Bridge Building
I have the honor of serving on the launch team for Latasha Morrison’s new book, “Be the Bridge: Pursuing God’s Heart for Racial Reconciliation”. She has created a network of reconciliation that is growing dynamically, and I anticipate will multiply exponentially once this book debuts. Her work is deep and brave, and not possible without discomfort and challenge. The bridge cannot be built without strong foundations and hard work. I so appreciate her humble approach and deep faith.
In one chapter, she recounts the horrific and senseless murders at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina. Dylann Roof entered the Wednesday night Bible study on June 17, 2015, and after sitting through the study and prayers, took out his weapon and began his killing spree.
In Latasha’s book, this incident is retold in the chapter about forgiveness. Forgiveness. There’s much complexity and depth to where she leads us, but it is enough for now to just allow the jarring suggestion - the notion that forgiveness could even be possible in this situation - to shudderingly work its way down into our soul. If forgiveness could happen there, could it happen in my story, too?
“The bridge to forgiveness requires solid footing between now and then.”
A bridge in Tampa, Florida - part of my walk to school in first grade.
I’d like to speak for a moment to the survivors among us. You identify as having survived a trauma, an abuse, or some other crisis - physically, racially, emotionally, sexually, spiritually. When we are working to overcome past hurts, failures, abuses - bad things we have done and bad things done to us - burning bridges can seem like the more reasonable choice. We definitely don’t want to build a bridge back to the hurt, right?
There is a time to move on, let go and be done with the past. But this is also true: we sometimes have to travel back to unresolved pain in order to open healing’s flow. As far as physical pain goes, my husband says I have a high pain-tolerance. I’m not so sure - I think I’m a bit of a wimp. I am sure of my wimpiness when it comes to revisiting the past - it’s not easy. I’d rather avoid and delay rather than show up and patiently allow the Holy Spirit to walk with me, guide me and help me untangle the overgrown path so that light can clean the darkened corners.
The bridge to forgiveness requires solid footing between now and then. If forgiveness is too difficult to imagine, I can relate. I can remember that feeling. A first step is choosing truth, step by step, moment by moment. Allow truth to guide the journey, courageously face reality and ruthlessly toss the debris of lies we have believed out of the path. Carry on, brave one. This is a bridge worth building.
NOTE: I am sincerely grateful for the benefit of counseling and therapy - it has been crucial for me to have that support in my forgiveness journey.
Scripture Meditation & Affirmation:
Hebrews 12:13 “Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.
Prayer: Father, I feel unsteady. Pave the way ahead with truth, and help my brokenness find healing. Thank you for the hope that freedom is possible. Amen.
“Be the Bridge” is now available for preorder wherever books are sold.