,
christianity, is the onlyreligion.
Christianity is the onlyreligion, and I quote religion
because at the end of the day,it's a relationship that the
world confuses as a religion,because we partake in worship
and we have traditions and allof that.
But that's just a way tostrengthen our relationship,
(41:24):
because Christianity only waythat God comes to us and he sent
his son for us.
And so for people who are on thefence about you know, do they
believe or not?
You know.
First you do have to decide.
(41:45):
You know if you believe or youdon't, it's there's, it is black
and white.
But if you do decide to takethat step and accept Christ in
your life, he will figureeverything else out for you and
it's not painful, like thingswill change in your life, but
your mindset changes and thenyou don't desire things that you
(42:05):
originally desired before,originally desired before.
And he walks with you and youknow you.
It puts you on a path to trulyfind your purpose, because
you're not working towards yourindividual ideas, you're working
towards what God has envisionedfor your life.
So it's just you know thatsurrender, walk by faith and not
(42:31):
by sight.
People really do struggle withit because they want all the
evidence.
But if you do surrender andwalk by faith and you accept
Jesus, then you will get theevidence.
Jemese LaChel LCSW (42:44):
You can't get the evidence before you do
that you that yeah powerful, sogood, yeah, okay, I have another
question, this is my.
Lydia Lascola (42:51):
I mean at this time last question.
Jemese LaChel LCSW (42:55):
So what would you tell the woman who is
struggling with her mentalhealth right now?
Lydia Lascola (43:00):
yeah, in terms of like, so even, yeah, just go
ahead well, even even if youdon't believe, it's a very real
issue.
And, um, I, I, it's funny thatwe've we've transitioned away
from mental illness and intomental health just that simple
change of word, because Ipersonally still think we should
(43:23):
call them mental illnesses,because mental health gives you
this idea that it's morepositive, which is good, but it
dilutes the fact that there isan issue, there is an illness,
there is something that needs tobe addressed very, very hard.
(43:53):
It's scary.
It makes you confront thingsthat are uncomfortable and
gritty and raw and you've buriedthem for so long that you know
you don't want to dig them up.
And then, in the process ofdigging them up, it's painful.
But going back to what I saidearlier, it is in your suffering
that you're sanctified.
You will, you will only knowtrue peace when you're able to
(44:14):
confront your pain.
Um, so you know you can.
You can do.
I did all of that withoutChrist.
I went to a secular counselorand you are able to treat your
mental illnesses without Christ,but adding him into the picture
makes it so much more like,filled with much more grace and
(44:37):
comfort and support, than likeany friend could lend you.
So just reach out and verbalizewhat you're going through,
because you're worth it so good.
Jemese LaChel LCSW (44:49):
Thank you so much.
What a rich episode.
I feel like we talked about somuch, so much juicy nuggets.
So if anyone listening wantedto connect more with you, is
there a way to find you?
Like, do you have a?
Lydia Lascola (45:04):
Yeah, well, I'm very much in the beginning of
you know kind of focusing on myonline presence.
Really, the only way to reachout to me is through my
Instagram, which is my handle islivinglascola
L-I-V-I-N-G-L-A-S-C-O-L-A, andI'm very much new to
(45:29):
broadcasting my beliefs andwriting my book and getting out
there about all of it, so Idon't have too many platforms
yet, but this is only thebeginning.
Jemese LaChel LCSW (45:40):
Yes, okay, that sounds good.
And I think I found you onInstagram.
Oh there you are, okay, so coolyou on instagram.
Oh, there you are okay, so cool.
I will have um that linkavailable.
If you're comfortable, I'll putthat in the show notes so that
sometimes people listening theyjust connect with you and, you
(46:01):
know, may want to dm you orsomething.
So I will, um, yeah, absolutelyhave all of that in the show
notes somewhere and in the.
I just want to thank you somuch for your openness.
Lydia Lascola (46:12):
Yeah, this has been a pleasure and I would love
to keep in touch.
So thank you so much forlistening to me.
Jemese LaChel LCSW (46:22):
That's it for another dynamic episode.
What a powerful conversation.
Listen, if you are strugglingwith mental illness, know that
the Lord is there.
Know that you can go to Godabout this and know that there
are other believers, other women, other Christians who are
dealing with this stuff.
It should not be taboo in thechurch.
Seek God, and if you need toseek a counselor, don't be
(46:44):
afraid to do that.
Hey, go and follow me onInstagram.
Right now, my Insta handle isat Jameice Lachelle.
That's where you can find themost up-to-date content.
And, okay, I'll see you in thenext episode.
May the Lord bless you and keepyou until we meet again.
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