Writing to Remember

Lessons from the Five Hebrew Women on Courage, Creativity and Reclaiming Identity

I came into 2025 not sure what to expect. But while walking through the story of Moses from the point of view of the five women, it’s reminded me of the gift of storytelling. It doesn’t just teach us; it transforms us.

This journey began with a few honest questions about faith and wisdom. What could I possibly learn from Shiprah, Puah, Jochebed, Miriam and Pharaoh’s Daughter? At first glance, it doesn’t look like much then God began to show me the lessons of quiet courage, spiritual insights and radical compassion. Their stories helped me through some of the inner work of reclaiming parts of myself that I thought were gone. Not in the dramatic sense. More like… tucked away. Silenced. Covered by fear, expectations and the pressure to make sense of life’s chaos.

Back in 2020, like many of us, life felt completely shaken. That year, my family spent a few months living in other people’s homes trying to figure things out one day at a time. Around that time, a friend introduced me to Dr. Caroline Leaf’s work, and I borrowed the book “Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess”. I read the book. I even listened to the podcasts. But if I’m honest, nothing changed. I just couldn’t see a shift, at least not right away.

Then last year, I received a gift. A set of 30-day journaling prompts and I started using them. The small act of choosing to write felt like the beginning of a shift. Little by little, things started to move.

Photo by Jess Bailey on Unsplash

One of the helpful tools from Dr Leaf’s work that’s given me language for this process is her 5 Step Neurocycle to Heal Burnout & Toxic Stress. It’s a technique to change thinking habits when faced with stressful situations and challenges. So here’s a breakdown very simply:

Step 1: Gather Awareness – What’s my body trying to say? That tension in my shoulders or that shortness of breath... could it be grief? Anger? A cry for rest?

Step 2: Reflect – Get curious. Why does that headline trigger me or why do I feel drained after certain conversations? What haven’t I allowed myself to feel?

Step 3: Write – This is where clarity lives. Writing helps untangle my thoughts. It lets me name what I didn’t know was there.

Step 4: Recheck – Go back. Look again. Ask better questions. Rewriting doesn’t mean failure, it means growth. It’s seeing with more gentle eyes.

Step 5: Active Reach – I’ve tried to have more “thinker moments” for daydreaming and letting my mind wonder. I’ve found peace in simple things: staring out the window, lying in the sun, walking without a destination. That’s when I hear God the most.

So for me, part of writing has become a way of reclaiming who I am. My encouragement is, whatever your creative expression, whether dancing, singing, drawing, journaling, do it. Not for perfection or applause but as an act of engaging the process to be present with yourself. And maybe, as a way to find your way back to hope.