SILENT NO MORE

Photo courtesy of Joshua Fortuna

As April comes to an end, so does a chapter of my life: Silence.

It took twenty-three years, my engagement, Eddie, Sandi, and Miss Gwen for me to seek help, but I did. I am a survivor of sexual abuse. I was molested by a classmate in elementary school, molested by my uncle, and raped by a friend in college.  I was ignored, denied, and blamed by a surprising amount of loved ones. I lived with shame, false guilt, and false responsibility that didn't belong to me. You see, the unfortunate thing about sexual abuse is that the victim lives with all the consequences. As long as everyone was happy and everything was in harmony, I could hide and live with my pain. I lived behind a facade of what I thought was normal, because if the real and broken Angelee was revealed, nobody would love me.

However, Someone already loved me now and before I was born...God. God loved all of me, good and bad. He wanted me to seek Him first. "Cast all anxiety onto Him because He cares for you." (Peter 5:7)  God had already forgiven me for my past, so I had to do the same. I am now ready to live the life God has intended for me. He has and continues to be SO good to me. God has revealed truth to me little by little through my healing, and I am forever grateful. 

If my story is the same or similar to your story, I hope it inspires you to seek help. Or you may be in a position to support a loved one in a similar situation. If you're in the middle of your healing process, I encourage you to keep going. Yes, healing has at times been difficult. BUT...It is worth it. 

MOST OF ALL, I want to express my gratefulness to my circle. Thanks be to God, my beloved Eddie, Sandi, Gwendolyn, Penny, my sisters, and all my loved ones who knew and continued to support me. Without your unconditional love, I would not have made it through this journey.

To get in contact with Gwendolyn & Penny:
http://www.ariseintl.org