Waypoints

Our family has embarked on several ocean cruises, and always onboard was a full-color monitor showing our location with longitude and latitude coordinates so passengers would always know where they were at any given moment.

I see our healing journey having navigational markers along the way as well, called waypoints. 

A waypoint, according to National Geographic, “is a reference point that helps us know where we are and where we are going. Whether we’re driving, sailing, or flying, waypoints help us find our way”. Taking stock of our ‘way’ will be essential as we get curious and courageous to break the silence of shame to access the power we need to heal.

Our world is so complex it is hard sometimes to view things as simple as a choice between two paths, but it is that simple; it is just not easy. We all have two ways to live: our way or God’s way. Isaiah 55:8 – NLT – “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” s… When we choose His way He empowers us to live it out.

This origin waypoint is crucial. If you want to heal, you will need to be super honest with yourself. Are you living your way or God’s way? 

I’d like to be able to tell you I’ve been writing for months and know exactly where we’re going. That I’ve all planned out every detail and prepared everything we need for this journey, but I can’t tell you that. It has been on my heart and in my mind, and in my prayers for months. And I will not be alone. We will have definite destinations where we will stop and camp for a while. We may head further down the road and have to return to a previous waypoint now and then. What I know is during this journey will learn to practice these waypoint principles almost every day for the rest of our lives to walk in healing and freedom from shame.

The first waypoint for healing: belief. We need to believe in God‘s promises for ourselves. Jeremiah 29:11 – NLT – For I know the plans I have for you,” says the … We need to believe the God of the Bible knows our name, knows everything about us and loves us anyway, and wants the best for us. He will meet you in your mess when you asked Him in. And if you don’t know anything about God, that’s okay. Jesus’ Name by itself is power if you call on Him.

The second waypoint of healing: honor. Romans 12:10 – NLT – Love each other with genuine affection, and tak… We must honor God and others as ourselves. Question what motivates your behavior. Want motives based on honor and love, not based on obligation, people-pleasing, or getting your own needs met at the expense of others.

The third waypoint: communication and boundaries. Proverbs 4:23 – NLT – Guard your heart above all else, for it determi… Begin communicating with God daily, like a close confidante. Every day we live in relationship with others while simultaneously having an internal dialogue with ourselves. We need good communication skills and healthy boundaries for ourselves and others if we want to heal.

The fourth waypoint: processing emotions and renewing our minds. Romans 1,2:2 – Do not conform to the pattern of this world, bu… 1 Peter 5:7 – NLT – Give all your worries and cares to God, for he . We have physical bodies and minds responding in ways we learn from childhood. We need to interrupt those reactions by learning about our brains and let Jesus renew our minds. We will learn how to process emotions, through writing, through time in prayer, through reaching out to others in community. We can change our stories by sharing them with people who care and treat our story with the care it deserves.

Waypoint five: forgiveness and release. Matthew 6:14-15 – NLT – “If you forgive those who sin against you, your… We can finally release the things that happened to us while also forgiving ourselves for what we did to others and ourselves. We can release the toxin for good and let grace fill up the gaps. 

And the final waypoint: purpose for the pain. Romans 5:3-5 – NLT – We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems … Healing for you enables healing for others. It changes generations to come. God will help guide you into why He created you and the good things He has for you to do. 

I can tell you I would never want to repeat the dire parts of my healing journey, but I’m not sorry it happened. Instead, I can say thanks because I found my Savior and Healer in the dark middle.

You can too.