The most freeing feeling…
I truly believe that the first step in healing from any type of serious emotional pain is to talk about it. Confide in someone, whoever that person may be for you, and just get it off your chest. For me it was my mom. I was honestly terrified to tell her. I didn’t know what to expect. But, I had just spent a week at Word of Life Bible Institute christian summer camp and God was tugging at my heart all week long. It was a very emotional week for me. I knew I had to go home and tell my mom. I still remember exactly where I was standing. It was in my grandmothers old apartment in the sun room. I remember telling her what was happening and instantly I felt as if a huge weight was being lifted off of me. My mom held me and we both cried and cried. I didn’t have to hold that secret in anymore and now I had someone who could help me get through everything I was feeling. This was only the beginning of a very long journey of healing ahead of me. The truth is that as I sit here today at 28 years old, I’m still healing and I assume I’ll probably be healing for the rest of my life in some way or another. But I’m so blessed to have a mother who I could confide in and who showed nothing but compassion through all of it. And I also have an amazing God who has been my rock through my darkest of times after all of it and a couple amazing friends who have been there for me as well.
Unfortunately, not everyone has that trustworthy person they can tell and they hold onto these burdens alone. And over time it weighs them down more and more. And burdens like these are nothing to try to combat on our own. People who are dealing with serious emotional pain need support and love. So once I was at a point where I was able to share with people other than my mom, I opened up to a couple of close friends. Believe it or not, one of my friends had gone through something very similar and I was the first person she had ever told. I hugged her and we cried together as she was finally able to have that weight lifted off her shoulder as well. I didn’t really understand it then, but as I’ve gotten older and shared my story with others I’ve learned that God had a plan for me all along. As negative as the whole situation may have been for me, He wants me to take it and use it for positive. And that’s all I really want to do now. Nobody should have to hold such secrets in and go it all alone. We’re living in a very selfish world these days and I just hope I can be a light in this world and be a woman who strives to empower other women and help hurting souls. So I say this to you…If you have a secret that is weighing so heavy on your soul then please share it with someone. Tell your story!! Not only do you give yourself the chance to start healing, but you never know who is going through the same thing and needs a fellow soul to connect with.

