Finding Time for Restoration

We live in such a fast paced society where one must keep up with the pace in order to survive. Often times when life becomes more demanding, the more we busy ourselves to keep from feeling the pressure. This is especially true of any pain we may experience. If something hurts, you get up, brush yourself off, and keep moving. This is what we learned as children when we fell down, and yet this mentality can get in the way of truly allowing ourselves to be healed.

Restoration is such a fluid process. Sometimes we don’t see the progress we think we should. Sometimes we think we should be further along in our journey than we are. Sometimes we think we are the ones responsible for bringing healing to ourselves. Little by little we take back pieces of our journey we once submitted to God. The process is unknown and hazy, and all we can see is what we want our wholeness to look like. We attempt to outrun God, when He is the one calling us to slow down. He longs to draw us to still waters in order to restore our souls, but His miraculous work of healing can only be done when our souls are quieted before Him. It is then, when we relinquish our best strivings, where our souls can find trust rest and healing.

As a staff, we have the opportunity to see the residents of the Lydia Center through various stages of their healing during their time here. For the first time in their lives these women are beginning to face the harsh pain of their past in order to embrace the abundant life their Father has set before them. They are no longer running from that which has kept them in bondage, and yet the motivation to keep the fast pace still lingers. What a joy it is to see them slow down in order to walk alongside their Savior as He gently heals their wounds!

Andrea Handwerk • Lydia Center Intern