Norma L. Brumbaugh

PTSD washes over Bonnie Gray under the guise of panic attacks caused by repressed memories.  The author takes us on a journey as she rediscovers the child within her that was crippled, submerged, and restrained even though her faith in God was strong and vibrant. This is a book that takes you deep inside the soul. The interesting thing, to me, is how Bonnie experiences these flashbacks during the period of writing a spiritual book about quiet time alone with God, spiritual whitespace, and as a result she ends up with a much different book than she had originally anticipated. This book serves as a reminder of how God becomes an initiator of change in ways we do not anticipate.  She shows how God helps us find hope and freedom while walking through the valley of tears. For her, PTSD was the result of trauma-induced emotional damage. Throughout her life, she had learned to trust only herself and God. It was up to her to make it and thrive. Survival. She did what she had to do and became a very successful person, good at what she did, the classic bright overcomer. But the little girl remained trapped. This is a book of discovery. I especially appreciate Gray’s insights as she shares her therapist’s wise use of questions, ones that she resists . . . at first, as he seeks to guide her to a place of kindly facing herself and the wounds that have damaged her inner person. This is a spiritual book about the healing of damaged emotions.