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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)
Courage Above Alzheimer’s: When Life Gives You Lemons, Change the World
There are conversations you record…and there are conversations that mark you. This is one of those. Years ago, I sat with a friend—a man whose life had been irrevocably alteredby a diagnosis most people fear even naming. Young-onset Alzheimer’s. But what unfolded in that conversationwas not defined by decline. It was defined by clarity, courage, and choice. Brian LeBlanc did not deny the reality of his diagnosis.He did something far more rare. He met it with intention. He bec
Deborah M. Jackson
6 days ago2 min read
A Conversation Every Family Caregiver Needs with Maureen Rulison, BCPA, CMP, CDCP
Caregiving is often described through the language of compassion. And while that is true, it is not complete. Because caring for another person—especially over time—requires more than love. It requires: Structure. Clarity. Support. In this conversation with Maureen Rulison, we explore what happens when families step into roles they were never formally prepared to carry. They are asked to: Make decisions that shape outcomes Navigate systems that are not always clear Advocate i
Deborah M. Jackson
Apr 281 min read
Ordered Steps: The Divine Pathway of Purpose with Dr. Fayron Epps, PhD, RN, FGSA, FAAN
There are voices whose work carries both clinical rigor and lived conviction.Dr. Fayron Epps, PhD, RN, FGSA, FAAN, is one of them. When we first met, Dr. Epps was doing extraordinary work at Emory University within the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, advancing culturally responsive, evidence-based approaches to dementia care and caregiving. Over time, as our professional and relational paths continued to unfold, that work expanded and deepened—leading to her current
Deborah M. Jackson
Apr 212 min read
On the Passing of Dr. James Houston: A Life Shaping Generations
Dr. James Houston and Deborah M. Jackson There are lives that influence institutions. And then there are lives changing the way we see the world. Dr. Houston’s life shaped institutions—across academia, the Church, and personal relationships across generations —globally. And yet, what remains most striking is not the breadth of his influence, but the depth of his formative insight. James Houston passed at the age of 103—a century marked not by noise, but by the significance of
Deborah M. Jackson
Apr 163 min read
Sudden Loss: Shock, Trauma, and the Reality of Intense Grief
As The Grieving Body begins to take shape, one of the grief realities that must be named clearly is sudden loss. So many losses do not give the mind, body, or spirit time to prepare.These losses can be sudden with no warning—or involve being suddenly forced into a life-or-death reality outside of our control. Sudden loss is often first experienced as shock. In my work with clinicians and professionals, it is sometimes confused with denial. It is not denial. This is not just e
Deborah M. Jackson
Mar 312 min read
Introducing The Grieving Body
The Grieving Body was named to illuminate grief that has gone unaddressed within the Body of Christ—and the way that same unaddressed grief exists within the fullness of the human experience. Grief is often only contextualized as the loss of a person. But grief exists wherever there has been loss. Loss of people.Loss of relationships.Loss of what was hoped for.Loss of identity, direction, or capacity. Many live with these experiences without recognizing them as grief. Within
Deborah M. Jackson
Mar 291 min read
What Sleep Disruption May Reveal in Caregiving
Conversations about sleep health often focus on the importance of adequate rest for physical and mental wellbeing. Yet for many caregivers — whether caring for family members or patients — restorative sleep can be difficult to sustain. Research examining both family caregivers and healthcare professionals consistently finds higher rates of disrupted sleep. These patterns often include shortened sleep duration, frequent awakenings, and difficulty returning to sleep once awake
Deborah M. Jackson
Mar 142 min read
When Meaning Is Central, What You Look for in Care Matters (Part I)
When Meaning Is Central, What You Look for in Care Matters A reflective guide for discerning support when faith, grief, and emotional healing intersect Before seeking therapy, spiritual direction, or any form of support, there is a quieter question worth asking—one that often goes unspoken: When life becomes uncertain, painful, or disorienting, how do I naturally make sense of what I’m experiencing? Some people move first toward problem-solving or analysis.Others toward emoti
Deborah M. Jackson
Feb 93 min read
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
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