Brick by Brick Workbook

Inside the Wounded Heart

As you may already know, one in three women has had an abortion. When 63% of women who have experienced an abortion live in denial and 73% experience depression it’s evident that there is a problem. If 85% experience grief after an abortion, yet have not been able to grieve and mourn the loss of their child, what else do you believe is going on inside of their heart? When 91% experience feelings of shame, unworthiness, anger, rejection feelings of numbness and numerous other symptoms of post abortion, there are too many hearts presently walking around silently crying, and only one hears their cry, our Lord Jesus Christ!

Healing the Wounded Heart Brick By Brick – Six Steps to Healing

Brick one is for the wounded heart to understand they are not on this journey alone. Their Creator in Heaven is walking with them, and He has their hurts in His hands. The hurting heart needs to believe that God reigns and sits on His throne in Heaven, and that He sent His only Son to die for their sins. They must also believe also that when saved the Holy Spirit dwells in your heart. This step is the foundation for the healing process.

Brick Two is to acknowledge that no matter how well your life is going, every hurt requires healing. We must accept the fact that our hurts created emotional layers very much like building a brick wall. Each row of bricks keeps the hurt hidden that lies behind them. The wall often times becomes so tall and dense that the wounds cannot want to be dealt with. The first row of bricks to take off is denial.

Brick Three is to return to that brick of hurt. This is the most difficult of the steps because it is like seeing a flame and knowing that you have to touch it…just being close to it won’t work. It is also like a stone wall that you have built over time, pushing down deep the issues associated with your painful past, yet you need to break through the wall to allow the unhealed pain to be broken and rebuilt in a healthy way. This is where step one is crucial. It is only with the belief that God will walk through this process with you that you will be able to do it. The courage needed to begin to tear down those bricks which have been built over a period of time can only be provided by the Helper that Jesus left us, the Holy Spirit.

Brick Four is breaking through the wall of bricks and one by one picking up the issues relating to your past wounds and working through the pain. This is done by sharing with the nature of your hurt with God and someone you trust. This process can be by journaling the experience and talking to the Lord about it, and then sharing it with that someone. You can also share it with a few others who have experienced your same hurt in a safe place, knowing you will not be judged.

Brick Five is to take ownership of the wall you have built. Be willing to verbally say what the pain in your wounded heart consists of and work on this issue. The deeper you go into the pain and the hurt behind the wall, the deeper the healing that will take place.

Brick Six is to forgive and to receive our identity as offered to us in God’s Word. Our identity is no longer based on who we were, what we did or what someone did to us, but instead on who God says we are.

The Heavenly Father’s Presence Breaks Down the Wall

Your post abortion healing is an ongoing journey. You may do a quick version or spread it out over a six month period of time or even a full year. This study goes deep into the wounds of the heart as the Heavenly Father’s presence is evident in the lives of those hurting. He pours out His loving presence and forgiving grace upon the participant’s wound. The Holy Spirit moves into the place of hurt and begins to sooth. The ambivalent emotions being experienced for the first time in a long time He sheds light on the root of the heart’s trauma. Tears will begin to pour out as cleansing takes place and participants are honest with their emotions. The more honest they are the deeper the healing can be.

This workbook can be divided into a thirteen week study. There will be homework questions to distribute to the participants. These questions will be labeled for you in the Appendix. This workbook can be broken down to a seven month study where you meet twice a month, allowing the participant more time to read the devotionals and go deeper into their wound and issues that need healing. It can also be done in a twelve month study which consists of meeting once a month, reading a total of seven to nine devotionals, taking a longer time to work on these issues. This can be used for those who are professionals, those in the ministry, and those with families, and full schedules! It allows them to spend more time to reflect and heal, while allowing the Lord more time to touch their heart and work on their specific areas of hurt and issues for healing. They aren’t rushed and can take their time. Time heals and in this case it is to everyone’s advantage. This time frame will take commitment from both participant and leader.

One of the most important things I would stress when using Brick By Brick Healing Study, is to allow God’s Spirit to guide you. Every group you have will be uniquely different. God knows the dynamics that are needed in order for the masks to come off and transparency not to be hindered.