Do We Need to Enter the Dark Forest of Memories?
By: Susan Deborah Schiller Photo Credit
"Write to Freedom Mini Memoir Series"
"Why must holy places be dark places?" — C.S. Lewis
We all have moments where we've been shattered. Tragedy defines us.
"Tragedy shapes our deepest passions, and our passions shape who we are and what we will become… We think we'll be happy if we can escape the past, but it is truer that without our past we are vacant beings with bland names and cookie-cutter stories.
As we enter the places where we lost our name, we are most likely to hear the whisper of our new name – the name God will give us. Each human story involves moments of being unnamed through abandonment, betrayal, and shame. The Bible talks about those experiences as being an orphan (a person abandoned), a stranger (a person betrayed), and a widow (a person shamed). And God reveals himself to be the Person who perfectly meets the needs of each one." – Dr. Dan Allender in "To Be Told
Tragedy shows us where our passions lie. Tragedy opens the portal to our core beliefs. This is where we get the answers we need. It's a God-search, as well. For only in tragedy can we know the deepest places, the core nature, of God.
Day 23 Activation: Choose one of the following "tragedy to triumph" stories to read, and begin to allow your mind to revisit your own tragic moments.
You don't have to write about it yet, unless it's already beginning to flow. We're tilling the ground and digging a little, so be patient. This process of tending the garden of our hearts takes time!
- Carolyn Hughes, the "Hurt Healer" has turned her tragedy into an exquisitely beautiful life, and she's created a new family legacy. "Believing for a Breakthrough" is short chapter in her life story – enjoy!
- Kimberly Dimick has experienced a miracle in her marriage – a marriage that could have ended in divorce court, but instead has become a blossoming, fruitful relationship. She spends her life believing for miracles in other people's marriages and helping them to prosper and succeed. Her love story, "Ruin to Restoration" is a must read!
- Carolyn Hughes also shares her story, "Who Do You Think You Are?" – a story that took place at a time of complete emotional and mental breakdown. It's through that experience, she discovered her true identity!
- Murray Lincoln describes a time when he lost his job as a senior pastor because he was approaching retirement age and the church could not afford to pay him anymore. He was near despair when suddenly God brought him full circle to a latent skill he had acquired, which then led to his greatest ministry years! He calls his tragedy-to-triumph "But God!"
- I share one of my stories, "Dance with Me," where I learned my core belief is I am groomed by God to grin in the face of disaster because His Love never fails. He is supremely confident in His ability to convert evil into Good, and therefore, I can face the future with confidence. I can create my world. I no longer need to bow to forces that are challenged by my truth; instead, I triumph over those forces and they are on the run.
I hope you are enjoying this process of writing your memoir. It may not be what you first thought it would be – it wasn't for me, at least! What I have learned is that you can't tell your story until you understand your story, and that takes digging for the treasure!
If you're new here and would like to join the adventure of writing your memoir, it's fast and simple to join – click here!
Be you. Live free. Tell your story.
With all my love,
Sue
Susan Schiller knows how it feels to lose everything: marriage and family, church and reputation, finances and businesses, and more. Susan's upcoming, interactive memoir, "On the Way Home," tells the story of how she came to be known as "the most abused woman" her counselors had yet met and how she learned to navigate her way out of hell to a rich and satisfying life. In her lifetime, Susan has served in duties ranging from home school mom – to pastor – to full-time deliverance minister – and to Midwest regional prayer coordinator for a large international ministry. These days you can usually find Susan soaking in her favorite hot springs pool, reading a book (or several), blogging, baking bread, or hanging out with her family and friends. You can pre-order a free copy of Susan's upcoming book, "On the Way Home" by registering here.
Copyright 2014, Susan Schiller, http://TeamFamilyOnline.com. For reprint permission for any private or commercial use, in any form of media, please contact Susan Schiller.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m not that courageous…yet!
It’s okay… enjoy where you are at today – it’s a good place to be!
We must have the courage to look into the eyes of evil, for in doing so we see beyond appearances and we are empowered to track down the predators. https://loveyourstory.org/eyes-of-evil/
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