About the Author

K.J. Ramsey is a trauma-informed licensed professional counselor and the author of This Too Shall Last and The Lord is My Courage. She is a recovering idealist who can’t stop offering space to see every part of our souls and stories as sacred.

(in)side DaySpring: things we love
& you will too!
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(in)side DaySpring:
things we love
& you will too!
Find more at
DaySpring.com
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  1. Amen 🙂

    Good Morning K.J.! Thank you for this gentle reminder to listen to our bodies. Also, leaves and trees – especially during changing seasons, are absolutely one of my favorite things in life! Thank you for sharing, and I’m sorry to hear you went through all that. Big hugs to you!

  2. AMEN! WOW! Some of these paragraphs felt like you were writing them about me and my experience with my old church.

    • I am glad this gave language to your experience! The Lord Is My Courage (book) will probably feel eerily similar then too! I’m so sorry you share this storyline with me too.

  3. Thank you so much for sharing this. I feel seen and what I feel, my stress, now makes more sense. I have a better understanding. Blessings to you. Thank you! Praise God!!!

  4. These last few months have been a roller coaster ride for me. This summer I began to have back pain and finally realized it was due to the stress I was allowing into my life or at least the way I was dealing with my circumstances. This morning, once again, I am feeling such pain in my back. How timely is this message today! I know where this pain is coming from and why. Thank you!

    • Pain is such an important teacher, a signal of our stress and need for soothing! That’s not to say there aren’t also overlapping disease processes, but learning to listen to and honor our pain by shifting out of stress is incredibly central to living well! I’m so glad you are honoring your own body.

  5. KJ,
    Your article was like a personal letter from the Lord to me. Every therapist’s office should have a copy of this. I love the Lord’s timing and the way He continues to show His love for us. Thank you for allowing the Lord to use you.

  6. I am walking thru that dark valley. I have lived with my daughter and her husband for 9 months. My grandson is 6 and on the autistic spectrum. I sold my house and moved in with them because at first they wanted me to, to help I thought. But it has been nothing but harsh words and this morning I’m sorry to admit my daughter attacked me. Please pray I can move back to my home state. I’m looking into buying a place there. Right now the “fence” is broken. But with Christ it can be mended but not today! I am 70 years old and I know the Father does not want me to stay in this situation!

    • Lord Jesus, thank You for being a Good Shepherd to Sharon. Thank You for helping her recognize what she needs to do. Please help her. Make a way for her to be able to! Amen.

    • Sweet Sister my heart reaches out to you!! Please rest in Jesus and the fact that you have LOTS of prayer warriors.

    • Dear Father God please surround Sharon with an army of angels to protect her and please give her the courage to make the decisions to do what is best for her and will keep her safe. Watch over her and let her feel Your presence, Your peace, and Your comfort. Amen.

  7. This is the best explanation I have ever read about dealing with the stress that came with grieving a loved one…
    Your words are spot on. Thank you.

    Christine

  8. Thank you K.J. Not only was your message today full of visual blessings of God’s majestic nature, but also a reminder “our stress can become a sacred place we walk with Christ”
    I appreciated you sharing your knowledge “as a trauma-informed, body-centered therapist” …especially:
    “I can tell you: your nervous system knows that the path to protection and peace first goes downward”
    Being reassured that our descent makes sense….even if we can’t feel, it see it, or know it…yet…
    God does \0/

  9. Your words articulate familiar places for my heart… I remember these stresses, I remember the relief of “vacation escapes”… thank you for sharing.

  10. Thank you for putting into words what I had been experiencing at work for years, but came to a head this past late winter/early spring when I literally broke down mentally and physically – went on sick leave and decided to take an earlier retirement. It’s been an adjustment but the best thing I could have done holistically for my body, mind and spirit.

    • I’m proud of you for leaving!! It takes so much courage to choose wholeness over a paycheck and familiarity. I pray God keeps meeting every need of yours, including your need to continue healing from this. Thank you for sharing with us!

  11. K.J.

    So sorry you had to go through that trial. Praying for peace as you make your transition. This hit me “Our discouragement was not a lack of faith; it was our bodies’ wise signal that we were in a dangerous place.” The world believes that Christians are always happy. Nothing could be farther from the truth. We live in a fallen, sinful world. We will all have trials & tribulations down here-even Jesus. His own people despised Him. He alone understands our discouragements & sends signals to warn us. We need to heed those signals, turn to Jesus & talk with Him about the situation.

    Blessings 🙂