What do you believe about divorce? Many believe that according to the Bible, the only two valid causes for divorce are adultery and abandonment by an unbeliever. I have written about this before. I also talk extensively about what the Bible says about divorce in my...
Healing from Childhood Sexual Abuse
Many who are abused as adults were also abused as children - either emotionally, physically or sexually. The number of people who have experienced this is shocking and tragic. Getting past any of these is difficult, but I can't imagine anything worse than living with...
Pastors, Protect Your Church
The folks at A Cry For Justice recently shared a guest blog written by an American pastor. After dealing with abusers in his own church, this pastor came to several surprising conclusions about how a pastor should handle abuse within the church. It was so right on, I...
Do You Experience Toxic Shame?
Do you struggle with feeling shame? Many of us do. Sometimes we are taught to feel shame by our parents, or at a childhood church. But often, our abusers plant a feeling of shame in our hearts. How is this possible? The following is taken from my book, A Journey to...
How Do YOU View God?
I have been reading a really interesting book for my master's program. It is called With: Reimagining the Way You Relate to God. The author, Skye Jethani talks about the four postures people typically take when relating to God. The following describes these four...
What Does “Laying Down Your Life” Look Like?
We are often told that we should "lay down our lives" for others. The person that says this to us is often (but not always) trying to manipulate us. When they are trying to manipulate us, what they really mean is lay down your life for ME. Using the Bible to...
What Does the Bible Say About Domestic Violence?
There is much confusion about what the Bible says about domestic violence, marriage and divorce. The Bible was not meant to be read out of context. Many abused spouses are told that "God hates divorce" and that "the only biblical grounds for divorce are infidelity and...
Domestic Violence Experienced by Men
For six years I have been a domestic violence advocate, helping abuse victims and survivors. The vast majority have been women. Having very little experience with male victims, I have often wondered what their experience might be like. Recently, a blog I follow...
What Lies Do You Believe?
Many of us unconsciously believe lies about ourselves, others, and God. Being abused can mess with your mind. We begin believing the negative (untrue) things our abusers say about us. Then, without realizing it, we act on the lies we believe. An example of this is...
Where Was God During Your Tragedy?
Last week, I asked the question, "If God is loving, why is the world so evil?" For those of us who have suffered greatly, we may be asking God more personal questions, such as: “Why did you allow this to happen to me?” and “Where were you when I experienced this?”...