Monthly Archives: August 2017

When our family went to Kilmainham Gaol (“gaol” means”jail” in Gaelic) in Dublin, Ireland this spring we learned about the Easter Monday Rebellion in 1919 which eventually lead to Ireland’s independence.

We also learned about techniques that were implemented in the jail to “help” prisoners.

Complete isolation in the form of solitary confinement was common practice.

Jailers believed that if prisoners were left alone with their thoughts in isolation, it would lead to rehabilitation.

Over time, they learned quite the opposite.

They discovered that isolation leads to the complete mental and physical health breakdown in prisoners.

To correct this, the administrators created windows in the jail to allow prisoners to see daylight and interact with other prisoners.

It might not lead to a turn around with prisoner’s behavior, but it did improve their health.

Here’s a takeaway, I want to share with you that I learned from Kilmainham Jail. We have to learn not to isolate. even when we’re in pain. There is a tendency to retreat and to lick our wounds.

We have to fellowship with God and others because isolation doesn’t heal

The healing comes when we admit and share our hurt.

One of the ways that we can let God in is by turning to our friends. We can share our pain, and our friends can help us as we go through some rough patches.

It’s how it’s supposed to work. We were not created to be alone. We were created to be in relationship with one another.

I find this so helpful when I’m going through the rough patches. Reaching out and talking, sharing, trying to get through it… It’s what it’s supposed to be.

If you’re hurting today, reach out to someone who knows you dearly. They will help you through this, and God will help you as well.

Maybe you are at that point where you are done.

You’ve been stuck in a cycle, a pattern. You can’t seem to get a break.

It probably feels like everywhere you go, or whatever situation you find yourself in next, you get punched in the gut.

I remember having those moments in my life where I thought “Enough is enough, I don’t like the answers I’m getting.”

I didn’t like that a school system kept saying, “We can’t offer more services” for my son Duncan to help with his autism.

I didn’t like kids calling me fat when I was 12 going through an incredibly stressful year emotionally and psychologically. A year where I kept eating to stop the pain.

I didn’t like people telling me that I had to get a job that I hated and dreaded in order to stay alive.

Maybe you’re going through one of those life changes now.

That moment where “Enough is enough!”
That moment where you’d rather take the leap and the chance, instead of being stuck in the same cycle of frustration and pain.

There’s pruning that has to happen in life in order to make room for new growth.

It’s going to hurt, but it is so, so worth it.

“…and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.” John 5:12