As I filled a small tub with hot water, I opened my bag of Epsom Salt, only to realize it was almost empty. Shaking the last few morsels of the sulfate into the hot water stream, I reflected back on how long I had been working on that large four-pound bag. A little over three years ago, when my dad passed away, a few friends whom I met when I officiated a funeral for their family put together a basket of self-care items to nurture my family through our time of grief. Nestled in the basket was that four-pound bag of Epsom salt. Three years ago, I never actually thought I’d use all of it. Each time I would shake the granules into hot water to soak my feet or mix them with coconut oil for an exfoliant, I remembered those friends who gave me the gift. Just last week, when the last crystalline minerals were shaken from the bag, I remembered how deep the grief felt when the bag was brand new.

Now that the gift for grieving was empty, was I supposed to be finished grieving? Epsom salt draws out toxins from the body. Shouldn’t all of my grief, like a toxin, be removed from my body by now? Three years have passed, after all, so society says it is time to move on and let it go. Through time, and sitting and soaking in the salt, surrounded by silence, God has revealed to me a whole new timeline. Grief isn’t over when someone says it should be or when the Epsom salt runs out. The timeframe for which we grieve is woven into our lives permanently. A black and white formula doesn’t exist. Soaking in the stillness of God washes away the world, making space for us to hear Him. Setting aside everything we hide behind so that we don’t feel the hurt in our lives can be scary.

Epsom salt can be used as a supplement, bath salt, or beauty product. It is a popular remedy for ailments, helping to ease sore muscles and stress. Each microscopic scrape on my feet would sting as I dipped my tired feet into a hot tub of salty water. The sting was short-lived, as the healing process began almost immediately.

Setting down your to do list, social media, and anything that makes you feel comfortable will force you to face your healing. Lower the expectations you set for yourself. You don’t have to find healing on a timeline. The salt that God allows us to soak in never runs out. He offers an unlimited supply of living water, encouraging us to submerge ourselves in His generous grace and love. Immersing yourself in a personal relationship with God will help remove toxins in the perfect timing. Keep soaking in the salt God designed just for you. Expect to see and feel the changes as the old is removed and the Holy Water rejuvenates your soul. 

S.O.A.K.

S-Scripture: Choose a Bible passage and read it. 

O-Observation: Write down an observation about the passage. 

A-Apply: How does this apply to your life? How does this speak to you right now? 

K-Kneel in Prayer: Write a prayer to God relating to this. 

Contact Ashley at ashley@tippgazette.com

Or Mail:

Tippecanoe Gazette

Attn: Ashley Spring McCarroll

PO Box 84

Tipp City, Ohio 45371