Posted on by Dr. Tammi Love · 3 Comments

It’s Worth It

Emotional healing is a remarkable feat. Kudos to those living victoriously – no longer distracted by taunting triggers and stressors. For those still pursuing emotional healing, still wrestling with creative diversions, the path to overcoming can feel like repeated cycles of defeat. Traveling the unassuming terrain toward becoming healthy (again) proves to be an arduous journey. Yet it’s worth it.

Our human condition is dressed in feelings and emotions. We can’t escape the natural consequence of action and reaction. However, we can accept the challenge to secure a healthy pathway to healing, not succumbing to repeated feelings of hurt that mislead us to misery and bondage.

I’m leading a study on the prophets Elijah and Elisha in the Bible with a group of women at my church. During our study time, we discussed Elijah’s feelings of defeat while carrying out God’s plan for his life. Elijah’s emotional state led him to run away from the ensuing hurt pursuing him. Jezebel, that is. 

From an anguished heart Elijah told God in 1 Kings 19:4, “I have had enough, Lord.” Elijah felt he could no longer escape the taunting of Jezebel’s threats to kill him, nor could he escape his weariness. He felt alone and was giving up on any hope of rescue or healing. Then God responded. God released an angel to Elijah’s side to alert him to the resources right in front of him, resources God was providing as needed healing to carry Elijah through the rest of his journey. 

At Elijah’s lowest point, he recognized, through God’s reminders, that wholeness was within reach. Even though Elijah experienced unjustified hurt along his journey, Elijah also experienced healing by the permissive hand of God. It was worth it.

Along my journey I’ve learned that it’s okay to feel defeated in this life, even while having a relationship with God. The truth is, committing to live for God and not self will position us on a challenging journey that comes with feeling hurt sometimes. However, in the nick of time, God reveals Himself, alerting us to His resources and might. Those resources may include counseling services, rest, relocation, new friends, a new mindset, nourishment, visions, whispers of encouragement, an army of angels, a table of overflow prepared for us set before our enemies, revelations, and forgiveness. 

No matter the trigger or trauma we encounter, we don’t have to wallow in feelings of defeat. Wallowing will suffocate us. Our healing is in God – He is ours, and we are His.

It’s all worth it.

“but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” – Isaiah 40:31

Posted on by Dr. Tammi Love · 2 Comments

Take Flight

Pleasing others used to be my daily practice. Making decisions based on what others thought of me or only doing what I thought others expected of me was a habit I found difficult to break. Over time I eventually realized I valued others’ opinions more than I appreciated my own. I recognized that I often settled for the promises of people and refused the still small voice of God to trust Him more. The day I came face to face with this truth marked a pivotal moment in my life. The moment awakened a sense of numb wings softly fluttering on the inside of me. They were waiting on my permission to be freed from their caged dwelling. By my own doing, I could deny myself life, or I could speak life. I could continue to trap and suppress my calling, or I could give way to my calling, allowing it to take flight and whisk me on a journey of faith that proves God, not to be a liar, but a promise keeper in ways that are inconceivable to people. Thankfully, I chose to speak life, permitted my wings to fly, and gave way to God’s calling.

Staying in communion with God alerts us to our callings, as well as to the people and places we are ordained to encounter, learn from, and influence. God develops discernment within us for His purposes, and He prepares us with life experiences and tools for what lies ahead. A willing servant of God is committed to the journey God lays out, concerned with winning His approval alone. Lean into God, take flight, and do God’s bidding to make Him smile!

“Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” – Galatians 1:10

Posted on by Dr. Tammi Love

Exhale

​‘It’ came out of nowhere and disrupted my plans. I perceived ‘it’ to be disastrous and described it as horrendous, then suddenly recognized ‘it’ came from God’s hand. My rush of selfishness almost prevented me from experiencing the move of God in a miraculous and unexpected way. The pivotal light bulb moment came when I stopped my complaining, stopped replaying the events and emotions of my disaster, and took a deep breath. I exhaled.  It felt so good, I did it again. And as quickly as I released another breath the intricacies of my ordeal forcibly rushed into the newly liberated corners of my mind. Without hesitation and with specific intent, I exhaled once more. I felt my spirit uncoil from its grimacing state and felt the grace of wings flutter within me warding off what was no longer welcome, allowing God’s voice and warmth to fill every empty space. God is clear. He can move through anything and anyone to remind us of His covenant with us. He will do it, not to harm, but to offer us a future and a hope. Therefore, we must give Him our undivided attention. When we slip away from that directive we can exhale to regain a new perspective of our situation. Exhale as often as needed. In the beginning, the breath of God, by the thrust of words from His mouth, made all things good. His goodness is available to us in our most uncomfortable moments with the help of our own breath. Breathe in, breathe out. And repeat as often as needed. Your heart will rejoice and your gratitude to God will overflow and bring you peace with a new mind. God is relentless in His love for us and committed to His covenant with us!

“He is the Lord our God; his judgments are in all the earth. He remembers his covenant forever, the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations,” – Psalms 105:7-8 English Standard Version