Your Story Heals

I believe that God gave each of us a story to be a testimony in order to help someone else. We have not been allowed to go through sufferering without a purpose. It is for our own personal growth as well as the growth of others.  I was a firm believer that if I live a good life that would be enough to be an example to others but I began to learn the healing power of sharing my story, firsthand. 

I admit this was not something that came easy to me as I never desired others to empathize with my pain but I began to notice it helped me heal through some of the most difficult experiences, when I shared my story. Initially, while suffering, I began to share with those close to me and their lack of understanding caused me more pain than the current suffering. Amazingly, while teaching Scrapbooking, I began sharing small pieces of my story in my own brand of Rae Of SonShine. It is my method of sharing a painful story and authentically demonstrating with joy, peace, and delight the goodness of Christ in the midst of my pain. This came about gradually as I taught others how to create "All About Me" albums that told their story.  I learned that no one could tell my story better than me so I stepped from behind the camera and began to focus on me. Doing so, even when I wasn't happy with my body (another story, another day) I found the beauty in me. Teaching this method of Scrapbooking and journaling your story was the first step to helping others heal through their story. I too was healing in the process. 

After many years of teaching and sharing, it was revealed to me that not everyone is going to understand your journey but there are many that do understand it. Those that understood were the ones that God had strategically placed in my life for me to share and even grow from. Becoming an author came from sharing the story. I remember my friend who saw a book in me before I did, yet  continually encouraged me to tell the story. Prayerfully, I worried who wanted to hear my story. God's response "tell it anyway." I admit I have not published the full story yet but my book As I Encourage You, I Encourage Myself! shares more than I ever imagined sharing. 

As a public speaker, I transparently share my story as I have learned that there is someone out there that my story gives them hope. We never know who's listening or needs to hear our story. I read on PsychologyToday, "Every time you tell your story and someone else who cares bears witness to it, you turn off the body’s stress responses, flipping off toxic stress hormones like cortisol and epinephrine and flipping on relaxation responses that release healing hormones like oxytocin, dopamine, nitric oxide, and endorphins." 

There's healing in your story for you, as well as others. 

No matter what business you pursue, find a way to incorporate your beautiful story. God gave it to you for a purpose. Testimonies are meant to be spoken!

I encourage you to find and tell your story! Propel Your Problems to Potential!

Never forget, As I Encourage You, I Encourage Myself!

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Who Do YOU Call?

originally posted -Ms. Rae's Moment of Faith Blog @ Chinue Christian Fellowship

Last year, I had an experience that will leave an indelible mark on my faith. I’m an individual that try my best to find the positive in most situation and pray first. I must admit that often time when our bodies are racked with pain we forget or lose focus. We begin to seek help in places everywhere.

I’m a headache sufferer and I deal with chronic pain constantly. There are days when I can’t get out of bed due to the pain. I was in the midst of a 6 month spell with no relief. The doctors were baffled by what was going on and I felt like a human guinea pig. My family and friends were sympathetic but confused by the situation. All I could do was continue to function as best I could while sleeping through the various pain medications.

This one day my pain got so unbearable that I didn’t know what to do. I begin by calling out to everyone I knew for help. Due to my history of pain I have a close relationship with my pain doctor, I can usually call him at any hour of the day, so he was the first person I called and he was out of the office. I left a message for him to call as soon as possible because the pain was insufferable. I am so blessed to have a group of wonderful family and friends so I began to call them hoping that if I could just talk to them I could make it though the pain. Of course they couldn’t remove the pain but I felt like if I could just get my mind off the pain, Lord knows I’d feel better. My dear friend that lives in town, that always takes my call no matter what time of the day, I gave her a rang. Can you believe her cell phone was off? I proceeded to call my male friend who I knew was at work. Unfortunately, he was in an area where he couldn’t receive calls at that time. I proceeded through my list of supportive buddies. One by one, I got voice mails or ringing phones. This normally doesn’t happen. I have such a great group of friends that are always there for me.

I must admit that as I placed each phone call my anxiety level escalated which made my pain skyrocket. For those of you who have experienced any kind of pain, you don’t want to mix anxiety with pain. Basically, I began to get sicker by the minute.

In the midst of all this, I forgot to call on the one that was always there for me. The one when times were hard had gotten me through so many other situations. The one that just a few years before when my body was raked with pain and I called on Him he got me through. The one when I felt so alone that when I just called on His name I felt peace in the midst of the storm. The one when my friends turned their backs on me was my best friend. I forgot to call on Jesus. I forgot to Pray in the midst of this. I called all over the country to family and friends but I forgot to pray. I forgot to call on the one that told me in His word that “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee”, Hebrews 13:5

Later, after a friend found me passed out from an overdose of pain killers, I realized it was Him who had kept me from dying in that bedroom all alone. I realized that God was not through with me. He had gotten me through so many situations and knew that I had so much more living to do. He had work for me to do and I thank God for another opportunity to praise His name. In the hospital, I prayed without cease. I didn’t have a bible to read but thankfully I was able to just talk to the Lord in secret prayer and tell Him all about my troubles and pains. My body was still in pain. Actually, it was in worse pain than before but I realized that God was still in control. I’m thankful today just to be alive.

Saints, Who do you call in the midst of your pain? When you’re going through a tough situation? When your friends turn their backs on you? When you don’t know how you’re going to pay your bills? When you’re your kids forsake you? Who will you call? The bible says, “Pray without ceasing,” 1 Thessalonians 5:17. We should not let our faith waiver because we’re going through a storm. This is when we should be focused on HIM. Pray continuously. He will answer our prayers. Call on HIM today!!!! May God Bless and Keep you.

Ms. Rae
"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me", Philippians 4:13