The wounds we carry with us are not obstacles to simply get over. Rather, our wounds are the way through. Our wounds aren’t something to hide or deny; instead, they are sacred parts of who we are and testaments of our journeys. At first, we may not have eyes to see our loss as a gift — how could it be? — because it’s too painful. But as we sit with our suffering and courageously welcome and move through our loss, we are transformed. Loss gives us new eyes to see the grace threaded through all humanity.
Our wounds are not separate, but a sacred part of the gift of life. Through our wounds, we are empowered to offer healing to others in pain. -
Compassion is born in the heart of the wounded.
|
|
|
The Latin root of the word compassion is compati, which literally means to “suffer with one.”1 We can only truly suffer with those who are suffering once we have endured suffering ourselves. We see this same pattern of sacred woundedness weaved throughout the story of Jesus. Jesus wasn’t a savior unacquainted with suffering; He was “a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand” (Isaiah 53:3 MSG). And it is “by His wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). He is the ultimate wounded healer. - To experience our own suffering is to partake not only in the suffering of humanity but also in the suffering of our Savior.
Here is where the hope comes in. If we follow the way of Jesus, we know sorrow and suffering are not the end of the story. We live in the light of the resurrection. Yes, Jesus suffered greatly, but He rose again. And to believe in the resurrection is to believe we, too, will rise. Death is no longer an enemy to be feared because we have hope beyond the grave. This hope is a “sure and steadfast anchor of the soul” (Hebrews 6:19 ESV). When tragedy strikes, when death feels like it’s won, when we’ve hit rock bottom and can’t see a way to live with the pain for another day, hope is the way through.
The pain we are facing today doesn’t exempt us from future pain. The road ahead will most likely take unexpected twists and turns, but as we grasp the steering wheel, shift the car into drive, and bravely begin paving a new way through, we can rest assured that we are not navigating the unknown alone. Just like that day on the old dairy roads when I sat safely in my father’s arms, we are held right here too. Hope is the vehicle that drives us forward, and divine love is the safety belt holding us secure.
Excerpted with permission from Rebuilding Beautiful by Kayla Stoecklein, copyright Kayla Stoecklein. * |
|
|
Loss is a gift wrapped in thorns. Loss changes and transforms us… into Christ’s likeness if we let it. It can forge compassion in our hearts and soften the hard places of pride and self-sufficiency. Loss reveals that we are not alone on this journey, but that Jesus is right here with us! |
|
|
After life turns upside-down, what do you do? |
Rebuilding Beautiful: Welcome What Is, Dare to Dream Again, and Step Bravely into What Could Be |
|
|
$26.99 $18.89 (30% off) + FREE shipping on all orders $35 and more |
Speaker and author Kayla Stoecklein delivers an inspiring message of how she came face-to-face with crushing personal loss and discovered how to rebuild a beautiful life.
Kayla Stoecklein became an unexpected widow in August 2018 when her husband, Andrew, the pastor of their large church in California, died by suicide. With three young boys also grieving and a heart full of pain, it became her mission to bring hope and help to others who have faced unexpected hardships. Rebuilding Beautiful shows people that they not only have a purpose, but that they can build a beautiful life once again. In Rebuilding Beautiful, Kayla shares the life experiences that have turned into lessons, including - acknowledging the pain;
-
making the choice to start healing;
- finding courage in uncertainty;
- embracing God’s constant presence; and
- exploring a new path and falling in love with life all over again.
Sometimes, the journey from agony to awe takes time. Rebuilding Beautiful is the perfect roadmap for anyone who's on the path from heartache to a life that is a new kind of beautiful. |
|
|
|
Grief can be a feeling, a season, or part of your story. This Grief devotional + 60-Day Grief Journal bundle is meant to start the healing journey for those who know the acute heartache that accompanies loss. This bundle includes 1 copy of Through a Season of Grief by Bill Dunn and Kathy Leonard, and 1 copy of Healing Words: A 60-Day Grief Journal. |
|
|
|
On August 25, 2018, Kayla Stoecklein lost her husband, Andrew--megachurch pastor of Inland Hills Church in Chino, California--to suicide. Fear Gone Wild is her intimate account of all that led to that tragic day, including her husband's panic attacks and debilitating bouts of anxiety and depression. Despite their deep faith in God and the countless prayers of many believers, Andrew was never healed of his illness. Turning to Scripture for answers, she discovered that God uses wilderness experiences to prepare His children--including Jesus--for his greater purpose and to work miracles inside our souls.
|
|
|
this devotion with someone who needs it today |
|
|
|
