Mike Boudet

There was a time when rejection like that would have overwhelmed her.

Even small setbacks felt like proof that something was wrong with her.

Those were the years when depression crept in and stayed too long.

Hospitals felt more familiar than home.

She didn't trust herself to be alone with her thoughts.

But that was before she found the church.

Rhonda leans back and lets herself smile.

She joined the church a couple of years ago, not to find faith, but because she needed structure.

She needed a place to go, something steady.

Over time, the congregation got to know her and accepted her.

With Pastor Shreve's support, she started to rebuild her life slowly and carefully.

Now she has a routine.

She has friends, people who count on her, and who let her count on them.

That balance means more to her than anything she ever expected.

She thinks about her plans for tonight.

She's having dinner with Greg, a man she met in her bipolar support group.

He might be someone who understands the hard parts without her having to explain.

He might be someone who truly gets her.

She reaches for the mouse to look at the next profile.

Suddenly, she hears a sound that doesn't belong in the quiet building.