POST TRAUMATIC GROWTH

But for you who revere My name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in His wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture. Malachi 4:2

 

Army Surgeon Rhonda Cornum’s helicopter was shot down in Iraq in 1991 during Operation Desert Storm. Her injuries were many but not life-threatening. She was captured by Iraqi soldiers, a situation which checked all the boxes for post-traumatic stress: a mock-execution, near death experience, sexual assault, helplessness in the face of the enemy. But Cornum refused to succumb to the terror by immediately beginning to focus on how she could improve her life when she survived. Cornum says resilience is like a muscle: it strengthens when exercised and atrophies when neglected. She was released by her captors within a week and eventually directed the U.S. Army’s Comprehensive Soldier Fitness Program. Today, every Army soldier goes through resilience training; psychologists believe the training can help individuals in all walks of life to survive and thrive following any type of trauma.

 

Two researchers, Richard Tedeschi and Lawrence Calhoun, coined the phrase “post-traumatic growth.” After working with survivors of cancer, severe injury, war, and other traumas, the men identified growth in five main areas: personal strength, relationships, life perspective, appreciation of circumstances (thankfulness), and spirituality. As a survivor of sexual assault at gunpoint with a clear threat that I might not live, I concur with Tedeschi and Calhoun: I became a stronger person because I had seen myself at my most vulnerable. For me, God’s gracious love and healing meant a brand new start for me. I did not “deserve” to be assaulted nor to be threatened with imminent death; the perpetrator was a monster by all accounts. But when I survived, I had a clear choice: to succumb to the fear and panic rising in my mind, or to move forward with my life and heal. I chose God’s healing.

 

I have talked to many whose trauma has left them in a precarious place, but I believe there is much hope in studies like the one on “post-traumatic growth.” Skilled therapists using these sensible techniques can guide trauma survivors into optimism, hope, and resilience to help them live productive and meaningful lives.

 

God of Grace and Healing, touch the broken places in survivors of trauma and lead them to trust in Your loving goodness. Amen

 

Both candid and humorous, insightful and ponderous, Meg Blaine Corrigan’s memoir, Then I Am Strong: Moving From My Mother’s Daughter to God’s Child, takes the reader through her chaotic childhood with an alcoholic mother and enabling father to a violent assault that nearly ended her life. She populates her tale with vivid descriptions of her parents, other influential adults, the attacker, and her disastrous first marriage. But this story has a happy ending, when Meg finds solace in a God she didn’t think she’d ever believe in, when He gently helps her heal from her past lives and move into the best times of her life. Meg has also written a novel, Perils of a Polynesian Percussionist, about said first marriage, as well as a Christian devotional, Saints With Slingshots: Daily Devotions for the Slightly Tarnished But Perpetually Forgiven Christian, comprised of blogs from this site. Stay tuned for sequels to her last two books! All of her works may be purchased through her website, www.MegCorrigan.com or from www.amazon.com .

STARS SINGING

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, order your disciples to stop (praising God).” He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.” Luke 19:39-40

 

Stars are made of hot helium and hydrogen. They shine when by burning hydrogen into helium at their cores. The website earthsky.org explains that, when helium—almost twice as dense as hydrogen—flows rapidly into hydrogen within the star, a pulsation occurs, creating a sound wave. But the sound made is six million times higher than a person could hear, even much higher than sound detected by bats and dolphins. So one might ask, “If a star ‘sings’ in the universe but we can’t hear it, is it still singing?” God would likely say “Yes!”

 

There are many references in the Bible’s poetic language about nature “singing” and praising God in ways that might make skeptics wonder if inanimate objects can really participate in worship. God told His servant Job that “the morning stars sang together” when He created the earth (Job 38:7). He further instructed Job to “ask the beasts..,birds..,fish…,and bushes” how they “perceive” God’s mighty power. Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.” Isaiah 43:20 reminds us that “the wild animals honor (God) Who provides water in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” One of my favorite Scripture quotes is Matthew 6:28-30, in which Jesus tells how the lilies of the field and the birds of the air trust God to care for them.

 

If God is Lord of all the earth, creator of every living thing and all the elements of the earth, how can we not believe that all creation loves Him and praises Him? When Jesus said “the stones would shout out” if the people praising Him were silent, He surely knew it could happen. What an exciting world we live in, when everything is capable of expressing love to our God! How could we be silent when everything around us is already providing a sweet symphony of song for our Maker?

 

Father God, stir us to hear what You hear as we walk throughout all of Your astounding creation! Amen

 

Today’s photo posted to EarthSky Facebook by Jason Brownlee

 

Meg Blaine Corrigan tells stories of wisdom, strength, fear, joy and risk-taking. Daughter of a raging alcoholic mother, and survivor of sexual assault at gunpoint, Corrigan has shaken a dismal past and flung herself into the arms of Christ, Who sustains her in her daily walk of grace. She shares with her listeners her incredible story of surviving and thriving through many trials during her seven decades walking this fragile earth. She has been described as a Renaissance Woman, integrating her formal training in psychology and counseling, an enlightening experience as a percussionist for a Polynesian show troupe, and most recently as an inspirational author and blogger. Her exposure to many life experiences has enriched her passion for spreading Christ’s word and helping other trauma survivors. She has a Master’s Degree in Guidance and Counseling and thirty-plus years of experience in the field of counseling and social work.  She lives in Lake Elmo, Minnesota, with the love of her life, Patrick, and their formerly disenfranchised rescue dog Ginger. www.MegCorrigan.com    MegCorrigan@comcast.net

JUSTICE

He will not break a bruised reed or quench a smoldering wick until he brings justice to victory. Matthew 12:20

 

Jeffrey Epstein is dead. This week the billionaire American financier, indicted on numerous charges for running an international child sex trafficking ring, was found dead in his jail cell by apparent suicide. His victims thought this was their last best hope of obtaining justice for his kidnapping, rape, and “sale” of possibly hundreds of underaged girls.  Now, his co-conspirators (some female) and other men named in the court proceedings are shouting for joy, believing Epstein’s death will give them a pass from a similar fate to his. His victims may try to bring civil charges, but it won’t be quite the same without the monster in the courtroom, facing his victims.

 

What is to be said of justice that never comes? Of peace of mind that is ripped from the survivors’ hands and hearts? Of a real sense of closure lost to the winds of fate? Our indwelling sense of right and wrong says offenders should be punished and victims protected. Deuteronomy 3:4 says The Rock, His work is perfect, for all His ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is He. His justice is compared to a plumb line, ever straight, never faltering (Isaiah 28:17).

 

There is no perversion of justice with the Lord our God (2 Chronicles 19:7). But human actions are never as “straight” and pure as God’s plumb line. Somewhere, in this broken world, survivors of trauma induced at the hands of others must come to grips with the fact that justice is not always assured, peace is not always promised. We are left to figure out what justice might look like, in the absence of perfect law, perfect courts, perfect circumstances. As a survivor of sexual violence never brought to justice, I have learned a hard lesson, but a good one: sometimes justice is just knowing that God believes us, feels our pain, collects our tears in a bottle, and tells us, “Keep going, My child, you are precious in My sight and for that reason alone, you must keep going.”

 

God of Justice, hold close to You those who never see justice in this world. Help them know Your justice prevails in the end. Amen

WALKING WITH GOD

Guest Blogger, Kathi Holmes

“But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this?” Job 12: 7-9

 

Collapsing to the floor, I tried to stand but my legs would not move. The paramedics transported me to the nearest hospital. Pain medication made me groggy, befuddled and frightened. I was told my spine was damaged due to heavy doses of prednisone and the start of osteoporosis. Due to my health history it was too risky to operate. I was told I would be paralyzed from the waist down for the rest of my life. All I asked of God was that He give me the strength to go on in whatever direction He had for me. “Thy will be done.”

 

God didn’t send a lightning bolt that hit me and I suddenly walked. I worked very hard with land and pool therapy, sweat dripping with every movement. I was amazed each time I made a positive step forward.

 

Then God blessed me with my first grandchild. I could wheel her around in my power chair, but as she grew I needed to stand long enough to change her diaper and pick her up from the floor. She was my inspiration to work as hard as I could to improve.

 

Three years later I was walking with a walker. That’s when my husband and I decided to take the leap and get a dog. Charlie was in a wheelchair because of an amputated leg due to a diabetic infection. I would be the sole dog walker. Our rescue dog, Honey, got me walking. Together we stroll down the neighborhood sidewalks and wooded paths. At first we didn’t go far as I got tired quickly, but as the months passed I got stronger and our walks became longer. Honey is not just our companion dog. She is my motivation to walk every day so as not to lose what I worked so hard to gain.

 

I have also developed a friendship with my fellow dog parents. When I walk Honey I smile and say “good morning” to everyone I meet. Occasionally a person looks angry or unhappy, but most often I can get at least a small grin. Rarely does someone not return the “good morning”.

 

Every day the Holy Spirit directs us, sometimes in unusual ways, to be the best God wants us to be.

 

“I can do everything through Him who strengthens me.”  Philippians 4:13

 

Dear Lord, open my ears to hear your words so I may follow your direction as you guide me through my days, knowing you will lead me on the path of goodness and grace. Amen

 

 

Kathryn Holmes is an author and inspirational speaker. Her books include: I Stand with Courage: One Woman’s Journey to Conquer Paralysis; Reflections; Watershed Moments. Contact her at k.m.holmes@comcast.net