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Have You Been Hurt? Three Areas of Healing That Will Reveal Your True Colors

Have You Been Hurt? Three Areas of Healing That Will Reveal Your True Colors

Last updated on: October 6, 2015 at 9:13 am by Susan Cottrell

Have You Been Hurt? Three Areas of Healing That Will Reveal Your True Colors 2015-10-06T09:13:40-05:00 Susan Cottrell

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You have undoubtedly endured some intense pain from which you may not have fully recovered. You’ve endured more rejection, dehumanization and hate than most of us realize. Worst of all, the majority of this torment has come from people closest to you: church, friends, family.

For those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, there are three areas that need to be healed in order to let your true colors, the truth and beauty of the real you, shine as brightly as they were made to shine, and as brightly as you deserve.

That is the desire of my heart and the reason I wrote my new book: True Colors – Celebrating the Truth and Beauty of the Real You.

Let’s work together to bring healing in three areas of your heart.

1. Healing With Others

From the beginning, we learn about ourselves from others: mom, dad, caregivers, teachers, Sunday school leaders. Virtually everyone receives some toxic messages about themselves; that behavior determines worthiness; that approval is conditional. Unless we pull those ideas out and reexamine them and recontextualize them, they will continue to color our view of ourselves. Together we will flush out some of the toxins and disentangle you from others’ opinions about you; we will reexamine your natural desire to please (which we ALL have), to give you a whole perspective. This might not equal reconciliation with those who rejected you because reconciliation requires mutual willingness. But healing takes only one, and healing means freedom.

2. Healing With God

Sweet friend, if you are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, and you live in this world today, you have undoubtedly been told that God thinks some awful things about you. But let me tell you, God does not think awful things about you. God is not even disappointed in you—not the tiniest bit! In fact, God has boundless love for you! Do you remember being a tiny innocent child who felt God’s love for you, before you heard so many lies to the contrary? (Some can recall that and some can’t; that’s okay.) God’s love is God’s original birthday gift to you. Seriously. Together we will rediscover that gift.

3. Healing With Yourself

Finally, after we disentangle the other relationships, I will help you embrace good and generous feelings toward yourself. That lovable you is in there because the true and good God (not the one you learned to fear) made you perfect. Lovely and free. You may have grown so resentful of yourself for things beyond your control that you barely remember that you are lovable, but that is what we want to restore. Take my hand and let’s rediscover a beautiful, amazing, whole, lovable you.

As a mom and a friend, here’s my promise: I will be your companion on this journey of healing, to discover how beautiful you are, just as you are. No exceptions. I will tell you what you should have heard in school, in church and in your family.

Together we will recover what was lost to you, the peace and joy and belonging that is your birthright.

– Love, Susan

This is an excerpt from Susan’s brand new book—True Colors: Celebrating the Truth and Beauty of the Real You. AVAILABLE NOW! Click here for details.

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