Posts by Tammy René
With God Nothing is Impossible
While I may always experience lingering effects of the abuse, the abuse and the disorders they caused no longer define me. They are only a small part of the whole. Choosing to believe “that a Power greater than ourselves could restore [me] to sanity” has made all the difference.
Read MoreThe Gift: Peace
Peace on Earth has more to do with the heart than with the circumstances of our lives. Sometimes the peace comes after the trial.
Read MoreThe Gift: Pausing at the Parting of the Waters
Sometimes, the waves of pain and grief try to pull us under. Pausing at the parting of the waters can give us the strength to move forward.
Read MoreIs it Gratitude or Blinders?
Thanksgiving is a time for gratitude, but sometimes accentuating the positive can be a way of masking truths we don’t want to look at. So, the question I’m asking myself is, “Is it gratitude or blinders?” Blinders Blinders are leather pieces that are placed on either side of a horse’s head next to its eyes.…
Read MoreExploring the Mystery of Faith
Recently, a friend asked, “What is this mystery of faith you all talk about?” We are both part of a group of friends that are working our way through healing from PTSD. Some members of the group talk about how prayer and believing in Jesus Christ help them on their journey. This man was horribly…
Read MoreMoving from “Why?” to “What now?”
Growing up, I was the shaky sort—not sure of myself and often feeling the outcast. A dark cloud hung in my heart, keeping my true self somewhere beyond the shadows of fear and anxiety. I searched for a light strong enough to counter the dark. Relief came in the Light I found in Jesus Christ.…
Read MoreFacing the Dragon
“Wow! Look at that sunset” our friend belted with his usual over-the-top enthusiasm. I sat quietly looking out over the mountains. The flaming colors of the clouds billowed in defiance of the setting sun, but the scene didn’t permeate anything deeper in me than an intellectual acknowledgment of its beauty. It’s not that I never…
Read MoreHealing Truths
Childhood abuse resulted in most of my energy being used to fight feelings of worthlessness and despair. At one of my lowest points as a teenager, a leader in our youth group reached out to me for help with a project. Her “needing” me planted a seed of hope—maybe there was something inside me of…
Read MoreTo Friends of Abuse Victims
Things for friends of abuse victims to understand: When you have been a victim of any kind of abuse, one of the hardest things to do is to admit to yourself and others that you have been deeply hurt by those who should love and care for you. Whether you are an abused child or…
Read MoreFeast on the Light
Encouragement to feast on the light from my friend, Cindy: “Don’t view all that you experience in life through lenses darkened by the scars of abuse (or addictions). There is so much in life that is beautiful. Open the windows of your heart and let the love of the Savior in.” (Richard G. Scott) I…
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