The Quiet Favor of God: Healing, Community, and Courage for Women in 2026
- Diana S Rice
- Dec 8
- 8 min read
Liberation Lunes
December 8th 2025
As 2025 Ends, A Quiet Shift Begins
Dramatic breakthroughs didn’t define this year. It was shaped by subtle threads—healing, identity, nervous system regulation, community, and courage. No mountaintops. Just gentle nudges from God to slow down, listen differently, and show up for my own life.
And this past week, something finally clicked into place.
What happened wasn’t a conference or a workshop. It was something far more human—and far more healing.
A Morning That Felt Like Permission to Breathe
At 10 a.m. this past Saturday, one of my best friends and I arrived at Alma Matcha for a Soulful Wellness Walk led by my colleague and friend, Andrea, a therapist who stepped out in faith to create a simple, sacred space for women.
We sat in a small outdoor circle as she taught on Queen Esther—not the polished version, but the real woman:
an orphan
displaced
taken into a system she did not choose
living under chronic threat
navigating identity in a world that restricted her voice
Andrea passed around small pouches holding handmade bracelets. We didn’t choose our words. We received them.
My bracelet said favor—not the shiny kind, but the Esther kind. The kind that costs something.
And something in me shifted.
The Trauma-Informed Courage of Queen Esther
Understanding Esther through the lens of cultural context and psychology makes her story even more powerful.
1. Esther Was Taken, Not Entered in a Pageant
The Persian Empire was vast. Women had no autonomy. Esther was:
an orphan
ethnically marginalized
taken into the king’s harem
forced into political machinery
Her nervous system likely lived in heightened alert—something many trauma survivors understand. Something many of us have experienced severely since 2020!
2. Her Story Is One of Trauma, Not Glamour
Early loss, displacement, powerlessness, and sudden elevation shape the brain. Trauma doesn’t cancel calling. It often prepares it.
3. What “Favor” Really Meant
In Esther’s world, favor was not comfort. Favor meant:
being entrusted with influence
being positioned for purpose
stepping into risk
carrying responsibility
Favor required courage and discernment.
4. God’s Hiddenness Matters
God’s name never appears in Esther. For trauma survivors, this is profound: You can feel fear, activation, silence—and still be in God’s will. It shows when we feel alone and think we have been forsaken, our hurt has purpose!
5. Why Esther Speaks to Women Today
Women today carry both:
burdens: anxiety, comparison, perfectionism, generational trauma and strengths: resilience, identity, neuroplasticity, spiritual hunger
Esther reminds us that courage is often quiet and trembling—and still holy.
Healing Requires Both Solitude and Community
As a therapist, I now value solitude. It’s where my mind resets and where I hear God. But solitude used to feel unsafe. Stillness brought up memories and beliefs I tried to outrun.
Healing taught me to see the difference between:
being alone
being alone with God
And between:
striving for God
abiding with Him
But this year reminded me: solitude is holy, and community is healing.
The Communities That Helped Me Step Out of Isolation This Year
For the last few years, most of my work has happened inside my home office — therapy sessions, podcast interviews, notes, writing, consulting. Like so many people working from home, it became easy to stay inward, to move from task to task, and to forget what it feels like to sit in real spaces with real people.
And honestly, I didn’t realize how isolated I had become.
This year, I felt God nudging me back into community — not big crowds, not networking for the sake of networking, but simple, grounded places where I could breathe again.
For me, those spaces looked like:
a clinical circle where therapists could be human,
a creative environment where art helped me regulate,
a faith-centered gathering where women walked, reflected, and healed together.
Nothing fancy. Nothing performative. Just small communities that reminded me:
We are not meant to heal alone. We need people who help us remember who we are.
Across those moments, one truth kept rising:
Every person has a story. Every person has been hurt. Every person is choosing how to heal.
Therapy Is Not Only Crisis Care — It’s Brain, Body, and Spirit Training Too!
I tell clients:
“Therapy is like going to the gym with a trainer. Just think of me as your psychoeducational trainer.”
Healing can involve:
CBT- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (new thinking patterns)
IFS- Internal Family Systems (new emotional responses)
neuroplasticity (new brain pathways)
attachment work (new relational templates)
somatic tools (nervous system regulation)
faith integration (new meaning-making)
Your brain can change. Your story can shift. You just need the right tools and support.
How to Find Community in 2026 (Without Overthinking It)
Most people believe they’re “connected” because they scroll, like, follow, or comment. But the truth is:
Scrolling is not community.
Dopamine spikes are not connection.
Algorithms are not belonging.
Humans were never created to live life alone or online. You don’t need a big friend group or a perfect social calendar. You just need one safe, accessible starting point.
Below are trauma-informed, safety-minded, and nervous-system-friendly ways to begin reconnecting in 2026.
1. Eventbrite
Search for low-pressure gatherings like:
wellness walks
Bible studies
art or craft nights
journaling groups
breathwork sessions
local workshops
Why it helps: Everyone is there for the same reason, which lowers social pressure.
Reflection Questions:
What event feels calming to my body?
What have I avoided only because I didn’t want to go alone?
CBT Tool: “This is not a commitment. This is experimentation.”
Safety Tip: Choose public places, read event details, and tell someone where you’ll be.
2. Meetup
Meetup offers ongoing groups centered around shared interests, such as:
hiking
walking clubs
writing circles
photography
co-working sessions
creative meetups
faith-based gatherings
Why it helps: Seeing the same faces repeatedly builds nervous-system safety and a predictable connection.
Reflection Questions:
Which part of my identity needs community—creative, spiritual, professional, or social?
Do I prefer quiet activities or active ones?
CBT Tool: Break it into steps:
Browse.
Join.
Attend once.
Leave early if needed.
Safety Tip: Stick to public settings until trust naturally forms.
3. Community Centers + Local Libraries
🔹 To find yours:
Google: “Community center near me”
Google: “Public library near me”
Programs typically include:
pottery
meditation
adult learning
book clubs
cooking classes
fitness
arts & crafts
Why it helps: Structured environments reduce anxiety because the activity guides interaction.
Reflection Question:
What would I try if embarrassment were not part of the equation?
What did I love to do when I was a teen? Before the world became so complicated, and I had to adult?
4. Faith Communities
Look for:
women’s groups
co-ed small groups
Bible studies
prayer gatherings
service projects
You can search locally on Google Maps:🔎 “Church near me”🔎 “Women’s Bible study near me”🔎 “Faith-based groups near me”
Why it helps: Shared values create a natural foundation for belonging.
Reflection Question:
What spiritual support do I need right now—teaching, fellowship, prayer, or service?
CBT Reframe: “Visiting once does not obligate me to stay.”
Safety Note: Healthy faith communities build up, encourage, and support your spiritual growth. They do not control, manipulate, shame, or pressure. Before joining a group, take a moment to look at the church’s website, its beliefs, its leadership structure, and the overall tone of its community.
As a therapist, I work with many individuals who are disentangling past spiritual wounds—especially those who grew up in high-control environments or where Scripture was used in harmful or fear-based ways. If you come from a background where faith was misused or distorted, it’s more than okay to take your time, move slowly, and choose spaces that feel safe, grounded, and aligned with the heart of Christ.
5. Professional Groups
Search engines work well for these:🔎 “Therapist networking groups near me”🔎 “Entrepreneur meetups near me”🔎 “Women’s leadership groups near me”🔎 “Creative meetups near me”
These might include:
clinical networks
entrepreneurial circles
wellness collectives
leadership communities
creative professional groups
Why it helps: These spaces nourish identity, purpose, and growth.
Reflection Questions:
Who do I feel professionally understood by?
What conversations give me energy rather than drain it?
6. Creative Spaces
Search using:🔎 “Art studio near me”🔎 “Creative workshop near me”🔎 “Painting class near me”🔎 “Pottery class near me”
Why it helps: Creativity bypasses logic and helps regulate the nervous system.
Reflection Questions:
Which creative outlet helps me feel grounded?
When was the last time I made something just for joy?
7. Nature-Based Groups
Search on Meetup or Google for:
walking groups
gardening meetups
hiking clubs
sunrise gatherings
beach meditations
park groups
Why it helps: Movement reduces anxiety; nature lowers social pressure. You don’t have to talk the whole time.
Reflection Question:
Where in nature does my body feel most at peace?
8. Volunteering
Search for:
food banks
shelters
tutoring
senior support
community cleanups
youth programs
Why it helps: Purpose builds belonging. Serving others rewires loneliness more effectively than almost anything else.
Reflection Questions:
What need in my community stirs something in me?
Where could I give just one hour a month?
Looking Ahead to 2026: Who Are You Becoming?
Andrea asked:
Who is the person you want to become in 2026?
And I would add:
What patterns are you ready to release?
What hurts are ready for healing?
What habits support your calling?
What kind of community do you need?
What courage will you practice?
Healing is not a single choice. It is a daily returning.
My word—favor—feels less like a reward and more like a responsibility. A whisper from God:
“Walk with Me.”
A Gentle Invitation to Your Healing Journey
Wherever you are, you don’t have to heal alone.
If you’re in Florida and seeking trauma-informed, faith-integrated therapy, I’d be honored to walk with you through Through the Valley Therapy.
If you want weekly conversations blending psychology and faith, explore The Holistic Counselor Podcast.
If your church, practice, or organization needs mental-health training, visit Transformed Mind Consulting & Coaching.
Your story matters. Your healing matters. Your community matters.
And 2026 is waiting for who God is shaping you to become.
In Service, Faith, Hope, and Love,
Diana
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