7 REASONS WRITING HEALS TRAUMA - By Corine Gatti
Tap into the power of writing to heal your soul.

Talking your feelings out is not for everyone. But more people are interested in putting their thoughts down where they can navigate the troubling waters of the past or of the present without shame.

Communicating your feelings through writing is not a taboo subject anymore. According to the American Psychological Association, Joshua Smyth, Ph.D., of Syracuse University found writing to be an effective way for people interpret their experiences. "Venting emotions alone--whether through writing or talking--is not enough to relieve stress, and thereby improve health. To tap writing's healing power, people must use it to better understand and learn from their emotions," he explained. Writing helps frame events in our lives and can go down to the very root of the pain, which can help us find inner freedom. Here are 7 reasons writing heals trauma.

It allows you to get real.

Even if you are seeing a therapist, you may still hold back to protect yourself from being judged. Writing allows you to have a platform where you have the liberty to express your soul without restraint or fear. You don't have to pretend to be something that you're not anymore. The writing process will open the mind and the heart to allow healing to start flowing. There is a caveat to this, however. You need to be honest with yourself and embrace your feelings. "Hold yourself accountable to tell yourself the truth about your behaviors, your thoughts, your motivations and your actions. If you can't be honest with yourself, you will not be able, to be honest with others," author Dawn Demers wrote.

It makes you deal with the pain.

Trauma that is not dealt with can be a dangerous cycle because it's too painful. "But, because they are painful, we do not process them deeply and and so, we suffer the stress of remembering a painful situation without resolving the incoherence," Psychology Today found. Writing acts as an outlet to life’s most challenging obstacles and events that change our lives on a daily basis. Thoughts, feelings and emotions are more fluent when they’re put down in writing.

It helps you confront the experience.

When we write about an experience that is painful--we're constructing a personal narrative that creates a pathway towards healing old wounds. If we don't confront this, we will obsess over the event and what we could've done differently. The Foundation for Art and Healing shared that expressive writing could "possibly lead to mental health problems, expressive writing allows us to cognitively confront, process and heal from the pain." Start writing from the heart and express how you're feeling today. The cool thing is that there are no rules and you have the power to construct your thoughts as needed. You can't overcome discomfort unless you face it and brave through the pain.

It helps you discover forgiveness.

Start recording everything that is going on in relation to the trauma and how it has impacted you. Then make a list and start to explore it and make amends. Maybe you need to forgive someone or let an old love go. Maybe you were wronged, treated unfairly or not supported during this time. Our response is to stuff our anger and shut down. Forgiveness will help you avoid disorder, will protect your well-being and “stand against the worst kind of injustice so that it does not defeat you," author Robert Enright shared. Forgive yourself for making mistakes and learn self-acceptance. If this is hard, seek a licensed therapist for guidance and further direction.

It helps clear your head.

Between your emotions and your thoughts, there could be a lot of upheaval going on in your private world. Writing will help you battle this out while keeping negative thoughts and even depression at bay. The pain of bereavement, violence or a sudden diagnosis of a serious illness could also drive you into isolation, which is not helpful. "Expressive writing promotes healing and can help us to better control our emotions, to stop ruminating or obsessing about a traumatic event and instead derive meaning from what happened," author Lynda Monk shared. Clear the clutter out of your head by expressing yourself on paper.

It helps you slow down.

No matter what stage you are in at the moment, writing will help you to slow down and become more mindful. Start catching yourself when you rush through the process. Ask yourself “Why am I rushing for?” Once you slow down, it will help reduce stress and will help you from being controlled by thoughts and emotions. The benefits to this are being able to cope with stress better and help you to become more aware of toxic thoughts, which could be haunting you. The writing process can be used to train the mind and body to embrace a more serene state.

It allows you to find hope again.

Not only can you relive your triumphant moments but you can find hope again by listing your successes every day. By re-reading successes, it will empower and encourage you press forward when bad days come along. "Cultivating hope requires courage to take that first step forward," Life Hack suggested. "Take that first step and then the next. You will soon be on the other side and ready to tackle your next challenge." Today can be a time that you start exploring what you are capable of again. The fact you're brave enough to pursue healing can be a start to a renewed hope and bright future.

Writing can open up a path of deep healing and enlightenment. It's something that you can utilize for the rest of your life. Consider it your companion to help you to weather the storms of life.

Corine Gatti-Santillo is a freelance digital journalist, editor, and content producer. She is also the The Christian Post Voices Editor. She is also a former editor at Beliefnet.com.

 

"IT'S MY MONEY. AND I WANT IT NOW!" - By Dr. Mary Edwards

A few days ago God spoke to my heart these words:

"Some of my people have monies that are 'frozen.' They are frozen because there is something they must do to 'unfreeze' them. Thaw out the bread."

I always like for God to confirm that what I'm hearing is from him. This is what happened shortly after I heard His Voice.

Immediately, I went to my freezer and literally took out some frozen bread. I put a dollar bill around the bread (money wrapped around money!) with a rubber band. That same hour I received a phone call. One of my clients who didn't owe me money said, "I'm in your driveway. May I come in?" Without asking why I said, "Sure." She came in and handed me a check for $200.00." She said she wanted to be sure she had reserved some of my time to work on her book in the near future. Needless to say, I rejoiced!

God gave the children of Israel manna every day. Every day I ask God for my daily bread "money." I expect to receive money every day. And I do.

There was a time I would settle for crumbs. God told me that I didn't ask for enough. My faith has increased. I have moved from crumbs to a slice to a loaf. Now, I've asked God for a BAKERY. How sweet it is! I see myself rolling in dough! Just call me a "Holy Roller in Dough!"

Every day I say: "IT'S MY MONEY. AND I WANT IT NOW!"

REPEAT AFTER ME, "IT'S MY MONEY AND I WANT IT NOW!"

"The Scrolls Are Being Opened to the Ready Writer"  - Theresa Phillips
(Given to The Called and Ready Writers as they Celebrated their 10th Anniversary, 2009)

"My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer."—Psalm 45:1

While driving, I saw a flash in the sky. I looked up and saw a huge cloud shaped like a quill—I saw a perfect feather and tip...I was stunned. I was in awe. I began to think, I wonder, what the angels are writing? I wonder what is being written? Is a record being taken? What have I done? So much went through my mind at that moment. That is what happens when Holy Spirit is moving...you react.

The WORD was on my mind. Just words. I felt a slight panic. What is it, Lord?! Lots of thoughts flooded my mind with great anticipation, so I pressed in to that moment with great fervor.
"Let us acknowledge the LORD; let us press on to acknowledge Him..."—Hosea 6:3

Then I saw in the spirit, a high mountain. On the top of that mountain was a man dressed in clothes of long ago. I gasped..he is from the Ancient of Days! I just knew it. Who was he? He was writing on parchment paper; he had a scroll. My heart leapt inside, and I knew something was being released.

He, the Lord, was speaking to me, "It IS time. Time, time, time, time...The scrolls of the ancient ones are being opened to the ready reader...scrolls of Law, Righteousness, and His total will and essence. Write, write, write, write!"

"When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the priests," (was he a priest I saw?) "who are Levites. It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the LORD his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees."—Deuteronomy 17:18-19

The Pens of Ready Writers are Going to Write as Never Before!

They will write:

• The words of plenty during famine.
• The words of hope during despair.
• The words of healing during mass illness.
• The words of grace during unease.
• The words of peace during battles.
• The words of love during times of hate.

Then I knew: the writer is being released. The prophetic writer, who will prophesy from the realms of Heaven, the word of Heaven—looking for that great and beautiful day. Even memories of the evangelist, speaking of that day of the coming of the Lord, will emerge...but they will be different. They will speak of glorious encounters with GOD.

Heaven to Earth, Heaven to Earth, Heaven to Earth, I saw the quill writing across the sky.

The Quill Turned Into a Paintbrush

"And He carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of Heaven from God."—Revelation 21:10

As I continued to pray and press in to know HIM, to seek what He is doing, I saw the quill turn into a paintbrush (the sky was ablaze with magnificent color) and paint glorious star-studded skies and plush green grass and trees filled with all the seasons of the earth, all blooming at once. The scene was approachable and filled with light and the light became life—it was abundant!

"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth His handywork."—Psalm 19:1

Then I heard again, "It's time—TIME, TIME, TIME of the creative writer; TIME, TIME, TIME of painters of mighty words. Even in song, WRITE, WRITE, WRITE. Be a ready writer of the GOOD NEWS! The paintbrush will write across the heavens and declare the beauty of the Lord. Look up, O Church! Look Up, O lost! I will call upon the gifts of the artist in the days of darkness."

"...my tongue is the pen of a ready writer."—Psalm 45:1

Theresa Phillips
Praise Ministries International

WOMAN OF THE WIND - By Jennifer Worthy
Dedicated to Dr. Mary Darlene Edwards - On her Birthday (October 11, 2007)

Brave woman of the wind
Light and swift,
Where did you learn
To fly so gracefully like this?

Soaring like the majestic eagles
To thrilling heights unknown.
Accelerating quickly as you take off,
Amidst tumulus winds of adversity
Which carry you far above clouds
thick like homemade gravy.

Your broad wings have been strengthened
By stormy winds and currents
meant to plummet you to the Earth.
Yet, you held your ground
and ascended even higher!

You effortlessly ride on
the undercurrents of conflict
Which allow you to land
In small crevices on mountain ridges
Where you can soak in the radiant
Rays of sunlight undimmed by air pollution

Your eyes are razor sharp and capable
Of perceiving gifts afar off
Nurturing and mothering
Those who follow you
and desire to ascend to
Heavenly places like you.

You are a dauntless woman of the wind.
Thank you for
the faithful examples you give.
Wise woman of the wind,
Who hears the sound of silence
Atop the glorious mountaintops
And can carry many a burden.
Some may wonder
where did you learn
to soar like that?
But those you have touched
Know that you are mighty in God.
    
Copyright October 2007

"MANY BOOKS, SONGS, SCREENPLAYS AND ARTWORK THAT WERE REJECTED--WILL NOW BE RELEASED!"

Prophecy given through Bill Yount on November 14, 2007

Psalm 102:13, "Thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favor her, yea, the set time has come."

I saw angels scavenging through trash cans, old filing cabinets and dusty warehouses, picking up rejected manuscripts of books, songs, screenplays and artwork, and then declaring, "THESE HAVE BEEN WRITTEN AND CREATED AHEAD OF THEIR TIME--BUT THEIR TIME IS NOW!"

Ahead of Your Time?

Have you written a book, a song, a screenplay or have drawn artwork and thought that something was holding it back or thought it was seemingly unnoticed by man? I want to encourage you--you may have had an angel hiding what God has given you to do--keeping it for its divine timing. You may have written or created a divine project that was not meant to be released in your time frame, but I am sensing God's timing for many of His overlooked creations--IS NOW!

The waiting and the aging of these creations which seemingly brought "death" to these dreams have only caused God's anointing to increase greater upon them. Through man's "rejecting," God is now "injecting" them with resurrection power!

You May Have a Best Seller!

I saw angels checking out books and manuscripts that have lain dormant in authors basements; and these angels are now proclaiming, "THERE'S A 'BEST SELLER' IN THAT CELLAR!"

I saw "publishing" angels sitting on stacks of books that were written ahead of their time, but these angels are now arising! These authors were strongly anointed as those who were seemingly "born out of season" and their divine projects were ahead of their time, but--their time has now come to be published and to be heard abroad.

Going to High Places

Some writings will ultimately end up in kings' palaces, as well as the prisons and rescue missions of the earth, for kings sit in both places. World leaders will find these divine writings in their laps delivered by the hands of "dignitary" angels. Some rejected and forgotten artwork will now be adorning the walls of government buildings and the palaces of world leaders!

I saw angels picking up discarded forms of divine artwork from the storage rooms of art stores and closets. These artworks are from original artists who have given up hopes and dreams of their artwork which God had called them to do. These same paintings and forms of prophetic artwork are now finding their way into the halls of justice to hang on the walls and will prophesy into the governments of the world. Some artwork have the address of the "Oval Office of the President of the United States" written on them, and some are also destined to the hallways of the White House.

Other paintings and artwork will find their way even into Middle East palaces to adorn their walls with justice and help break the powers of darkness off of the minds of world leaders who assemble in these renowned palaces in the earth. Some of the most profound artwork are coming from the prison cells of prisoners and will be found in mansions of the richest men in the world.

Multiple Births

Some authors, whose difficult projects have given them great labor pains, will discover that there is more than one dream in their womb! I sense some novels and screenplays that have taken so long and have had great difficulty in finishing, have God's timing in them after all. The patient labor of these projects has only increased the size of their destiny and having been carried full term--are now nearing God's delivery room.

With surprise, some authors will give birth unexpectedly to twins--a "novel" and a "movie!" From trash cans to theater screens, from filing cabinets to governmental cabinets, and from the warehouse to the White House--DEAD DREAMS ARE RISING!

Bill Yount
Blowing the Shofar Ministries
Email: theshofarhasblown@juno.com

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