HEALING HIDDEN HURTS
Recovery Ministry for Women

May 2007

Dear Family,

I love to go for drives in the country. Many years ago I discovered this nice little route just a few miles from our home. It goes around open grassy fields, hilly wooded areas and curvy roads with a little stream and makes a loop in about a five mile radius. Along this drive there are cows, horses and occasionally deer. Sometimes friends or family member will accompany me on the ride in search of deer. I’ve taken many with me over the years they all enjoy the ride very much.

This evening I was going alone, as I needed some silent time. I was to give a talk in a few days, and I was given more time than the usual 15 minutes. Earlier in the day many thoughts came to me about my upcoming talk, things to say that I had never shared due to lack of time. I needed some reassurance that my impulses were from Him. I felt the Lord was inspiring me to share His great Mercy for all, as this talk was providentially the day before the great feast of the Divine Mercy. Just as I was leaving the house, I said a silent little prayer. “Am I hearing you correctly?…are you pleased Lord?... I would love to see some deer.”

It had rained that day so the grass was wet, it was almost dark, just the right time for the deer to come out of the woods to feed. Sometimes if we’re lucky we may see 3 or 4 deer, often we don’t see any. Whenever I see deer I always feel it is a gift from God, as He knows how much I enjoy the drive and look forward to seeing them.

Many times throughout this past year the Lord had inspired me with words from the diary of St. Faustina, Divine Mercy in my Soul…words that seemed to speak to me in that moment. And on three different occasions a paragraph with this concluding line…“Tell aching mankind to snuggle close to my Merciful Heart and I will fill it with peace.” I believe our Lord wants all of us to be aware that He is the best of Fathers, the Prodigal Father whose love is totally unconditional. He wants us to come to Him as the little children we are, in all humility to surrender and trust in His loving and providential care. He is not keeping track of our sins; He waits for us to return to Him when we’ve come to our senses. Once we’ve experienced His abundant and undeserving love, we are to share that love received with others in deeds of mercy, especially to the little ones. “Whatever you do to the least, you do to me.” When we appear before the Lord on judgment day we will be judged on love alone. “I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was naked and you clothed me.” Our salvation will be determined on our deeds of mercy given freely to others, for love covers a multitude of sins. Our Lord cannot be outdone in generosity…for the measure you give will be given unto you…pressed down, running over into the hems of your garment. The Lord loves a cheerful giver!

As I traveled along heading toward the country I see the pasture of cows grazing. I’m still a mile or so away from the area where I have seen deer before. I happen to glance down a dead end road and there are three deer, wow! I am excited because I have never seen deer this far away from the loop. I approach the beginning of the



wooded areas…then the open grassy field…no deer. The road drops down and runs between a grassy field and a wooded area with a stream. I slow down to peer into the woods then travel around a sharp bend and then begin a very steep climb, as I approach the top…BINGO …three deer in a yard within a several feet from me. They are frightened and run into the woods, and I slowly go around the next bend, there are three more deer in another yard…wow! I stop at the new sighting to enjoy their beauty; they are grazing and stop to look up…they are not concerned, they begin to walk slowly, gracefully and stop to graze on more luscious grass. I continue along the road scattered with homes in spacious yards. Another single deer here and another there, I can’t believe it…I am in awe!

I pull onto a straight open road that runs for about a mile. There are no deer along this road. I’m not surprised…I’ve never seen deer on this road. I make the final turn onto the road which will complete the loop; it has nice big homes on large lots with horses in the corral. As the road comes to the next wooded section it makes a deep descent with homes in the woods on either side, two more deer cross the road about 20 yards in front of me. Unbelievable! I’ve never seen deer in any of these areas before and wow…there is another one in a yard at the top of a hill. This makes 14!

I am approaching the T in the road, where I can either go home, or go around the loop again. There is still some daylight left and I think…why not? I turn left to go around once again. The second time around I count 11 more deer, perhaps the same deer which have now entered the open fields where I normally see them. They are scattered in various groups of 2…4 and 5. I conclude the five mile loop and I am marveling…I have counted 25 deer in all, never have I seen so many deer in one trip!

I feel I have just witnessed a tiny miracle of God’s abundant and providential love, and I thank Him and Praise Him! It is now dark and I head home and remember my tiny prayer. I feel affirmed and loved by God…how awesome are Your ways!





PS. When I met with ‘Mary’ this week she was happy to share her personal experience of answered prayer. Her baby girl was very sick this weekend and ‘Mary’ took her to the emergency room for treatment. The Nurse needed to draw some blood for testing, but was unable to find the vein in her tiny arm. The nurse pulled the needle in and out of her little arm several times, moving the needle just under the skin trying to hit the vein with no success. The baby was crying and ‘Mary’ was very distressed. The nurse pulled the needle out, and asked permission to try the other arm. ‘Mary’ shook her head ‘yes’ she knew it was important to take blood. As the nurse prepared to put the needle into the other arm ‘Mary’ turned her head and offered a silent prayed. “God, please let her find the vein…” when she turned around the tube was filling with blood. ‘Mary’ smiled warmly as she shared with me her own encounter of God’s Mercy. “I sought the Lord, and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears.” Give Praise to Him….God is so good!


“He Heals the brokenhearted, binding up their wounds!” Psalm 147:3