Martha Trowbridge Blog

This morning, as I listened to the homily of Father Miguel Marie, MFVA, I was reminded of the importance of linking our overwhelmed Spirits to the strength of The Divine.  He shared the story of his repetitive New Year Resolution, as a teen, to eliminate ‘bad words’ from his vocabulary. Yet, no matter how disciplined his efforts, each year, before long, he was back to mouthing them in his everyday conversations.

Then, one year, insight struck him: in order to accomplish what was an extraordinary task, he needed to ally his will with the strength of God! This he did, to great success.

And so, my suffering sisters, join me, as I too face overwhelm, in melding our Spirits with the spectacular power of The Divine. Seek strength. Seek wisdom. Seek the means to transmute your great pain into a gift of value to our suffering sisters.

Though evil has no positive purpose, what you have experienced has tremendous inspirational power. Today, in any small way you can, share the wise compassion you hold in your heart with a woman or child or animal, who, by your touch, will be moved to tears of joy.

If you suffer greatly, shame burns within you. Shame about your situation. Shame about your weaknesses. Shame about your failures. As it bristles, sparks and fumes, shame is serving to fuel your sufferings.

That is why, in order to move forever out of and beyond your depression, trauma, grief, or other agony, you must construct within your Inner Universe The Sacred Pillar Of Self-Acceptance.

Self-Acceptance begins when you recognize with all your heart, with all your mind, and in every cell of your body, that your present state-of-Spirit does not result from your weakness, defect, foolishness, fault or doing. The simple fact is: overwhelming stressors have overwhelmed you. Absorb this fully, and frame your sufferings as urgent messages from your Spirit, as her cries for your loving, empathic attentions.

Blame, regret, rumination, rage, self-reproach — now is not the appropriate time to face these. At least for the present time, put them aside. Devote your full attention to your suffering Spirit, upon resuscitating and revitalizing Her.

As you learn to genuinely accept your self, in all your woundedness, you construct The Sacred Pillar Of Self-Acceptance within you. The first and foremost post to hold on to, as you move from your sufferings toward glorious rebirth as The Woman You Were Born To Be, The Sacred Pillar Of Self-Acceptance is luminous, stalwart, reliable — and breathtakingly lovely.

To all my fellow women who suffer emotional, mental, and Spirit-ual agonies: blessings and prayers. Welcome to my inspiration blog! It exists solely for women like you - women in crisis. Please know that I too have suffered deeply, as a child, and as an adult victim of violence. I sincerely hope you find solace in my words, and that through them your precious, oh-so-sacred Spirit revitalizes its weary self. Here’s to your wondrous rebirth into The Woman You Were Born To Be!