Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Colossians 3:12

Things I have to remind myself for the cause of Christ:

In order to love others fully, I cannot conflate the abnormal patterns of behavior created by emotional dysregulation with true manipulation. To see unhealthy ways of getting needs met as intentional manipulation is to water the root of bitterness. Most folks (I said MOST) are not actively attempting to manipulate you. They are using the tactics that have been normalized at home, in organizations, and in life.

People learn to function with many limps, perceiving darkness (skewed ways of thinking) as light. We all do it. Your perception is true TO YOU until it is held up in the light of the Word of God. It’s why we pray: “Open the eyes of my understanding” and “Lord search my heart.”

I am learning to take a breath and heal while moving in compassion and kindness rather than defensiveness and traumatic stress.

Breathe in with me. When you breathe out, say these words:

“I can have boundaries without becoming bitter.”

Guard your heart.

Love Without Limits.