August 28, 2015:

God never punished anyone for suffering. He will only punish for willing estrangement through disobedience based on our works. I would go so far as to argue that He uses suffering to refine His people. Feel it’s important to tell you that each entry I write is not a separate entity. We’re not bad people for suffering. There’s no reason to feel shame about making mistakes, having difficulty and for hurting. We need to be content and confident in the hope of our faith. It is through His love that we may have peace. I want you to know it’s okay to hurt, to feel and to be vulnerable. Open your heart to God. To each other. Let your hearts melt. But lift your hands in praise to God after. Let your hearts melt and open to love. We’ve been told not to feel for so long. We have been so strong. We need to tap into our emotions. Because our souls are like wells that run deep with the experiences of our lives. Trauma and shame accumulate. I am not lying. You need to know that we need to find appropriate places to release that trauma and shame.