I’m humbled an honored by the women who contacted me privately to share their painful stories of incest. Unfortunately, we are not alone. There have been many before us and will be many after us. All we can do is help lead the way to freedom in Christ. We are united as survivors and sisters in Christ.
It’s my prayer that God will use my story to move you in the direction of healing. Perhaps you have a different story, but just as painful. Allow Him to perform spiritual surgery to pull out that festering splinter. It’s not an easy journey, facing and moving through all that pain, but you are older, wiser and stronger; and Jesus will be with you all the way. I started my journey at 40 and will be 45 in a few months. It’s never too late to reclaim your life. Shame and guilt held me in bondage; I wasn’t living my life to its fullest potential. Only Jesus could set me free.
I promise you, it will get easier the more you talk about it. I'm so sorry that you had to suffer like you did. I wish there was some magic cure, but the sad fact remains - the road to healing is slow and painful. Don't try it without counseling and/or support.
If you’d like to be added to my daily prayer list for healing from incest or sexual abuse, please leave a comment, email, tweet (boldandfree) or contact me on Facebook.
Recommended reading:
A Door of Hope by Jan Frank
Beauty for Ashes by Joyce Meyer
The Wounded Heart by Dr. Dan B. Allender
Please check out these posts as well:
Read my other posts on incest:
Incest - the Poisonous Secret
Incest Part 2 - PTSD
Incest Part 3 - Let it all Come Out
Incest Part 4 – Cardboard Testimony
Stay tuned for Incest Part 6 – the Key to Healing
7 comments:
It's good that you are using your testimony and restored faith to help others through a similar situation. Many blessings to you.
You are truly an inspiraion, Jan! God bless you and this ministry to the hurting and pointing them to the Great Physician in heaven for the ultimate healing of our minds, bodies, and souls!
Thanks Jennifer and Susan for the encouraging words. Please pray for me as I post the last of the series.
Jan,
I am in the middle of A Wounded Heart. If I could refer people to only one book on this topic, it would be this book. There are so many things we do as women to cover up the pain when we have been abused. Most of our behavior is subconscious and we don't even realize what we are doing. This book has helped me realize that many of my issues in my life have stemmed from past abuse.
Thanks for sharing your story, I am one who you have empowered me to go back and heal.
Jan I continue to be deeply moved in your sharing. Inspiration is not a strong enough word for me to use as God uses you to minister to all who have had this pain in their precious lives.
I would like permission to post your link on my Sharing Life with Lisa under Choose Life. I believe that your story is a large part of the VALUE of LIFE! I merged Speak on it with Lisa INTO Sharing Life with Lisa. Let me know what you think. I would post your Part 1 and then from there they would link to your remaining series.
May GOD continue to use your voice/heart and experience to His glory.
I love you dear sister. How is your husband and family doing?
I love the pictures that you included along with your post. Pictures can communicate so vividly. As another survivor turned thriving in the Lord gal, I too recommend Wounded Heart by Allender.
Healing is slow, but it is so rewarding! God is an amazing comforter and healer. He has taken my broken heart and transformed it into a compassionate heart that is in love with Him. What he has done for you and I and others, He is eager to do for anyone who cries out to Him for His help.
Our God is God of complete restoration and healing. Joyce Meyer has brought that element to the core through her book. Her life's journey is an inspiration to anyone who's down and out. It's not only inspirational in its approach but enlightens the spiritual side also.
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