Who has battle scars and invisible wounds?
Every time I look in the mirror, I see it. Fear, pain, brokenness, doubts, disillusionment, and discouragement all stare back at me. They’ve been a part of how I see myself for so long that I honestly can’t remember what I looked like before. At times, they seem to envelope and define me. ~Melinda Means in Invisible Wounds
I’m a domestic violence survivor. I’ve survived a brutal sexual assault. I have Crohn’s disease. All of these things leave war wounds. Battle scars. Remnants of what I’ve experienced. Invisible wounds.
You probably have some invisible wounds too, don’t you? You may have been bullied as a child…or as an adult. Maybe you were abused…or currently are in an abusive situation. Perhaps a stranger said something mean to you, even years ago. But all these things, they sting. They burn and dig and leave that internal scar. Invisible wounds. (Side note: Whether you’re of faith or not, you can find great value in this book).
We carry those scars around. They’re reminders of what people have said about or done to us. They’ve helped shaped us, sometimes in not-so-good ways and yet sometimes they’ve empowered us.
In her book Invisible Wounds: Hope While You’re Hurting, Melinda Means shares about her own invisible wounds, stories of the wounds others are keeping tucked deep, and the path to healing.
Melinda talks about something that’s really been on my heart lately: the power of telling our stories. We’re so sure when we’re in the midst of the formation of our wounds or in the healing, that no one can relate. Our circumstances seem either too bizarre, too embarrassing or too personal for anyone to possibly relate or want to hear about them.
But people want to hear. I can personally testify that there is so much power in sharing our stories. We have a strong need as humans to belong, have a place where we’re understood. In sharing our stories, we begin to achieve that for others. You can find more information about Melinda, her mission and her book at her site linked below. Check it out, won’t you?
Be encouraged!
Melinda Means loves to speak and write for hurting women. She is Women’s Director at her church and co-author of Mother From Scratch: Finding the Best Parenting Style for You and Your Family. Her coaching business Revealed Coaching for Writers helps women bloggers, writers, and speakers discover and passionately communicate their God-given messages and stories–the stories only they can tell. You can read more about Melinda, her family, and where to buy this hopeful book at her website.
I received a digital copy of Invisible Wounds in exchange for this honest review.
