When we close our hearts in an attempt to avoid pain in one area of our life it ends up limiting the amount of love we can give and receive in all areas of our life. No matter the reason, if our heart is open – it’s open, if our heart is closed – it’s closed. It is a package deal. Thank God the Prophet knows this and can gently help us to heal all areas of our life.

This is my experience of the beginning of the healing between my father and me. Little did I know at the time that it was the beginning of so much more. My father’s and my relationship had been strained and stressful beginning at a very early age of my life. My father had some mental health challenges and our family life and environment was volatile much of the time. I knew my dad loved me, but the way I responded and reacted to him and most situations was to close down.

I was attending a week long class taught by Del, the Prophet. Del suggested to the class to write a letter of love and appreciation to someone, as a healing exercise. At that time of my life I had been avoiding any contact with my father even though he would sometimes reach out to me.

I started to sing HU, a love song to God, to try to open my heart toward my father. I also asked the Prophet, on the inner, for help in writing my letter. After singing HU and with the Prophet’s help I was able to open my heart and think of my dad in a new and more truthful way. I was gifted with recognition of the love he had for me and the ways he had shown that love through the years. I was now open to expressing appreciation and acknowledging the things he had done for me. Things that before this exercise I was never able to express to him or even myself. I also was able to apologize for my actions that, I knew, had caused him sorrow and pain and that I also held guilt about.

Del told us we did not have to mail the letter, but I did. It was the first time I had lovingly reached out to my dad in many years. It seemed on the surface to be a simple exercise, but it had a deep and healing effect on me and my father. Over time I began to realize just how deep. By writing this letter with the Prophet there was a healing in me. I softened and my heart opened more. Before this letter I had thought that by closing my heart I was keeping out the pain, but actually it was limiting the amount of love I could give and receive in ALL areas of my life. On one level this was a simple exercise, but through the Prophet the Hand of God was involved in this experience and it was profound. Del as the Prophet of God is authorized to speak for God, so when this exercise was suggested God was involved.

My dad told me he received the letter and appreciated it, resulting in a beautiful change in our relationship. One might think it was because of the outer letter, and some of it was, however most of the healing came from deep within which only God can do. The change that occurred was not only in my relationship with my father; the blessings of this healing changed my relationship with my children, husband, friends, and the way I relate in life. I am so appreciative of my relationship with the Prophet; the ripples from that healing continue to affect all those that I come in contact with.

Written by Renée Walker