Vazquez Counseling

If there were a biography about you, what would the title be?

My life has been marked by an illness that is in its 39th year. Although I won’t identify it directly here, suffice it to say that it is a type of mental illness.

Beginning early in my life, I began my descent into this illness, which at times made it impossible to go to school or work. In my 20s and 30s, I tried my best to do the things that our Blessed LORD had called me to do. I was probably at my lowest during the first 11 years of this illness.

Then, our Blessed LORD led me to Vanguard University where I first got a Bachelor’s Degree in Ministry and Leadership. Later, at that same school, I got my Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology. With my education complete, I launched my career as a counselor, fulfilling the call by God to help His people.

I call the first eleven years of my illness the descent. It was a descent into a state of chaos, a cold, dark place where I couldn’t think straight.

The next 28 years of my illness I call the ascent because our Loving LORD has blessed me with so much. He restored everything I lost during the descent. During those 28 years, I met and married my beautiful Wife, I met the Group that my Wife and I lead in Bible Study, our Family has grown by leaps and bounds, as many beautiful nephews and nieces have been born, and the LORD has led us to a Church where our Pastor teaches faithfully from the Word of God, and so many other things have also happened that bring us hope.

I do want to be clear about something; during my descent into illness, our Precious LORD was always there, right beside me. If it wasn’t for Him, I wouldn’t have survived my descent; this I know with certainty.

In my ascent into good health, our Precious LORD did what He does best, He healed me. I still have this illness, but it doesn’t rule my life. By being healed, I mean that I manage the illness well with the help of our Blessed LORD. Amen.