As we continue our sermon series on The Gift of Darkness, this message explores the impact of trauma in our lives. Everyone has a trauma history. It may be what we call a big T trauma, like a life-threatening experience, domestic violence, painful abuse, a natural disaster, or an accident. Or it may be a small “t” trauma that is a bad experience, and maybe we would not even call it a trauma. Mental health professionals report that we experience much more trauma than we typically recognize or report as trauma. We experience secondary or tertiary trauma when we witness something that unsettles us, or we hear a traumatic story that impacts us. We also experience collective trauma like during the COVID pandemic and the murder of George Floyd. The more we become aware of and process our trauma, the healthier we will be. Otherwise, it is a darkness or wound that resides within us and impacts us in ways we may not even be aware of. Sometimes, it is hard to remember that God is your present help by your side in the darkness when you are in shock from trauma.