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As you look below in this column you will see the workshops currently scheduled for the remainder of this year. Your donation helps support these event - your donation helps survivors heal. Click the button to support this healing - it is safe and secure through PayPal.
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From - The Deepest Darkness
Self-rejection is the greatest enemy of the spiritual life because it contradicts the sacred voice that calls us the 'Beloved.' |
UPCOMING in 2008 - MARY'S HOPE
(Register online below)
July 29 - Spiritual Brokenness: Hope for Healing. A brief introduction to spiritual healing. For abuse survivors and others. Lutheran Church of the Holy Spirit, 6400 S. University Blvd, Centennial. 1 1/2 hrs: $10 suggested donation.
August 9 - Spiritual Healing and Recovery - Introductory Workshop: Good Shepherd Episcopal Church, Centennial. 7 hours.
September 20 - 27 - Introductory Workshops in Miami and McAlester OK. Exact dates and locations TBA.
October 18 - Advanced Class in Healing and Recovery - Holy Family Ecumenical Catholic Communion, Aurora CO. 7 hrs. Prerequisite: Introductory Class.
November 1 - Advanced Techniques in Healing and Recovery - Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Tulsa OK. 7 hrs. Prerequisite: Introductory Class |
Register below for upcoming events :
July 29 - Spiritual Brokenness: Hope for Healing. Lutheran Church of the Holy Spirit, Centennial. 1 1/2 hrs. $10 donation.
August 9 - Spiritual Healing and Recovery - Introductory Workshop: Good Shepherd Episcopal Church, Centennial. 7 hours.
$100 for Survivors and adoptive/foster parents .
$125 for other attendees.
$60 for repeat attendees.
October 18 - Advanced Techniques in Healing and Recovery: Holy Family Ecumenical Catholic Communion, Aurora. 7 hours. Intro class prerequisite.
$100 for survivors and adoptive/foster parents
For a registration form to send by mail, click here CALENDAR.
For information on other events, please call 303-377-0293 or email maryshope@maryshope.org. | |
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Greetings,
One characteristic of spiritual woundedness is feeling lost - lost to ourselves, lost to the world, lost to hope. The theme of this newsletter is the movement from that unfathomably lost place to letting ourselves be 'found' by the Holy.
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THE DEEPEST DARKNESS
- the darkness of not feeling truly welcome in human existence.
"Yes, there is that voice, the voice that speaks from above and from within and that whispers softly or declares loudly: 'You are my Beloved, on you my favor rests.' It certainly is not easy to hear that voice in a world filled with voices that shout: 'You are no good, you are ugly; you are worthless; you are despicable, you are nobody - unless you can demonstrate the opposite.'
These negative voices are so loud and so persistent that it is easy to believe them. That's the great trap. It is the trap of self-rejection. Over the years, I have come to realize that the greatest trap in our life is not success, popularity, or power, but self-rejection. Success, popularity, and power can, indeed, present a great temptation, but their seductive quality often comes from the way they are part of the much larger temptation to self-rejection. When we have come to believe in the voices that call us worthless and unlovable, then success, popularity, and power are easily perceived as attractive solutions. The real trap, however, is self-rejection. I am consistently surprised at how quickly I give in to this temptation. As soon as someone accuses me or criticizes me, as soon as I am rejected, left alone, or abandoned, I find myself thinking: 'Well, that proves once again that I am a nobody.' Instead of taking a critical look at the circumstances or trying to understand my own and others' limitations, I tend to blame myself - not just for what I did, but for who I am. My dark side says: 'I am no good - I deserve to be pushed aside, forgotten, rejected, and abandoned.'
Not seldom, self-rejection is simply seen as the neurotic expression of an insecure person. But neurosis is often the psychic manifestation of a much deeper human darkness: the darkness of not feeling truly welcome in human existence. Self-rejection is the greatest enemy of the spiritual life because it contradicts the sacred voice that calls us the 'Beloved.' Being the Beloved expresses the core truth of our existence."
From Life of the Beloved: Spiritual Living in a Secular World by Henri J.M. Nouwen, pp.30-33
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 I've lived small in order to be safe." |
I'm Beginning to Live Large
People ask "Why should I want to do the spiritual healing work?" That's a darned good question, I'd say. And how to answer? Although the work is tough, it is also real. I've lived too much of my life filtered by inaccurate assumptions about my worth in God's eyes, God's role in my life, and the character of God. This filter has prevented me from becoming fully the person God created me to be. I've lived small, in order to be safe, and in doing so, I've missed out on so much. As I do my spiritual healing work, I'm learning to begin to live large, and though it can be painful and scary, it is also exhilarating and joyous. And I won't give that up for anything.
Elaine Oxenbury, Mary's Hope Administrative Assistant |
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The Arduous Journey
I have been walking the journey of healing for about 9 years now. There are still times when it simply hurts too much to keep living the way I have been just to survive. But at the same time, it is too scary to take the risk to live a new way. I might mess up. I might get hurt. I might discover something I don't like. In fact, it 
is safe to say that at some point those things will happen. Sometimes, I still feel like a little girl who needs protection, assurance, and help, but no one is there for her. There have been times when I felt it was too hard to keep healing. It didn't seem worth it. For many of these 9 years, I could not even comprehend God as I know God now. If I could, I would have known that the arduous journey was worth it. Now I am not on my own - I no longer have to face the threats to life alone. I can sit in the lap of God, held in gentle loving arms that would never hurt me. I can cry in those arms until I run out of tears, until I fall asleep safe and sound. When I am ready, I can go and take that risk, knowing that the Holy won't stop loving me when I mess up, gives me the strength to endure the hurt, shows me how to deal with my fears. Before healing, I didn't know true joy, peace, freedom, and love - all gifts from the Divine - because I could not take the risks that go hand in hand with them. I am so glad that I am healing.
Beth Rietz - Outreach and Marketing MHW | |
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FROM THE DIRECTORS:
We are excited to announce the addition of two new staff members:
Elaine Oxenbury, long time weekly office volunteer, came on staff as full time Administrative Assistant.
Beth Rietz came to this ministry in response to her call as a deacon in the Lutheran church. Beth is our new Outreach and Marketing Consultant.
On June 3rd both began work - with no guarantee of regular remuneration! We are beyond blessed by God's call to the women and their enthusiastic 'YES'!
Other exciting news: On July 14th we will be presenting a special workshop at "Soul Healing and the Spiritual Director - An Advanced Certificate for Experienced Spiritual Directors" in Colorado Springs. This is sponsored by the Center for Spirituality at Work - a formation program for Spiritual Directors in Denver.
Blessings, Sherry and Diane | |
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