By Nosipho Mabuza (Intern)
MADLANGEMPISI – Redefine Your Worth shares a deeply personal journey from despair to spiritual renewal and empowers readers to reclaim their God-given value.
In a bold move to confront mental health stigma within faith communities, Eswatini pastor and former development professional Stanley Mkhwanazi is set to release his debut book, Redefine Your Worth: How to Overcome Hopeless Thoughts and Enjoy God’s Unfailing Love, on April 30, 2025.
The 41-year-old pastor from Madlangempisi, now serving at Mpolonjeni First Church of the Nazarene in Mbabane, draws from his own experience with clinical depression and emotional breakdown. Once a thriving leader in the entrepreneurship development sector having worked with organisations like TechnoServe and Junior Achievement Eswatini, Mkhwanazi’s life took a drastic turn in 2018 when he resigned from his professional post due to a severe mental health crisis.
“How can you be a pastor and suffer from depression?” That question, posed to him in a moment of vulnerability, encapsulates the shame and confusion many believers face when wrestling with mental illness. In the book’s opening chapter, Hitting Rock Bottom, Mkhwanazi recounts his descent into hopelessness, suicidal thoughts, and the slow, painful journey toward recovery, ultimately anchored by a divine whisper that reignited his calling: “I called you to preach faith, hope, and love.”
Redefine Your Worth is not only a memoir; it is a compassionate guide for those feeling ashamed, angry, or abandoned by God. Through his own story and a biblically grounded framework, Mkhwanazi introduces the W.O.R.T.H Strategy—five practical pillars that helped him overcome despair:
- Worship – Reconnecting with God’s love;
- Openness – Embracing vulnerability and building support;
- Renewing the mind – Shifting away from self-limiting beliefs;
- Transforming self-talk – Challenging inner critics and self-doubt;
- Helping others – Finding purpose through service.
“Depression does not disqualify you from your faith journey, it invites you into a deeper, more honest one,” says Mkhwanazi. “God doesn’t discard broken pieces. He uses them to create something beautiful.”
With academic roots in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Eswatini and Theology from Southern Africa Nazarene University, Mkhwanazi bridges faith and emotional well-being with clarity, depth, and empathy. He has since shared his story across media platforms, including radio programs and church events, offering hope to others silently suffering.
Redefine Your Worth is a much-needed voice in the ongoing mental health conversation—particularly within Christian circles, where silence and stigma often prevail. By telling his truth, Mkhwanazi encourages others to embrace theirs.
The book will be available online and in select bookstores from April 30. For interviews, review copies, or more information, contact redefineworth24@gmail.com or call +268 7695 4899 / +268 7934 4260.
