With You
My sweet Soul Shelter friends…
Perhaps your dear heart finds itself facing both the vast emptiness of what may never be, and the stark reality of what actually is. There aren’t words to describe the impact of that view on a human life. Great courage is needed in order to not look away. Practice steadying your gaze. Breathe. You can do this.
You can only change what you are willing to see. This is brave work.
Even in the most forbidding landscape, God is there. With you. For you. Actively moving on your behalf, often in unseen ways. Your wholeness and healing are always on the agenda. You are worth it. I will say that again, because a steady diet of being told otherwise can erode your ability to hear what is truest about yourself: You are worth it! Truly. You are named beloved by the Maker of the Universe, the Creator of Life, and the One who fashioned and knew you before you began. That carries some serious weight.
This week, I used a chopstick to put a gold dot in the middle of the blank space in each of the Monterey Park Tabiji Eggshells. They seem to be an ongoing work in progress, reflecting my grieving journey over the recent mass shooting. The dot reminds me that even in the emptiness still felt a month later, I am not alone. There is hope and a strong place to rest, even in the sorrow. I thought of you too, and the heartbreak you carry. Emotional abuse creates such a confusing brain spin - it can seem easier to go numb because so little makes sense. Life can feel empty. Barren. It does not have to be so.
I invite you to imagine the gold dot as God, right there with you in the middle of all that is your life today. Close your eyes for a moment…allow yourself the kindness of sensing God’s gentle presence coming to sit with you, a strong companion gathering you into a safe place. Rest there. Let yourself be loved by the One who will never leave you. Hope is there, in being held by all that is sacred, holy, and way more powerful than you or me.
You are not alone,
Wendy
24/7 U.S. National Domestic Violence Hotline, voice: 800-799-7233, text: “START” to 88788