Why This Quest – Taken From “And He Restoreth My Soul”

As we start the new year off I’m reflecting back to remember why I may or may not have completed some of the tasks in my life.  I’ve tried to live my life and make decisions that would not cause me to say “I wish I had”.  Now at this time and place in my life I can say both “I wish I had” and “I wish I hadn’t”, but it wasn’t because I didn’t try.

God has called me to several tasks in my life.  But never one with the responsibilities included in the journey of starting and completing “And He Restoreth My Soul”.  So, when I look back at some of the details of this  journey I see how the GREAT I AM choreographed each step.  The steps it took to meet, talk and write to over one-hundred and fifty people.  He selected thirty-three people out of the one-hundred and fifty to collaborate and finish His task.  I can honestly say there are no regrets and nor do I have to say “I wish I had!”

The goal of sharing this article is two-fold; to share information from the book and most importantly; to encourage you and me to continue to trust the GREAT I AM!  For He can do marvelous things in our lives!

Why This Quest?

From “And He Restoreth My Soul”, by Darlene J. Harris

I was disappointed and frustrated over the stories I was hearing about the clergy’s handling of sexual abuse crimes when approached for help by survivors.I would not encourage the church and its leaders to come to this particular table of recovery if it was not a matter of life and death. Faith is on trial and the secular world is not responsible for defending the truth of the gospel of faith. Especially, “where was God?” the question ask by so many survivors who believe in God. I would not have asked survivors to share testimonials that exposed their suffering and the darkness that is all consuming as a result of the intrusion of an unwanted and uninvited act. Yet; we all felt sharing this part of our life experiences coupled with expert information from psychologist, psychiatrist, therapist, counselors, clergy, and other community specialists would help develop a tool that would

I would not encourage the church and its leaders to come to this particular table of recovery if it was not a matter of life and death. Faith is on trial and the secular world is not responsible for defending the truth of the gospel of faith. Especially, “where was God?” the question ask by so many survivors who believe in God. I would not have asked survivors to share testimonials that exposed their suffering and the darkness that is all consuming as a result of the intrusion of an unwanted and uninvited act. Yet; we all felt sharing this part of our life experiences coupled with expert information from psychologist, psychiatrist, therapist, counselors, clergy, and other community specialists would help develop a tool that would bare out “against all hope, God prevails”. And He Restoreth My Soul will help give voice to a new plan of action for the future of your church, or ministry, para-professional organization. This resource will help you to expand and enlarge the future of ministry outreach. And He Restoreth My Soul will be a resource of knowledge and understanding. It will equip you with skills. It will open your mind and heart to a new willingness; a willingness to take a different kind of walk through a survivor’s darkness and hear the cry of a soul in pain.

I think you will agree with me that it is natural for God to want to use the church as a venue in healing of His children from the atrocity of such crimes, especially when the violation is against the spirit and not flesh and blood. The enemy would love for the church to remain lost and silent on the subject and against these crimes. One of Satan’s means of deceiving us is to attack our relationship with God. If we believe the whispers of his voice as he tells us daily; it’s all your fault, you caused it. Th en comes the big ONE! And; where was God? If He loved you He wouldn’t have let …The sound of these constant reminders can easily be used to separate the hurting and “shattered souls” from the Love of God and the Sacrifice of Christ and the Communion of the Holy Spirit. But the Psalmist said,  “And He ( God) Restoreth My Soul.” We either believe or we don’t. Thank you for embracing the words within the pages of the book, and we hope you will be encouraged and strengthened in your walk with the abused.

My Thoughts

A New Song, A New Dance

All of us at one time or another lives with shame, guilt, anger, and bitterness. These are hidden themes of abuse. Like the melody of a song that lasts long after the music stops and memories that last long after the dance is over. So do the themes of abuse. It is for the sake of God’s people that the church refuses to keep silent. By refusing to keep silent, the church becomes an agent through which God fosters wholeness in the family and in the community. Through restoration, God creates the words to A New Song and choreographs the steps to A New Dance. Darlene J. Harris, Servant

Darlene J. Harris, Servant