Finding Healing In the Knots Of Your Story
This blog is a home for Christians seeking inner healing, spiritual clarity, and freedom from the knots formed by old lies.
My path into chaplaincy wasn’t typical. I didn’t grow up in a religious home. I grew up in what I can only describe as a chaotic one. I’ll share more about that in future posts. But when Jesus found me at eighteen, I was relieved to finally discover Someone who loved me without conditions.
I spent years seeking healing through prayer, books, and conferences — all the things Christian inner healing ministries often recommend — and still felt broken. One night, while practicing an inner-healing prayer method with a small group, I quietly but desperately asked God, “Why am I so broken?”
In my mind’s eye I saw a hand holding a crumpled, knotted necklace. With one simple shake, the necklace fell into a smooth, perfect oval. And in that moment, the still small voice of God spoke: “You are tangled, not broken.”
Everything shifted.
Tangled could be untangled.
Knotted could be unknotted.
Broken had felt like a life sentence I’d been living under. But tangled meant there was hope. I began to discover how good God is at untying the knots we or others tie us into.
Some time later, when I asked what I should do with my life, that same quiet voice said two words: “Hospital chaplain.” It was a huge call, and I asked wise people around me for confirmation. And that chaotic childhood I thought disqualified me? God used it every single day to help me connect with hurting people.
After twenty years of chaplaincy, I asked again, “What’s next?” This time I sensed a clear impression: “Tangled Not Broken.” I knew instantly what it meant. I’ve spent countless hours listening to people’s struggles and working through my own childhood wounds. Over time, I began to see patterns in the knots that hold us back from experiencing all God has for us and from becoming the masterpiece He created us to be. I also began to see solutions.
One of the most powerful ways those knots loosen is when God speaks truth into the lies we’ve believed. As we learn to listen to Him, even the tightest tangles begin to fall open in His holy, gentle hands.
The Knots That Quietly Hold Us Back
What runs through your mind when you really mess up or embarrass yourself? What names do you call yourself? Maybe it’s something like, “I’m such an idiot,” “I can’t do anything right,” or “Why do I always do that?”
Do you ever hesitate to step into something new because a familiar whisper says, “I’m not good enough,” or “I’m not smart enough”?
Do you look in the mirror and quietly agree with old lies like, “I don’t have what it takes,” or “I’m just not attractive enough”?
We pick up these messages early and easily.
Sometimes it’s a throwaway comment we overhear: “She sure is slow.”
Sometimes it’s something cruel spoken by someone whose voice carried weight:
“You’ll never amount to anything.”
Sometimes it isn’t even what was said — it’s what we thought was meant.
And slowly, almost imperceptibly, we repeat the words to ourselves until they sink into the heart. They feel true, even when our minds insist they aren’t.
I spent years thinking I was “too much” — too loud, too rambunctious, too everything. Now I understand that I’m full of life, expressive, extroverted… and I’ve learned to dial it down a little around introverts and nuns.
You might tell yourself these inner messages don’t matter. You “know” you’re capable. You “know” what happened to you wasn’t your fault. And yet, in the quiet moments, something deeper disagrees. Scripture tells us that out of the heart, the mouth speaks — and when those reflexive comments slip out, they reveal the knots still needing God’s touch.
The other day I caught myself muttering, “At least you’re not as dumb as you look,” and had to pause. A comment like that doesn’t come from nowhere. It comes from a place in the heart where an old knot still lives.
And God, in His kindness, nudged me: We can untangle that one too.
What God Longs to Untangle
What have you tried to get these negative thoughts out of your mind? The internet is overflowing with beautiful affirmations — “You are loved,” “You are strong,” “You are enough.” They sound encouraging, but they often fade quickly. They don’t reach the deeper places where those old knots actually live.
But what if you could hear what God thinks about you? And it’s good!
What if His voice could land in your heart in a way that finally settles the matter?
He wants to speak truth to the lies we’ve believed, not in a loud or flashy way, but in ways that reach the soul and bring peace. This is the heart of inner healing: letting God speak truth to the places we’ve carried lies for too long. When we’re able to hear His truth, the knots begin to soften.
We are in a better, healthier place when we speak truth to ourselves instead of lies. Scripture is clear about the source of those lies — the enemy of our souls is called “the father of lies.” And I know which Father I’d rather sound like.
This is why we send out A Simple, Biblical Rhythm for Listening Prayer to our subscribers. The better we get at recognizing God’s voice, the easier it becomes to let His truth replace the old messages that have tangled us up for so long.
We’ll discover ways to ask God questions, to sit with Him, to listen, and to recognize His voice responding with truth. Knot by knot, He untangles what has bound us.
Untangled knot by untangled knot… God will free you, just as He has been freeing me.
What This Blog Will Help You Do
This space is meant to be more than encouragement. My hope is that it becomes a gentle workshop for your soul — a place where you learn how to partner with God in untangling the knots that have held you back for far too long.
Here’s what we’ll explore together:
- Learning to recognize the lies
Some of the most powerful lies are the ones we don’t even realize we’ve been repeating. We’ll learn how to spot them, name them, and bring them into the light.
- Hearing God’s voice with confidence
Not in an odd or complicated way, but in a simple, biblical rhythm. You’ll learn how to ask God questions, listen quietly, and discern His truth from the noise around you.
- Untangling emotions, identity, and beliefs
God cares about all the layers of who you are — the emotions you carry, the beliefs you formed in childhood, the identity you’ve stitched together over the years. He knows how they connect, and how to loosen what’s been knotted.
- Growing spiritually in practical ways
You don’t need grand gestures. Just small steps, simple practices, and honest conversations with God.
- Discovering joy and freedom again
Little by little, knot by knot, the heaviness lifts. And in those open spaces, joy has room to return.
My prayer is that this blog becomes a safe place for your heart to breathe, learn, and heal — one beautiful untangling at a time.
Who This Blog Is For
You’ll find three kinds of people here — and all of them belong.
“I’m doing well, thank you very much.”
Some of you grew up in loving, steady homes. You’ve known Jesus for as long as you can remember. Your parents weren’t perfect, but they taught you healthy limits and you always knew you were loved. And you’re doing well — truly.
But somewhere along the way, a teacher, a classmate, a coach, or even a beloved grandparent spoke something that stuck. A careless comment became a quiet knot. Maybe it’s small, but it still whispers now and then.
We’ll work on those things too. We’ll help loosen the strands of negative self-talk you might not even realize you’ve adopted. And if you honestly don’t think you have any negative self-talk at all… please pray for the rest of us. We need it.
“I could use a little help.”
Then there are those of you who know you’ve got a few places in your soul that need spiritual healing. This blog was created with you especially in mind.
You’re functional. You work. You dream. Much of your life is good. But you still have doubts. You hear your own harsh words in moments of frustration. You tell yourself you don’t really believe them — but something deeper does. Something inside still hurts.
Maybe God has nudged you toward a bigger dream, and you can’t quite cross the threshold. Maybe you don’t even know what’s holding you back.
My hope is that together we can gently explore those knots. We start with the simpler ones, building trust and confidence, and move deeper only as you’re ready. There is no pressure here. No timelines. And God uses us in His kingdom as we heal — not only after we’re completely healed.
“I’m deeply wounded.”
Some of you grew up in chaotic households or have weathered trauma — the kinds of experiences that leave deep knots in the soul. Many of you are already in counseling or have considered it. Many of you are helpers yourselves — chaplains, caregivers, nurses, teachers, pastors — because wounded hearts often grow into compassionate ones.
You are welcome here, too.
We can help you uncover some of the lies you’ve carried. But I strongly encourage you to continue working with the therapist or counselor God has put in your life. Jesus is the ultimate healer, but He often sends helpers — doctors, therapists, pastors — to walk with us. There’s no shame in needing them. I need them too.
What to Expect on This Journey
I’m a retired chaplain, and I tend to tell things — shall we say — clearly. I do my best to speak the truth with love, because I genuinely care about you. And here, in this space, I’m not wearing my interfaith-chaplain hat. I’m just me: a God-loving, Jesus-following, Spirit-filled, Bible-believing, fairly conservative child of God.
You won’t agree with everything I say, and that’s perfectly fine. If you can follow along, chew on what fits, and gently spit out what doesn’t — wonderful. I welcome conversation, and I know I’m not “right” about everything. And if I ever feel like “too much” for you, I’ll gladly point you toward voices that might be a better fit. Healing is the goal — not winning arguments.
My journey has shown me that God loves us so much He didn’t just die on the cross for us 2,000 years ago. He walks with us today. And if we allow Him, He will walk back into our past as well, bringing truth, comfort, and healing all the way down to the deepest places.
I look forward to sharing stories — from my own life, from chaplaincy, and from moments where God showed up in surprising ways. And I’d love to hear your stories too, as you feel comfortable.
Sometimes inner healing comes quickly. Sometimes it takes time. But I have found that the Spirit is eager to bring exactly what we need, exactly when we need it. There is no hurry here — only invitation.
