Many years ago she left home and vowed to never speak to her father or mother again.
You see she was a daddy’s girl in a very wrong way. The very first time her father molested her she was ten.
She spent a good portion of her life living in fear. Hearing his car pull into the driveway she would instinctively disappear out the back door. Trust me if you had to endure the horrors she did you would learn survival skills too. She would disappear before he could make it from the driveway to the front door!
She knew in most cases she was only delaying the inevitable but sometimes she was lucky! Lucky to find her father passed out in front of the T.V. when she returned. On those nights she would quickly shower to ensure she could be up and dressed long before he arose the next morning.
Sadly, during those nightly visits her mother never took the initiative to come to her rescue. She felt her mother was aware of what was happening to her because she could never quite look at her the morning after. She used to hear people reference a mother protecting their child from a predator to the ferociousness of a mother bear protecting its cub. Too bad her mother didn’t have that trait.
So, she never spoke about it out loud in her mother’s presence for fear of seeing the acknowledgement in her eyes…that her heart couldn’t bear. It would have been too much!
To make matters worse her father said to her one night when she cried out that she was going to tell her mother. “What can she do?” “Where will she go?” “She’s nothing without me!”
Unfortunately, her mother was also a victim. Her father would verbally abuse his wife. Often calling her worthless if dinner wasn’t warmed and on the table when he walked in the door. If she dared voice an opinion that opposed his philosophy or corrected him when he misspoke he would slap her across the mouth accusing her of disrespect!
Eventually, her mother learned to play the game. So much so until she took on the persona of a robot in the presence of her tormentor.
So needless to say, she left as soon as she could get away and cut all communications with both her mother and her father.
The last time her father attempted his nightly visit was the summer before her freshman year in high school. This time she snapped and fought back! She thought here I am ready to start high school. I should be excited! Looking forward to dating, prom, graduation, normal teenage stuff! Not trying to avoid being bedded by my dad!!!
Things escalated very quickly. Neighbors called the police and her dear old dad made her out to be an out of control teenager and her mom didn’t say otherwise. So she knew she had to leave and soon!
I might as well let you know she never made amends with her parents. Although her mother held out hope that she would one day return home. She didn’t. Unfortunately, her mother died of a heart attack never having the opportunity to make amends.
Her dad sent many letters via the only family member she stayed in communication with. However, she could never bring herself to read any of his letters. So they remained unopened.
By the time she received her father’s final letter he had passed.
After his death she finally read all of his letters. Her father in his latter years had come to know the Lord Jesus Christ and had repented of his sins. Which prompted the need for him to apologize and ask her, his daughter for forgiveness.
He desperately wanted the opportunity for his daughter to see the new man he had become through the power and love of Jesus Christ.
He sought counseling and eventually started sharing his shameful past as an offender of both Domestic Abuse and Child Abuse at forums and support groups.
Thankfully, she too had been introduced to the healing love of Christ. As a born again Christian she learned “that Christ Jesus would deal with all her oppressors and change her shame into praise.”
She’s now a mother. Married to a God fearing man. During the birth of her son her husband said a prayer over him and as he presented his son to her he said. “Dear Woman, here is your son!” and “Here is your mother!”
She learned a lot from her painful past. One of the most important lessons is the need of a Savior; it’s Only the Love of Jesus that enables us to release the things that have caused us pain and suffering. It’s Only the Love of Jesus that enables one to forgive.
It’s Only the Love of Jesus that teaches us how to truly Love! For there should be no fear in love!
With the bible as her guide she along with her husband will teach their son what love is and how to love the way Christ loves!