No one likes pain. However, grieving our pain is a vital part of the healing journey. Facing our past, processing it, and accepting what has happened to us provides an opportunity for God to enter into our experience and bring us comfort. The avoidance of our pain keeps us from experiencing wholeness. As Dan Allender states, "The first great enemy to lasting change is the propensity to turn our eyes away from the wound and pretend things are fine." (The Wounded Heart)

Acknowledging the pain is an important first step in releasing its hold and moving toward lasting change. As caregivers, we hope that God works through suffering to bring healing as we walk with others through their stories of pain and suffering. This Toolkit provides a guideline for caregivers to support individuals in the process Grieving and Accepting.