Welcome to this week’s devotional. We’re going to deviate from our normal format for a while, which I believe, is going to be very beneficial to you in your healing journey and to your life in general.

I just celebrated my 60th birthday over a week ago and as time moves faster and further, the more central my closest relationships are becoming. I’m talking about family. Spouse, companion, parents, children, siblings, grandchildren and so on. These are the relationships that can define us and mold us most deeply. They are also the relationships that can wound us most deeply.

No matter what state these relationships are in, they are the people that God chose to link us to as family. However, I realize that they can present the greatest challenge in our healing journey. In fact, you may currently have no relationship with family right now due to abuse, trauma or divorce and other problems. Those situations are extremely difficult and sometimes impossible to reconcile, and I am aware of that.

Suffering abuse and any kind of relational trauma is deeply painful, personal and shameful. Oftentimes we hide and isolate ourselves for fear that no one will understand where we’ve been or may currently be and we resolve ourselves to the pain and hopeless feelings that accompany these situations.

I have been there.

That is the entire reason “Beautiful You” exists. To break the shame of these stories and honor where we’ve been. My passion is to break the shame and isolation of abuse and blow the walls off of the prison that victims and survivors live in. Regrettably, many of those prisons are ones that religion and religious mindsets have put us in. These issues are not a “one and done” solution, but can take decades to resolve. Yes, even if you know Christ.

Now, don’t shut me out right here….I’m not saying that Jesus can’t heal in an instant, because He can and He will. On the other hand, He is patient with us and knows our frame, and remembers that we are dust (Psalms 103:13). He knows we are vulnerable even if we don’t, and he patiently cares and redeems the broken places in our soul.

So often, it’s that broken soul that makes it so difficult to connect with others. Our defenses are constantly up, we feel vulnerable all the time and fear trusting. These wounds can drive our relationships in very unhealthy ways.

There is hope though! God is the Father of spirits (Hebrews 12:9) and gives breath to all (Isaiah 42:5). He is the ultimate authority on conducting life-giving relationships. That is why the title of this series is “God’s Design”. I believe his Word is full of truths that can help heal and even deepen these relationships if we take some steps of faith.

Yes! It’s going to require faith.

Healing takes courage. Lots of courage. It takes hope and maybe yours is in short supply when it comes to navigating these relationships. Every human being on the face of the earth has suffered some kind of trauma and millions have suffered abuse. All of us have our “stuff” to work on and our families are no exception. If we will apply these truths to ourselves first, it will impact our relation to others for the better.

In the weeks ahead, we are going to delve deep into these truths. We’ll focus on one at a time for as many weeks as it takes to finish it. This will allow us a deeper dig into the scriptures that will brake up the fallow (neglected and unproductive) ground (Jeremiah 4:3) of our hearts.

As a result, the ground will be good (Matthew 13:8) for the planting of the Word and the leading of the Holy Spirit in implementing the truths into our life and walk with the Lord and others.

We are clay in His hands for His design!

If you are up for the challenge of this deeper step in your healing… I invite you to respond to this email with “I’m in!”

With love always, Crisie

Coming next week……the first and foremost truth: LOVE

[DISCLAIMER: I am not a licensed counselor or therapist of any kind nor is this devotional an attempt to provide those services. The contents and suggestions in this devotional are results of my own personal experience with these issues and are not meant to be professional advice or therapy. This devotional is not a substitute or replacement for regular therapy or the use of mental health resources. If the content here causes triggers, please see your regular mental health professional. Any content applied to your life along with any consequences is of your own volition.]

[If you or someone you know is in a domestic violence situation, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, available 24/7. or visit https://www.thehotline.org/ ]

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