Shannon Lombard

My name is Shannon. I'm a husband, father, firefighter, veteran, author, and recently a graduate working toward becoming a licensed professional counselor. For a long time, I wore many hats and thought I was strong enough to carry whatever life put in front of me. As a firefighter, I was trained to run toward emergencies while everyone else ran away. I believed I could handle anything through hard work, determination, and grit.

Then life handed me something I couldn't outrun.

Several years ago, I was diagnosed with PTSD, anxiety, and depression. Ironically, receiving the diagnosis didn't bring relief. Instead, it felt like someone had handed me three life sentences. I thought finally knowing what was wrong would make things better, but things actually got worse before they got better. What followed was one of the hardest seasons of my life—a journey that lasted nearly seven years. There were days when I didn't recognize myself, days filled with frustration, hopelessness, and questions I couldn't answer.

Through all of it, my wife Steph stayed.

I remember looking her in the eyes one day and telling her that if she left and took the kids, I wouldn't blame her. I was convinced that was what was going to happen. But she didn't leave. She stood beside me when I was at my worst. Looking back now, I can honestly say that apart from God's grace, Steph's faithfulness was one of the biggest reasons I made it through. She reminded me that what I was experiencing wasn't my identity—it was a season I was walking through.

One of the greatest lessons God taught me during that time was that healing was never meant to happen alone.

For years, I tried to fix everything myself. I thought if I worked harder, stayed busier, exercised more, or just pushed through, eventually things would improve. They didn't. The turning point came when I finally said three words that were incredibly difficult for me: "I need help." Those words changed everything. God often works through people, and I had to learn that accepting help wasn't weakness—it was humility. The people God placed around me became part of His healing process in my life.

That experience also transformed the way I view marriage and family.

Steph and I learned that strong marriages don't happen by accident. We intentionally protect our relationship, schedule time together, communicate about finances, set goals, and keep God at the center of our home. We've learned that children thrive best when they see parents who love God and love each other well. Our commitment is to build a family that lasts for generations, not just survive the next week.

As a firefighter, I've witnessed tragedy, loss, and the fragile nature of life. Those experiences have reinforced something I now tell my own children: life is real, and we don't do anyone any favors by pretending otherwise. Honest conversations, faith, and strong relationships matter. People need truth, hope, and connection.

Today, my testimony isn't that God removed every struggle. My testimony is that God met me in the middle of it. He used pain to teach me dependence. He used weakness to reveal strength. He used broken seasons to build compassion and purpose. What once felt like the end of my story became part of the story God now uses to help others.

If you're struggling with PTSD, anxiety, depression, marriage challenges, or a season that feels impossible, I want you to know this: don't walk through it alone. Reach out. Ask for help. Lean into the people God has placed around you. Healing takes time, but there is hope on the other side.

My story is proof that even in the darkest seasons, God's grace is still at work.

Read more of Shannon’s story through the book he wrote - Ptsd: How Overcoming Anxiety, Depression, and PTSD Taught Me the Power of Pushing Toward Success Daily - By Shannon & Stephanie Lombard