What It's All About
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." ~ 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
While working through my abuse issues, people often quoted this verse to me, especially the second counselor I worked with. While at the time, I got the basic gist of what it meant (I would be able to help other people who had been abused because God had helped me) it's only been in the last several days that I have truly grasped what it means.
I recently received an e-mail from a woman a few years older than me who came across my blog in a way that completely had God's fingerprints all over it. She was on Facebook and went to click on the name of a friend that she and I have in common. Instead, she clicked on my name. She and I had met once, several years ago, through a mutual friend and she remembered who I was. Not having anything else to do at the moment, she decided to check out my blog, which is listed on my profile. Now, there was abuse in her childhood as well and in recent days, issues and feelings from that time had begun to creep up in her life but she wasn't sure what to do about it. When she clicked on the link to my blog, the one I had written about my fears and thoughts about sharing details of my past and wondering if people would still love me once they found out came up, and it was exactly what she needed to read at that moment. Some would call that coincidence but I know it was the hand of God guiding her in her searching and me in my writing so our paths would cross at just this time. My jaw practically drops ever time I think about it!
She and I have been communicating almost daily since that first e-mail and as she has shared her experiences and struggles with me, I have had the honor of walking along side her and sharing my own experiences of healing in hopes of helping her. For so many years, I was in her shoes - seeking counsel and help from others who had also been abused. I remember that journey so well...wondering if the hurt would ever stop, wondering if I would ever live a day without 'issues' creeping up, wondering if there would come a point when the abuse in my past would stop consuming my every thought and just praying that God would send people along my path that would help me out. God answered those prayers in giving me wonderful friends and brothers and sisters in Christ who prayed me through the tough times, encouraged me through the difficult days and loved me through the whole process.
Now, for the first time, I am on the other side of the journey and to be honest, it has been an amazing experience. I'm finally getting to pass along all the tips and bits of wisdom that others had said to me at one time. That's not to say I'm able to help because I am completely healed myself, because I do still have struggles. But sharing my own experiences with this woman has helped me in my own healing journey in ways I never would have expected. In the blog that she first read, I wrote about the fear and insecurity that has come with sharing the details of my past with people as I try to write my book. I used to wonder how the people reading those details would feel - would they think differently of me? Would they see me as dirty or disgusting after knowing those things had happened to me? Would they be able to look at me the same way again? As this new friend shared her details, I felt nothing but love for her and sadness over what had happened. It didn't change my view of her at all and I realized that those I had shared my experiences with felt the same way about me. The opportunity to be on the other side of such an exchange really helped to heal that part of my heart that always struggled with wondering what people thought about me after they knew.
Words can not express how thankful I am to God for bringing this friend into my life and to her for trusting me enough to open up and share her heart with me. I enjoy talking with her so much because I know what hope and healing there is in her future as she begins to walk this road of healing in her life. After walking my own healing journey for the past 11 years, I can truly say that now I know what it's all about.
While working through my abuse issues, people often quoted this verse to me, especially the second counselor I worked with. While at the time, I got the basic gist of what it meant (I would be able to help other people who had been abused because God had helped me) it's only been in the last several days that I have truly grasped what it means.
I recently received an e-mail from a woman a few years older than me who came across my blog in a way that completely had God's fingerprints all over it. She was on Facebook and went to click on the name of a friend that she and I have in common. Instead, she clicked on my name. She and I had met once, several years ago, through a mutual friend and she remembered who I was. Not having anything else to do at the moment, she decided to check out my blog, which is listed on my profile. Now, there was abuse in her childhood as well and in recent days, issues and feelings from that time had begun to creep up in her life but she wasn't sure what to do about it. When she clicked on the link to my blog, the one I had written about my fears and thoughts about sharing details of my past and wondering if people would still love me once they found out came up, and it was exactly what she needed to read at that moment. Some would call that coincidence but I know it was the hand of God guiding her in her searching and me in my writing so our paths would cross at just this time. My jaw practically drops ever time I think about it!
She and I have been communicating almost daily since that first e-mail and as she has shared her experiences and struggles with me, I have had the honor of walking along side her and sharing my own experiences of healing in hopes of helping her. For so many years, I was in her shoes - seeking counsel and help from others who had also been abused. I remember that journey so well...wondering if the hurt would ever stop, wondering if I would ever live a day without 'issues' creeping up, wondering if there would come a point when the abuse in my past would stop consuming my every thought and just praying that God would send people along my path that would help me out. God answered those prayers in giving me wonderful friends and brothers and sisters in Christ who prayed me through the tough times, encouraged me through the difficult days and loved me through the whole process.
Now, for the first time, I am on the other side of the journey and to be honest, it has been an amazing experience. I'm finally getting to pass along all the tips and bits of wisdom that others had said to me at one time. That's not to say I'm able to help because I am completely healed myself, because I do still have struggles. But sharing my own experiences with this woman has helped me in my own healing journey in ways I never would have expected. In the blog that she first read, I wrote about the fear and insecurity that has come with sharing the details of my past with people as I try to write my book. I used to wonder how the people reading those details would feel - would they think differently of me? Would they see me as dirty or disgusting after knowing those things had happened to me? Would they be able to look at me the same way again? As this new friend shared her details, I felt nothing but love for her and sadness over what had happened. It didn't change my view of her at all and I realized that those I had shared my experiences with felt the same way about me. The opportunity to be on the other side of such an exchange really helped to heal that part of my heart that always struggled with wondering what people thought about me after they knew.
Words can not express how thankful I am to God for bringing this friend into my life and to her for trusting me enough to open up and share her heart with me. I enjoy talking with her so much because I know what hope and healing there is in her future as she begins to walk this road of healing in her life. After walking my own healing journey for the past 11 years, I can truly say that now I know what it's all about.
That's so awesome to hear! I know this has been a long and difficult process for you, but you're a strong Godly woman and God has amazing plans for you! Thanks for always being willing to take the steps to get your own story out there and help others. It couldn't have been and probably still isn't easy, but it is definitely the right thing.
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