“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28, KJV).
Jesus’ invitation helps me to understand my own story of restlessness. The verse speaks life to me because of the steps I took to experience rest personally, and the rest I invite others in crises to experience in my clinical ministry practice.
When my mother gave birth to me, she abandoned me to my grandmother because she was ashamed to hold a child with a withered left hand in a culture of honor and shame. I grew up not knowing my biological parents until I was about 14 years old. I recall how I was moved around to live with uncles, brothers and church members in my village. When I was around 16 or 17 years old, I met an American Baptist missionary couple who taught me to speak and write English.
