The Official Writing Challenge
BACK TO
CHALLENGE
MAIN
INSTRUCTIONS
how it works
submission rules
guidelines for
choosing a level
ENTRIES
submit your entry
read current entries
read past entries
challenge winners
Our Daily Devotional HERE
Place it on your site or
receive it daily by email.


TRUST JESUS TODAY

  • Share
  • how it works
  • Submit
Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Memory (07/10/08)
Often when I use the computer I will type in a word or phrase and with a mouse click bring up pages of information relating to that subject. Our brains are even more wonderfully designed and memory retrieval is an important part of that design. In so many activities like walking, talking or driving, once we struggle through the learning process, we don’t even have to think about or consciously remember how. We just do it. Memory is a wonderful gift that allows us to learn, think, reason and interact with one another and the world around us. Yet sometimes memory can also be a curse. When our earliest memories have been filled with pain, rejection and fear these memories can affect the way we see the world and process events in our lives.

The sweet smell of honeysuckle will bring pleasure to an elderly woman who remembers being kissed beside the honeysuckle vine when her dear husband proposed. The same scent will bring seemingly irrational fear to a woman who as a child was assaulted behind bushes overgrown with honeysuckle. She may not even consciously remember the event but the smell will cause the emotions of that time to overwhelm her mind and spirit. Others around her may judge her reaction as crazy or an act to gain attention but for the memory banks of her brain the reaction is perfectly logical based on the stored memories.

As someone who has had my share of “crazy” reactions to seemingly harmless smells, words and pictures I can share hope in a God who heals memories. Through prayer, counseling and caring friends I discovered that when I allow God to open up a memory during a time of prayer and walk through it with me the memory changed. Now, instead of remembering the painful emotions the memory once invoked, I remember God’s loving presence with me in and through it. He becomes the focus of the memory and the hurt gets lost in His love. Situations that once brought horrible pain now bring joy and praise to God for His wonderful goodness to me. As Psalm 145:7 (ASV) says “They shall utter the memory of thy great goodness, And shall sing of thy righteousness. “
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be right now. CLICK HERE

JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
This article has been read 957 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Sara Harricharan
07/17/08
A simply lovely testimony! I loved how you got your message across in clear, simple language. I can relate to reacting to certain scents, based on memories. Excellent job! ^_^
Mary Alice Bowles
07/17/08
An article well written, a very good read!!!
Lynda Schultz 
07/17/08
That some people should choose to hang on to the bad memories seems incredible when there is freedom, forgiveness and joy to be found in turning them over to God. Nicely done.
Julie Seeto
07/18/08
A good testimony - and true to my own experience. Being set free is way better than living in pain, even though the setting free itself is sometimes painful. Well done.
Elizabeth Hexberg
07/19/08
Very nice....not too long, good message...and for the Glory of God. My kind of article.Very clear and concise writing. Well done.
God Bless. Elizabeth.
LINDA GERMAIN 
07/22/08
I agree. This would make an excellent devotional~