These are my hopes for you on your deconstruction journey, whether you are at the beginning, middle or end of the journey and for those who know us.
For those who are content in Christianity:
May you find abundant life and peace.
May you find a meaningful relationship with your God.
May you find your eyes open so you can know you are in a good place and know you aren’t hurting anyone or bringing hurt.
May you find bravery and success as you make positive changes within your church and denomination to be a loving and caring people.
For those who are scared to start deconstructing:
May you find wisdom to know when to start.
May you find a way to know that even when you feel alone, you are not the only one.
May you find courage to take a small step, ask a simple question and express a nagging doubt.
May you find time to read encouraging stories from others who have started.
For those struggling with someone else’s beliefs being different than yours: May you find patience and times of just watching and listening. May you find meaningful and deep conversations. May you find the delete button before you post hateful rebuttals. May you find ways to process your anger, confusion and sorrow carefully, using them wisely and not letting them damage others or yourself.
For those just beginning to consider whether to question what they have always believed:
May you find glimpses of something more and a hope for your future.
May you find a way to calm your fear.
May you find find great books to read and learn.
May you find wisdom to discern.
For those searching for something more:
May you find much curiosity.
May you find energy to ask your questions and confront your doubts.
May you find a willingness to give your self permission to take breaks from searching.
May you find the courage to not settle for the same unsatisfying but easy life you had before. For those in the middle of this mess of deconstructing: May you find perseverance to stick with the journey until you find a place your soul will be at peace. May you find friends to talk along the way. May you find moments to breathe and enjoy the beauty of life around you. May you find places of safety where you can cry and grieve. For those at the doorway of deconverting: May you find calmness to still your anxious heart. May you find hope to know there is a beautiful future before you. May you find peace if you consider then choose to turn back and hang on to your faith.
May you find a community of like-minded people who encourage you to grow.
For those who have come through after a long journey of change: May you find moments of celebration as you acknowledge the amazing journey you have come on. May you find joy at the person you have become and a desire to keep growing and learning. May you find the space to grieve what was.
May you find people ahead, beside and behind you on the journey for you to learn, share and teach. We are all in different places on this deconstruction journey. We take the journey differently. May you all find compassion and love for yourself and others as you journey through this life.
Val Martens, August 2023
Read My Faith Deconstruction Story here. More articles are found here
Join My Deconstruction Journey FaceBook group here if you are in the process and want a safe, private and caring place to talk about what is happening.
Interested in being coached regarding deconstruction, grief or other concerns? Let me know.
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