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As a child I attended church. It was part of the religion I was born into. Years ago I tried to return to the fold to no avail. I felt that my views on gay rights and abortion were not accepted. That's not to say all Catholic worshipers or priests held opposing views for certainly not everyone lives up to the stereotype of the self-righteous.

I was confident enough to feel that I would get to heaven on my own merit, not by warming a chair or sitting in a pew every Sunday for the rest of my life. I feel I'm held accountable to only two: myself and my God. And I've always told friends that I feel closest to God when I'm doing my writing. He gave me this talent and this voice. I choose to express my faith through the personal expression of my beliefs.

My name, Christina, means "anointed one" or "Christian," and this is hardly a coincidence, is it? Early on, I felt spirituality is a key component in one's recovery. A classic expression is "Let go, let God"—and I'm willing to turn my life over to him when things seem out of control. Sometimes I'll pray for those less fortunate and I'll pray for the troubled souls of those who have lost their way. Also, I meditate a lot on how forgiving my God is. I'll ask him if he forgives me and I'll hear this response: "Do you forgive yourself?"

A friend said I have a cross to bear in my lifetime and I understand that. Every day I seek to forgive myself if I feel guilty or ashamed for having gotten sick. I'm here today because even when I couldn't see the light, I persisted in holding out the hope that one day I'd reach my destination.

I've chosen to let God into my life because it's comforting to know he holds me and all of us in the palm of his hand. Living with an illness requires that we function, so I go about my daily routine grateful for the small things. I feel blessed to have been spared a more chronic fate. I also feel that in return for being given my talent, He asks me to make things better for other people.

I once picked up a pamphlet called "Healing Words" that quoted 1 Corinthians 12:26 and I'll express this part of the Bible here: "If one part suffers, all parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all parts share its joy." When I first read this I thought how true of mental illness. My brain was in agony and it affected every area of my life.

I choose to honor my brain by taking medication. I accept that this illness will be here until I die. Believing in God first, then family, then friends allows me to get my priorities straight. If I'm to bear this cross, I'll do so with dignity.