Violence UnSilenced: Today I Spoke Out

Typically, this is not the type of post you'll find on this blog. However, I feel it is very important that people be educated on what the various faces of violence looks like as well as their role in preventing it.

Today, a small part of my story will be told at Violence UnSilenced. Although I've spoke often to others, and at public speaking events, about my story, there is something different about it being in print. Permanent. For all to see. 


It wasn't easy deciding which moment to take out of my life to share. There are so many.....to many that I could have chosen. Yet, after months of writing and rewriting, this particular instance came to my mind. For me it signifies how different the world is for someone being abused. How the important things aren't so important, how the insignificant suddenly has great weight.

Survivors of abuse leave the abusive situation with a warped view of the world. They've learned survival skills in a setting that is the farthest from how God intended it to be. The world has become a very dark and scary place. A place where those that professed love destroyed all hope. A place where trust equals pain and heartache. A place where shadows lurk and it doesn't take much to rip off the scabs that have only started to heal. A place where your scars shine bright within you, yet no one else notices or cares.

Please, take a moment to go to Violence UnSilenced. Read not only my post, but those of the other survivors of violence. Show your support to them as they are reaching out to share their stories with others. We don't share our stories for pity.....we share our stories so that you might be able to help your sister, your daughter, your son, your friend.  We all know someone who has or is being abused. It's up to you to become aware of the signs and reach out to that person. You could make the difference......you could save a life.