Last night, I got together with 4 other women who are very dear to me- women who make me laugh and share recipes with me, and women who know most of my deepest, darkest secrets too.
For 15 weeks, we journeyed together through the Mending the Soul curriculum. Karrie Meyer led our group and she is A GENIUS. Seriously- if you’re looking for a great Christian counselor, contact her! Between Jesus, Karrie,and the other ladies in my group, I have had a crazy healing experience! I seriously feel like a different person! I think everyone who has a particularly impacting experience feels like it would work perfectly for everyone, but if you’re ever given the opportunity- go through Mending the Soul! I’m not going to go into specifics in this space (I’d love to share with you over coffee!), but here are a handful of things I learned that have shifted my perspective:
-It’s ok to let your self matter. Even if it feel uncomfortable, it will get easier.
-Forgiveness doesn’t necessarily mean reconciliation. It may, but reconciliation requires 2 repentant parties and that may never happen.
-Just because someone tries to give their insecurities, fears, or judgements to you, doesn’t mean you have to take them. In fact, you can give them back.
-Sometimes just telling your whole story- and all the gritty, ugly details- can be insanely freeing.
-All people are created in God’s image, but they were also given free will. This means people can make really hurtful choices. And really beautiful choices.
-Life is not black and white. There are gray areas. Which I hate. Haha but it’s possible to learn to navigate the grays.
-Sometimes you don’t have to accept or reject an idea or relationship or situation. You can just sit with it and see how it feels BEFORE you react.
-Acknowledging that someone hurt you doesn’t mean that you hate them or wish them harm. It means you’re being honest with your self. And you’re opening the door to healing & forgiveness.
-Minimizing situations helps NO ONE. Again, it’s important to be honest.
-There is a level of freedom available in the secure arms of Christ that I never knew was possible.
-While community/relationships are vital to fulfilling our needs, we can help fulfill some of our own need to be loved by being kind to ourselves.
On our very last meeting, Karrie gave each one of us a bling-y shovel. She gave it to us to say- even though we’re all still digging through crap, at let we can do it with a bedazzled shovel and look good. Haha
This whole experience led to something I’m calling “The Summer of Risks…. Which if youve been around me you’ve certainly heard about..But more on that another time! I’m so so thankful for this experience and so excited to see where we all go from here!
To learn more about Mending the Soul, check out their website.
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