If you are hopping on over for a visit from incourage.me, let me say welcome, and I am so excited and happy that you are here!!!! Jumping up and down, smiling, and giving you big hugs!!! I feel so unbelievably blessed to have the opportunity to share a little love in the awesome beach house community that is incourage. Yayyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!
However, I must acknowledge that the topic I write about is heavy. Sexual abuse and or assault, or for that matter abuse or assault of any kind, rips at the hearts of so many women. It cuts straight to the core of the heart and attempts to crush the spirit. However…there is One who goes deeper still. Deeper than the pain, deeper than the agony, deeper than the gut-wrenching thoughts and emotions, and straight into the core of our very being. Jesus, the One and Only who can heal the deepest of wounds, even the ones that still bleed years later.
Just close your eyes and say his name for a minute, Jesus. Let him soak into every single fiber of who you are. Just say his name and rest in it for a minute. Such a beautiful name, such a beautiful Savior, He is amazing. He is healing. Even when the nights seem to last forever and the days are spent in uninvited agony, His name is still there, and He still provides a place of rest, a place to be still. To still your heart, and quiet your soul, to cry your tears. He can calm the deepest of sobs, the kind where your whole body shakes while you curl up on the floor. He can calm that little girl and heal her pain. He can, if I know anything, I know that He can. He loves you with an unfathomable jealous love, and never let’s go. So thankful that He never lets go.
And so thankful that He gives us community through something as modern as the internet, so that when we are hurting we can reach out to others and know that we are not alone. It would be my privilege to pray for you today here on the floor of the incourage beach house. Please leave prayer requests…and I will pray for each and every one by name today and throughout this week. I love you all dear sisters, now let’s dry up any tears and run out onto the sandy beaches, soak up the Son, and play for a while...it's gonna be a beautiful day! Blessings and Love Always! Stephanie
Wow - thank you so much for sharing this. I came over from incourage... I still blame myself for what happened when I was 3... and years later. My head knows it wasn't my fault... my core struggles with believing/knowing. Thank you again...
ReplyDeleteHey, Steph, ya know how you get several women who have dealt with this stuff and still feel guilt? What about an online version of Shelter from the STrom? (yeah, cuz you don't have enough to do, right?)
ReplyDeleteStorm...duh.
ReplyDeleteStacy...I know what you mean. It is so easy to know with your head that it wasn't your fault, but moving that into
ReplyDeleteyour heart is a whole separate challenge in deed. A book that helped me a lot was "how to forgive yourself totally" by RT Kendall. But given that you were 3, cut that sweet baby girl a break. You might try writing a letter to her, n doing some visualization of tje grown up you telling the little girl inside that it wasn't her fault. And most important...hang in there. Healing is a process that ebbs and flows...but regardless your Father who loves you is a constant!
So glad (in)courage is giving us an opportunity to hear some new voices. Glad you took the time to share part of your story.
ReplyDelete