Do you feel an Abuser can Truly be a Christian?

Let’s be real here, we have Christians that are abusers within our churches and within our communities. This is nothing new, yet it seems that it’s yet another topic that so many don’t want to talk about. We have abusive Fathers, Mothers, Husbands, and Wives wearing the “Mask of Christianity”. We have ministers that are abusing and even killing their wives. We have Pastors who abuse their wives and children; we have Priests that molest young boys…

This isn’t anything new! This is a societal issue; we have abusers in all facets of society! There are abusers who are doctors, lawyers, political officials, police officers, judges, clerks, waiters, waitresses, trash truck drivers…so why is it such a surprise we have them as Christians as well? 1 in 4 (this is what the common statistic states as of today, although I truly believe it’s more like 1 in 3) women are affected by abuse, and this doesn’t even touch the men that are abused (1 in 7) as well! How many people sit in your church every Sunday? How many do you see shopping at Walmart, in the mall, or on the roads daily? How many are abuse victims? More importantly, how many are abusers?

Colossians 3:19

19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

Forgiving Our Abusers

This is such a touchy subject, and something that is so hard to do…

Last week I was speaking to a friend of mine and she was asking about some of my past…she is not a survivor of abuse yet works for abused children so understands to an extent what abuse is like.  She was surprised that I have been able to forgive my abusers like I have, and that really got me thinking…

So many of us really struggle with forgiving our abusers, I know I did!  Let me tell you, it wasn’t something I did over night, and honestly, the end result I don’t even think I did myself…

Matthew 6:14 (NKJV)

14“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Thinking Back…

I've been thinking back a lot to my past abuse. Not dwelling on the abuse itself or getting upset by it at all…just thinking back and looking at my situation and realizing some key facts about my abuse in the early 90's with my husband and my abuse later in the 90's with my boyfriend…

We as Christians need to step out & help support in the healing...

1 in 3 women experience DV in their life...1 in 3...how many women sit in your sanctuary on Sunday morning?  How many women do you incounter every day?

Just because church is full of Christians...it doesn't mean that the have been able to escape being touched by DV.  In my church I can think of a few women who have gone through DV, & can think of one who's Mother was killed by his Father, & a few others that grew up in DV & abuse, & yet another who is going through a DV situation right now...& do you know that the ones I talked to about it didn't even know it was DV Awareness Month?

As I stated on the LC Blog, DV feeds off isolation & the lack of information.  The lack of support...the lack of understanding...our society the way it is set up is perfect for DV to breed...is perfect for Satan's playground...

As Christians we have a duty to reach out to those who are hurting...who are in pain...who need help.  Isn't that who Jesus went out & sought everywhere He went?  Not only those that needed physical healing, but those who were hurting from within! 

How many survivors are being blocked from truly understanding the full Love of Our Father?  How many are struggling, even as Christians, that they are alone?  How many out there could use someone to reach out to them & let them know that not only are you there for them, but that God is ALWAYS with them & they are NEVER alone in their pain?

1 in 3

Is your church reaching out to these during this Month...during DV Awareness Month?  If so, let us know how!  If not, why not?  Why are we as Christians allowing Satan to win this battle?  Why are we as Christians allowing those affected by DV to continue to suffer alone? 

I as a Christian Survivor of DV will not let it continue to be so in my Church...in my life.  Are you willing to do the same?

Stepping out in Faith…

I’ve found myself struggling with what to post on this blog…I know that this blog is needed, that so many survivors struggle with their beliefs, so many struggle through their healing…

We started this blog so that we can share what we’ve been through, what we’ve learned, in hopes that it would help someone else that may be struggling through by themselves…yet have found myself struggling as to what to post, how to post, yada yada yada…

So, I’ve come to the realization that I’m just going to post what God brings to mind for me to do so!  I’m taking me out the the equation, I’m just holding myself back at this point.  I’m going to let God work through me and share the messages that need to be shared…

I’ve been struggling with the thoughts of I’m not qualified, I don’t have credentials or credits or classes or whatever in order to do anything worth it to anyone…but I’m finally realizing that I was wrong!  God picks us and guides us to do what He wants us to do!  He picks those that are perfect for the job, he doesn’t just pick out of the elite, the professionals, he picks those that have something inside them that is needed for the message to be delivered.  He picked fishermen to become apostles, why wouldn’t he pick me to carry His word to those healing from DV??

So, I’m putting me behind myself, I’m stepping out and will be sharing what I feel lead to share without worrying about who may say what.  This is what I feel God is demanding of me, and this is what I will do…I will step out in faith in hopes that what I share will touch someone and help them through their healing…

My Hope is in God…

Grabbed off FB: Women of Christian Faith

The Lord has made known to me the path of life;he fills me with the joy of his presence, with eternal pleasures at his right hand. (Psalm 16:11)

When my soul is feeling down, I do not rely on my feelings. I remember my hope is in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. (Psalm 42:5-6)

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. ~Colo 3:2

Words that describe the Devil

There is a reason for sharing this…

About a month back I went to a women’s conference where she shared different words from the Bible that described the Devil, and it really dawned on me…those words can also describe an Abuser!  Read through and let me know what you think!

Father of Lies, Son of the Morning, Deceiver, Miserable

Genesis 3 (Revelation 12:9), the Serpent
Matthew 4, the Temper
John 8:44, a murderer from the beginning and the father of all lies
John 10:10, a thief
John 12:31-32 (2 Corinthians 4:4), the ruler/god of this world/age
Ephesians 2:1-2, the prince of the power of the air
Ephesians 6:16, the wicked one
1 Peter 5:8, a roaring lion
1 John 3:8, a sinner from the beginning
Revelation 9:11, Abaddon (destruction) and Apollyon (destroyer)
Revelation 12:9, the great dragon and deceiver of the world

Satan is the source of the knowledge of good and evil which is defined by law, the creator of sin, sinner, crime, criminal, and therefore, evil. Law, which is our source of the knowledge of good and evil, is a restriction of the freedom God granted all life forms, and is the creator of rule, power, and authority which are defined as the enemies of God at 1st Corinthians 15:24-25.

Revelations 12: 9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.