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®
HEART TO SOUL BECOMING WHOLE®
Letters in the Clearing is a spiritually grounded blog and multimedia series by Deborah M. Jackson, hosted under the Heart to Soul Becoming Whole platform. Each “letter” is crafted as a personal reflection—rooted in Christian faith, emotional clarity, and soul-level honesty—addressing themes such as grief, singleness, caregiving, healing, and discipleship.
The content is designed to meet readers in tender, often overlooked places of the human experience. Whether through writing, voice recordings, or devotional guides, each installment invites deep inner dialogue and spiritual reflection.
Formats include:
Written blog posts (via website and email)
Audio reflections (Substack/Podcast)
Visual clips (Instagram/YouTube)
Devotional/reflection guides (for groups or individuals)
HEART TO SOUL BECOMING WHOLE®
Embracing the Full Spectrum of Your Holiday Experience Deborah M. Jackson, MA, MDiv, BCC, PLPC As December unfolds around us, we wanted to reach out with a gentle reminder that whatever you're feeling right now is completely valid. The holidays often bring a beautiful yet complex tapestry of emotions—joy intertwined with sadness, grief alongside new beginnings, uncertainty meeting expectation, and discouragement searching for a space with hope. This season doesn't demand perf
Deborah M. Jackson
Dec 25, 20252 min read
The Cost of Caregiving: A Quiet Gethsemane
Never married. Only child. Single caregiver for 12 years. When I saw the writing on the wall, I was petrified, mystified, and just plain traumatized.I loved my mom, but I couldn’t begin to wrap my head around the human cost to me . All of this was unfolding just as I was approaching what I believed would be the prime of my life—with dreams taking shape and the world at my feet. I prayed soooo hard, “Lord, can this cup pass for both of us?” Caring for my mom was not heroic. It
Deborah M. Jackson
Nov 30, 20253 min read
In Memory of My FatherOn Grief That Still Lives Decades Later
It’s been decades since my father died.And still—there are days and moments when I feel the deep ache of missing him and the unmistakable absence of his presence in my daily life. The pitch and punch of that grief have shifted, but the experience of his absence across my life has never gone away. The role my dad held in my life—in more ways than I can count—has been woven into who I am. His presence finds me in milestones, in memories of our conversations, in things I’m doing
Deborah M. Jackson
Nov 18, 20254 min read
A Soul Wound: Effects and Healing of Moral Injury
(Harobed Soul Health® / Harobed Institute) For the everyday person, an event that inflicts moral injury hurts the soul. It may be killing, witnessing violence, or a moral transgression—particularly by a leader—being placed in a morally compromising situation, dehumanizing another person, torture, or rape. As a spiritual and counseling clinician, I often encounter injuries of care responsibility. This happens when a person or family decides not to take on caregiving—sometime
Deborah M. Jackson
Oct 27, 20253 min read
FROM THE FIELD | When the Soul Knows Too Much: Understanding Moral Injury (Part 1)
Moral injury (MI) is the internal emotional unrest one can experience because of a lapse in moral values, feeling trapped or positioned by an outside source from speaking out because of a violation of someone else’s.
Deborah M. Jackson
Oct 13, 20253 min read
Grief: Not a Condition to Heal
We are not meant to fix what grief breaks, but to live faithfully within what it reveals.
Deborah M. Jackson
Oct 5, 20253 min read
Single, Never Married, Only Child: The Weight of Caregiving Alone
On National Singles Day, I was led to share a story that is rarely spoken about on caregiver platforms and that I have not discussed much...
Deborah M. Jackson
Sep 27, 20253 min read
I Know the Plans: The Faith Gap
Jeremiah 29 I know the Plans
Deborah M. Jackson
Sep 15, 20252 min read
From the Field: The Hurting Helper
This week’s From the Field reflection comes in honor of National Prevention Day. 🌿 This week, on Suicide Prevention Day, I reflected on...
Deborah M. Jackson
Sep 12, 20251 min read
A New Audio Reflection: A Slow IV Drip
Over ten years, I wrote letters and recorded reflections as I embraced this journey of taking care of my mother. It was hard, confusing,...
Deborah M. Jackson
Sep 10, 20251 min read
World Alzheimer’s Month: A Personal Reflection
Alzheimer’s – A Slow IV Drip As we step into World Alzheimer’s Month, a personal journal feels right. September is not only a time for...
Deborah M. Jackson
Sep 3, 20252 min read
Grief Awareness Day
On Grief Awareness Day, I want to pause and share a deeply personal reflection. This is not a teaching or a framework, but a Letter in...
Deborah M. Jackson
Aug 30, 20253 min read
Mirrors that Shape Us
Character and Spiritual Formation
Deborah M. Jackson
Aug 16, 20253 min read
From a Singles Lens, You are Not Broken
I wish I could say my life as a single person has been entirely lovely, content, fulfilling, and problem-free with Christ — but it...
Deborah M. Jackson
Aug 9, 20252 min read
Introducing Soulfull Singles: Becoming All God Called Me to Be
I never set out to create a ministry for singles. Truth is, perhaps like some of you I did not think I would still be single at this...
Deborah M. Jackson
Aug 6, 20252 min read
The Weight of Discernment
Learning to Hear from God for Yourself This is the beginning of something I've been holding close - a new rhythm of teaching, reflection ...
Deborah M. Jackson
Jul 26, 20253 min read
Crazy Discovery
Years ago I wrote 3 books. I sort of put them in the back of my mind. I honestly felt as if they weren't of any value any longer. While I...
Deborah M. Jackson
Jul 23, 20252 min read
Now Available: My First Audio Letter - Abstinence Only Teaching: Love, Lust & Loneliness (Part 2)
I'm grateful to share something new with you - my new spoken reflections and audio letters from "Letters in the Clearing. As with this...
Deborah M. Jackson
Jul 22, 20251 min read
Abstinence-Only Teaching Part 2: Love, Lust & Loneliness
When we speak of abstinence with singles, we often reduce the conversation to behavior—what one does or does not do with their body. But as with all matters in the Kingdom of God, Jesus invites us to consider the deeper terrain: the condition of the heart.
Deborah M. Jackson
Jul 19, 20253 min read
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