A Christian actor and author opens up about being on the brink of suicide only to be pulled back by the idea that God was the "head" of his life.
Kel Mitchell, an actor and comedian who rose to fame in Nickelodeon's "Game Shakers" has experienced success in Hollywood but was not spared from personal struggles that had brought him to the brink of death. Recently, the 43 year old author of "Blessed Mode: 90 Days to Level Up Your Faith" opened up about his faith and how it saved him.
Mitchell, who also starred in Nickelodeon's "All That" and "Kenan & Kel," was born into a Christian household, Faithwire reported. However, his fame and success in Hollywood took him further away from his faith. The Nickelodeon star turned author shared that he "grew up in the church" because his grandfather was a pastor.
Mitchell learned early on that there was a "difference" between "knowing God and having a relationship with God." After a string of successful film and TV projects, the actor struggled with depression and frustration before hitting the lowest point in his life that forced him to transform his perspective.
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Kel Mitchell Faces His Emotional Struggles
Mitchell admitted that at one point in his life, all he wanted to do was hit "the off button." But he shared that it was in the moment that he "decided not to take [his] life and decided to live" that things changed for him. While the process was not overnight, the actor said that he was determined to make God "the head" of his life, realizing that the Lord was with him no matter what happened.
"I started to change things in my life that were not of God," the Nickelodeon star said. This, paired with his prayers for guidance led him to witness God remove toxic people and things out of his life and show him the right path forward.
"I went through a lot of ups and downs within my life and within my career," Mitchell admitted. "And in those downtimes, God was always there - He was there in the ups and in the downs."
Nickelodeon Actor's Journey Into Ministry
Mitchell overcame his personal struggles with the help of God. But what he did not know was that he was also being called to do something more. The actor and comedian, whose career picked back up after he conquered his issues, felt God calling him into ministry. In the beginning, the Nickelodeon star was unsure of the dynamics of his role as a celebrity and as a youth pastor.
When Mitchell prayed to God and ask him how he would do it, the answer came in the form of advice he would receive from his own wife. When questioning how he would carry out his role as a celebrity and youth pastor, lamenting that he had no one to turn to in Hollywood and in church, his wife suggested that he "be the first" to step into that role. Now, the Nickelodeon star feels proud to see the impact of his faith on his fans and the entertainment industry.
"We are the ambassadors of Christ - we are His billboards," Mitchell explained. "We influence people to come to Christ."
Mitchell has partnered with World Vision for the upcoming Global 6K for Water event on May 21, an effort to raise funds for water access globally. He hopes that more people come on board in the effort to provide clean water to kids and communities all over the world.
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