On Tuesday evening, July 29th, ten brave souls attended Mary's Hope Workshops' presentation of Spiritual Brokenness: Hope for Healing. This event had been advertised on radio, in papers, on Your Hub. The Your Hub article received over 800 hits; the event notice over 200. Where was everybody?

This presentation addressed the thorny questions that surround the woundedness left in the wake of childhood abuse and trauma. "Did God mean my abuse to happen?" "How can I just get over it and move on?" "Why is it so hard to just forgive the person who abused me and get on with my life, like everyone is telling me to do?" "Will God ever forgive me of my sin of being abused?" "Will I ever be able to heal from this?"

These are hard questions that make people uncomfortable. We'd rather not deal with them. But in light of scientific data which indicates that 64% of Middle America has suffered some sort of childhood abuse or traumatic event, ( www.acestudy.com), and considering the ensuing negative effects on a person's ability to function successfully in society, it behooves us to address these issues, whether we are survivors of abuse/trauma, or whether we just know someone who is.

However, the truth is, it takes courage to do so. Just as I've heard that it takes a battered woman an average of 7 attempts to finally leave an abusive marriage, it often takes multiple references to the possibility of spiritual healing before a survivor will take the chance to check it out. We have heard workshop participants say, "I received three different emails about this workshop. When I read the third one, I figured I was supposed to come."

Psychotherapy rarely addresses the spiritual wounds left by abuse: wounds that cause a survivor to question his/her very reason for existence, wounds that trap the survivor in a life that is lived small and in fear. Worship communities are often un-knowing or ill-equipped to give the support that survivors need in order to heal. This neglect of the survivor's spiritual health is precisely the void that the founders of Mary's Hope Workshops set out to fill.

Mary's Hope Workshops offer survivors, and those who walk with them, understanding and tools to navigate the spiritual healing journey. Some of the comments from the ten brave souls who came on Tuesday include: "I didn't realize there were folks like you doing that excellent work on spiritual healing the wounds that are caused by abuse.", "I have not been able to acknowledge to anyone the abuse I have suffered. I have held this inside."; "I have learned that I am not alone. I can take the risks with God's help."

If you, or someone you know, are ready to explore the possibilities of healing from childhood abuse, Mary's Hope is offering a full-day Spiritual Recovery and Healing Introductory Workshop on Saturday, August 9th, from 8:45 - 5:00 PM at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church, 8545 E. Dry Creek, Centennial. The cost is $125.00 per person, with a discounted rate of $100 for survivors and adoptive/foster parents. Return attendees pay $60.00. Due to a recent generous donation, limited partial scholarships are available on a first come, first served basis. (Credit cards accepted.) Pre-registration is required: call 303-377-0293 or email us at maryshope@qwestoffice.net. It could be the best investment you'll ever make in someone's life-maybe even your own!

And, if you are not yet ready, we invite you to keep an eye on the website, www.maryshope.org, for more opportunities in the Denver Metro area in December 2008 and January 2009. When you are ready, we'll be here.