Mandisa Opens Up About Her Struggles in New Book

By Blessing Harper Feb 14, 2022 06:18 PM EST

GRAMMY® and Dove Award winner Mandisa is set to release Out of the Dark: My Journey Through The Shadows To Find God's Joy on March 15, 2022. Out of the Dark dives deep into the singer's battle with depression and anxiety. After losing a close friend to cancer-a friend for whom she wrote her award-winning song, "Overcomer"-Mandisa descended into a dark pit of depression, isolating herself from family and friends, and turning to her familiar friend, food, for comfort.

Mandisa opens up about her new book. "This book is a huge piece of me and, to be honest, I feel very vulnerable sharing in such detail. So many of you have been a part of my journey and I know that I'm not alone in the struggles I've faced. Just like me, you may have struggled with the pain of grief and loss, surviving abuse or even coping with depression."

"It isn't always easy to trust God through the pain, but every day I make it my aim to. In my darkest moments, He was the only light I could see. My choice to trust Him overcame my need to understand why bad things sometimes happen, and it also helped me to embrace the joy and freedom that He freely gives us. Anxiety is a real thing. Depression is a real thing. Emotional pain is a real thing. But we can overcome."

Clinging to the hope of Psalm 40 in her overwhelming darkness, she slowly began to recognize cracks of light where God was at work. "I really believe that this book is just another part of how God is using this chapter in my life of bringing me out of the dark. My favorite part of this passage of Scripture is in verse 3: 'Many will see what He has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord,'" she explains, referencing Psalm 40. "That's what I see this book being about-me telling how God lifted me out of the pit, and letting people know He did it for me; He can do it for you."

With the same warmth and vulnerability she exudes in her songs, in Out of the Dark, Mandisa opens up about her mental health struggles, walking through grief, and the role shame has played in her narrative. The fresh title follows her first book, Idoleyes: My New Perspective on Faith, Fat & Fame, written shortly after her time on "American Idol" and focusing on her battle with weight, food addiction and body image.

Pre-order Out of the Dark: My Journey Through The Shadows To Find God's Joy HERE.