Welcome to Mission EDIFY
Mission EDIFY is a grassroots initiative specializing in a trauma-informed approach to forgiveness that is biblically principled, practical in application, and sensitive to religious wounding. Drawing from the insights of Aquinas on “the passions,” and Ignatian spirituality - finding God in all things, creative member, Wendy Redroad brings artistic sensibility and lived experience to topics of healing, forgiveness, and mental health ministry.
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“The passions are the feelings, the emotions, or the movement of the sensible appetite—natural components of human psychology—which incline a person to act or not act in view of what is perceived as good or evil. The principal passions are love and hatred, desire and fear, joy, sadness, and anger.”
(Compendium CCC, 370. What are the passions? Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2006). The Compendium’s source on this topic is the teaching of thirteenth century philosopher, St. Thomas Aquinas.
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“Trauma results from an event, series of events, or set of circumstances that is experienced by an individual as physically harmful or threatening and that has lasting adverse effects on the individual’s functioning and physical, social, emotional, or spiritual well-being.”
(Center for Substance Abuse Treatment; U.S.)“An event is traumatic if it is extremely upsetting, at least temporarily overwhelms the individual’s internal resources, and produces lasting psychological symptoms” (Briere & Scott, 2015).
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Within the realm of lived experience perspectives, trauma-informed Bible application explores how Sacred Scripture, biblical principles, and promises can be applied to foster both spiritual and mental health.
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“Having spoken with Ms. Wendy Redroad about “How to forgive what you will never forget,” we would like to say how impressed we are with her dedication to helping others heal from traumas. Ms. Redroad provided us a draft of the curriculum for her program which seems quite comprehensive, organized in its approach to the tenets of the Catholic Church as well as the psychological needs of these individuals.
Dr. Lieser observed several of the classes and was highly impressed by the professionalism and charity with which Ms. Redroad conducted them. The participants were actively engaged and voiced the benefits of her leadership and the sharing of her experiences. In light of this, we both support and highly recommend the continued use of her talents and this program.”Carol Lieser, PhD.
Suzanne Baars, PhD. -
Mission EDIFY fosters unity and peaceful dialogue across diverse Christian communities, which often includes agnostic class participants in ministry outreach settings.
*Wendy’s talks/retreats are warmly received in Catholic and Protestant communities alike.
Let us then, make it our aim,
to work for and to edify one another.
(Romans 14: 19)
There is an everydayness to healing and forgiveness that I have come to embrace in the refuge of Christ, our Gentle Healer. Without shame or despondency, I concede that healing is progressive. For years I balked at the notion. I desired instantaneous freedom from the effects of trauma. (A LOT of trauma.) Alas, God’s will for some was not God’s will for me.
Today, the miracle I celebrate is the constancy of Unfailing Love as I journey towards heaven as a faithful yet flawed human being. It’s true — nothing is wasted in God’s economy. Since 2013 I have written and facilitated classes in women’s outreach communities on a variety of topics, but the one of love most is the one that once drove me to distraction.