THANK YOU! As the mother of an adult daughter with multiple disabilities who has moved a few times for work, and to get her better community services for her, I can tell you that the many, many people who meet her and immediately want to lay hands on her and pray for healing are overwhelming to her, and me. But, what we’ve recently experienced in our new community is bullying from her peers; other adults with disabilities! Why, because she uses iPad communication to speak, something that many of her peers are unfamiliar with, because they were not exposed to it! And the adults supervising her and her peers did nothing to stop it, even joining in on it at one point. Unfortunately, we didn’t find solace in the pews, either. But, we can find grace in scripture, in the Gospels, in the verses like this one! He can meet us in our quiet spaces, where we feel safe, and bolster our spirit to face another day among the ignorant AND the Joni Eareckson-Tada’s of the world. And you, who show us the healing spirit of Jesus!
I love this! I’ve been a volunteer educator at a women’s prison since 2008, and I wish I could share this with them. Many of them have suffered grievous wounds during their lives, and I so want them to know deep in their hearts that they are beloved children of God.
I've put Joni: An Unforgettable Story on my TBR list! I just celebrated 25 years of continuous sobriety on 8/15. However, my PTSD is kicking my ass. I feel like I am detoxing, my hands are shaking and my heart feels broken (alcohol betrayed me in a big way). I am opening myself to LOVE in an effort to heal my brokenness. Not an easy task right now since everyone is getting on my last fucking nerve.
Congratulations on your sobriety. May your last fucking nerve be strong and encourage other fucking nerves to stand up to whatever is driving you nuts today. 🤪❤️
Love yourself as Jesus loves you. You don't have to be perfect, he likes us like that. Be kind to yourself, quit kicking yourself, kick me instead. I don't mind.
Congratulations on your sobriety! That is an amazing milestone and you are a badass. Also wanted to tell you that as the proud owner of my own c-PTSD diagnosis, everyone is on my damn nerves too. Just know you're not walking on this broken sidewalk alone.
You're so right, Nadia. How often we want other people to be "healed" in order to take away our own discomfort, and how often other people try to change us in order to help them avoid their own difficult feelings.
Your post reminds me of a time about 40 years ago. I contracted polio in 1951. I was born in 1951. Long story. About 40 years ago, I was getting money from a cash machine when someone came up to me to ask if they could pray for my healing. I said of course but my physical disability wasn't between me a god. There were other things between me and god. The person was shocked! I don't know if they prayed for me later but they didn't then (in public)
I went about my life for many years. At a bible study, I related the story and a friend was flabbergasted. I had said my external disability didn't get between me and god but my internal disabilities did (and do). She had never thought about external versus internal.
I'm not super happy about my disability that is getting more and more challenging as I move on toward the end of my life; it's quite irritating. But my interior life is more important. I need to grow and learn spiritually and emotionally. My physical body isn't going to do much.
A friend, several years ago, went out of state to a church I'd never heard of; a place where healing often appeared. I told her that if she does get healed, she needed to come home to tell us what we were doing wrong. She did return, I don't think she had been healed, and I never asked about it again.
I'm living in a negative state, long list of "issues" as my granddaughter called them. If some stranger came up to me and let that person 'lay hands on me', I would say no. I have been healed a few times in my 50 years of faith. It can happen; Creator isn't an ATM.
What people can learn from the Book of Job is that shit happens. Creator comes in at the end and tells the reader that at least 66% of the Book of Job is wrong.
Creator also does not specify where the 33% of good stuff is.
Job, in the company of Creator, takes it all back.
I have been an "identity problem" for Them...I have also been a They. I pray to be a We, and exhale the sins of victim and certainty; inhaling the sacred breath of Opening, opening to mercy, to tolerance, to grace. We are One!
Thank you for this: Be opened to the fact that you may not ever get what you want and that you will actually be ok anyway.
I'm in therapy again, this time not in crisis. Working on my nagging anxiety and perfectionism, which are two sides of the same thing. I eat and drink my feelings, and I'm working on that. And I might not figure this out completely. I'm not "there" yet, but maybe there is no "there". Is fixing this possible? I don't know. Maybe I'll be OK even if I don't fix this. Maybe degrees better. Maybe just a little chronically anxious and a little depressed, struggling with letting myself off the hook. Thanks for your words.
So relatable. I'm working on letting years of perfectionism go that are rooted in survival mechanisms and processing and navigating trauma. It's not easy. But yeah, you're not alone in this. Rooting for you.
That quote jumped out at me too. It gets at the core of so much suffering. What is it that I want that I'll be okay without? I want to keep asking that question. Thank you for sharing your story, Teri.
Thank you for this reminder, Nadia. I used to attend a church with an active deaf ministry. The hearing-impaired adults there did not plan to receive their hearing in heaven, but expected Jesus to sign "Welcome" when they saw Him. That taught me a lot.
Love this so much. I have a disability that people used to pray for and I used to get upset with God because it wasn’t healed. Like what’s wrong with me. I now understand that my disability is my super power. I get to share with people how Gods strength and grace allows me to use it to help other people. For that I am grateful. I am healed because I no longer see my illness as wrong, instead it’s exactly as God would have it be. Thanks be to God!
I'm thinking these days about what would the person I REALLY want to be look like and is that different from the person God wants me to be. I realize that, at least some significant part of the time, I'm afraid that the person God wants me to be would somehow be boring. Like some sort of generic idea of a "good" person. Maybe my faults and shortcomings are what make me at all interesting, and do I really want to be healed from those? But in my saner moments I think, well, was Jesus boring? Is a gazillion galaxies boring? And, let's face it dude, you're often just a pretty boring normal human most of the time anyway. And I'm thinking about the last bit of this piece where you list some voices that aren't the voice of Jesus. I often hope for some mystical voice of God/Jesus affirming that they actually like me. What I'm grateful for, though, is the voices of actual people in my life who sound like they might well be the voice of the Jesus, who offer support, encouragement, laughter, reassurance...I guess I'm thinking if we're meant to be the body of Christ, probably it's important to learn how to participate in the voice of Christ to each other.
Bob, I'm deeply moved by this. I was listening to talk recently about how God hopes to clear out our ego a bit and restore us to the soul he created, and most of what we think is "interesting" about us is really just the drama of the ego, so as we become more soulful life actually does get more "boring." Or so it feels for a little while, until you recalibrate, and the soul is allowed to tune in again to what is sacred not interesting.
Thank you for opening ME this morning. May our hearts be opened to seeing ourselves and “problematic others” as whole, beloved children of God FIRST so that we can support each other in healing the aspects of ourselves that cause suffering. Your offering nudges us in that direction with humor and wisdom. Thank you. 🙏
Gorgeous, Nadia. Jesus knows who I am: Beloved child of God. That means my neighbor is as well. My mother, on her final earthly journey is as well. We are all fragile, but loved.
Nadia, I love this sermon. So much of it that’s meaning in my life. Being opened is painful, it’s hard, and it’s work. Sometimes it is easier to let the whatever die, but then maybe a piece of you dies. I love the reminder you are not as strong as you think….I always think I need to be the strongest in any situation….control and care for everyone and everything(yes I have trust issues). Due to health issues I definitely am not the strongest in ways that I usually think of being strong….
Then there are the THEY/THEM. There have been a lot of that in my life and they would always be bringing me to Jesus for my brokenness, uselessness, etc…..but I have learned to be open in some areas of my life and have realized the only conversation and connection that is important is between me and Jesus with all of THEM and their noise removed.
THANK YOU! As the mother of an adult daughter with multiple disabilities who has moved a few times for work, and to get her better community services for her, I can tell you that the many, many people who meet her and immediately want to lay hands on her and pray for healing are overwhelming to her, and me. But, what we’ve recently experienced in our new community is bullying from her peers; other adults with disabilities! Why, because she uses iPad communication to speak, something that many of her peers are unfamiliar with, because they were not exposed to it! And the adults supervising her and her peers did nothing to stop it, even joining in on it at one point. Unfortunately, we didn’t find solace in the pews, either. But, we can find grace in scripture, in the Gospels, in the verses like this one! He can meet us in our quiet spaces, where we feel safe, and bolster our spirit to face another day among the ignorant AND the Joni Eareckson-Tada’s of the world. And you, who show us the healing spirit of Jesus!
May the hearts of your community BE OPENED to your daughter, this I pray. Amen.
Beautiful, thanks! I feel your spirit!
I love this! I’ve been a volunteer educator at a women’s prison since 2008, and I wish I could share this with them. Many of them have suffered grievous wounds during their lives, and I so want them to know deep in their hearts that they are beloved children of God.
Dear Nadia,
I've put Joni: An Unforgettable Story on my TBR list! I just celebrated 25 years of continuous sobriety on 8/15. However, my PTSD is kicking my ass. I feel like I am detoxing, my hands are shaking and my heart feels broken (alcohol betrayed me in a big way). I am opening myself to LOVE in an effort to heal my brokenness. Not an easy task right now since everyone is getting on my last fucking nerve.
I love you,
Kat
Congratulations on your sobriety. May your last fucking nerve be strong and encourage other fucking nerves to stand up to whatever is driving you nuts today. 🤪❤️
relatable. in it with you. n
Congrats, Kat, that's amazing.
Just love a little today. Just today. Let tomorrow worry about itself. One day at a - well, you know the drill. I wish you well!
Love yourself as Jesus loves you. You don't have to be perfect, he likes us like that. Be kind to yourself, quit kicking yourself, kick me instead. I don't mind.
Wow. Don't cure your PTSD, open to it. That puts flesh and blood on this concept in a powerful way. Thank you for sharing of yourself, Kat.
Sweet Kat,
Congratulations on your sobriety! That is an amazing milestone and you are a badass. Also wanted to tell you that as the proud owner of my own c-PTSD diagnosis, everyone is on my damn nerves too. Just know you're not walking on this broken sidewalk alone.
Much Love,
Sandy
Just an outstanding unpacking of this passage.
Thanks, Michael.
You're so right, Nadia. How often we want other people to be "healed" in order to take away our own discomfort, and how often other people try to change us in order to help them avoid their own difficult feelings.
Your post reminds me of a time about 40 years ago. I contracted polio in 1951. I was born in 1951. Long story. About 40 years ago, I was getting money from a cash machine when someone came up to me to ask if they could pray for my healing. I said of course but my physical disability wasn't between me a god. There were other things between me and god. The person was shocked! I don't know if they prayed for me later but they didn't then (in public)
I went about my life for many years. At a bible study, I related the story and a friend was flabbergasted. I had said my external disability didn't get between me and god but my internal disabilities did (and do). She had never thought about external versus internal.
I'm not super happy about my disability that is getting more and more challenging as I move on toward the end of my life; it's quite irritating. But my interior life is more important. I need to grow and learn spiritually and emotionally. My physical body isn't going to do much.
"my external disability didn't get between me and god but my internal disabilities did (and do)" - love that. So true. Thanks for this story.
A friend, several years ago, went out of state to a church I'd never heard of; a place where healing often appeared. I told her that if she does get healed, she needed to come home to tell us what we were doing wrong. She did return, I don't think she had been healed, and I never asked about it again.
I'm living in a negative state, long list of "issues" as my granddaughter called them. If some stranger came up to me and let that person 'lay hands on me', I would say no. I have been healed a few times in my 50 years of faith. It can happen; Creator isn't an ATM.
What people can learn from the Book of Job is that shit happens. Creator comes in at the end and tells the reader that at least 66% of the Book of Job is wrong.
Creator also does not specify where the 33% of good stuff is.
Job, in the company of Creator, takes it all back.
Just when this old sober woman needs to hear something you zing it right in. Yup. Thank you for your wisdom and like "no one else" way with words.
I have been an "identity problem" for Them...I have also been a They. I pray to be a We, and exhale the sins of victim and certainty; inhaling the sacred breath of Opening, opening to mercy, to tolerance, to grace. We are One!
Amen.
Beautiful prayer, Kate, even if you didn't intend it that way!
I love this!!!
Thank you for this: Be opened to the fact that you may not ever get what you want and that you will actually be ok anyway.
I'm in therapy again, this time not in crisis. Working on my nagging anxiety and perfectionism, which are two sides of the same thing. I eat and drink my feelings, and I'm working on that. And I might not figure this out completely. I'm not "there" yet, but maybe there is no "there". Is fixing this possible? I don't know. Maybe I'll be OK even if I don't fix this. Maybe degrees better. Maybe just a little chronically anxious and a little depressed, struggling with letting myself off the hook. Thanks for your words.
I think my own love of hooks is a big problem.
So relatable. I'm working on letting years of perfectionism go that are rooted in survival mechanisms and processing and navigating trauma. It's not easy. But yeah, you're not alone in this. Rooting for you.
That quote jumped out at me too. It gets at the core of so much suffering. What is it that I want that I'll be okay without? I want to keep asking that question. Thank you for sharing your story, Teri.
Thank you for this reminder, Nadia. I used to attend a church with an active deaf ministry. The hearing-impaired adults there did not plan to receive their hearing in heaven, but expected Jesus to sign "Welcome" when they saw Him. That taught me a lot.
yes!
Love this so much. I have a disability that people used to pray for and I used to get upset with God because it wasn’t healed. Like what’s wrong with me. I now understand that my disability is my super power. I get to share with people how Gods strength and grace allows me to use it to help other people. For that I am grateful. I am healed because I no longer see my illness as wrong, instead it’s exactly as God would have it be. Thanks be to God!
I'm thinking these days about what would the person I REALLY want to be look like and is that different from the person God wants me to be. I realize that, at least some significant part of the time, I'm afraid that the person God wants me to be would somehow be boring. Like some sort of generic idea of a "good" person. Maybe my faults and shortcomings are what make me at all interesting, and do I really want to be healed from those? But in my saner moments I think, well, was Jesus boring? Is a gazillion galaxies boring? And, let's face it dude, you're often just a pretty boring normal human most of the time anyway. And I'm thinking about the last bit of this piece where you list some voices that aren't the voice of Jesus. I often hope for some mystical voice of God/Jesus affirming that they actually like me. What I'm grateful for, though, is the voices of actual people in my life who sound like they might well be the voice of the Jesus, who offer support, encouragement, laughter, reassurance...I guess I'm thinking if we're meant to be the body of Christ, probably it's important to learn how to participate in the voice of Christ to each other.
Hmmm....
Love this. My younger self would for SURE find my current self to be boring as hell. But I've never felt so content. #TeamBoring
Bob, I'm deeply moved by this. I was listening to talk recently about how God hopes to clear out our ego a bit and restore us to the soul he created, and most of what we think is "interesting" about us is really just the drama of the ego, so as we become more soulful life actually does get more "boring." Or so it feels for a little while, until you recalibrate, and the soul is allowed to tune in again to what is sacred not interesting.
Thank you for opening ME this morning. May our hearts be opened to seeing ourselves and “problematic others” as whole, beloved children of God FIRST so that we can support each other in healing the aspects of ourselves that cause suffering. Your offering nudges us in that direction with humor and wisdom. Thank you. 🙏
You hit it out of the park. ❤️🙏😎
Gorgeous, Nadia. Jesus knows who I am: Beloved child of God. That means my neighbor is as well. My mother, on her final earthly journey is as well. We are all fragile, but loved.
Nadia, I love this sermon. So much of it that’s meaning in my life. Being opened is painful, it’s hard, and it’s work. Sometimes it is easier to let the whatever die, but then maybe a piece of you dies. I love the reminder you are not as strong as you think….I always think I need to be the strongest in any situation….control and care for everyone and everything(yes I have trust issues). Due to health issues I definitely am not the strongest in ways that I usually think of being strong….
Then there are the THEY/THEM. There have been a lot of that in my life and they would always be bringing me to Jesus for my brokenness, uselessness, etc…..but I have learned to be open in some areas of my life and have realized the only conversation and connection that is important is between me and Jesus with all of THEM and their noise removed.
Couldn’t love this more. 💕