By:
On:
In: Abuse, Family and Friends

This one is especially for folks who experienced sexual harassment from family members as kids. I’ve been adopted into the family of God out of an abusive family culture where the preferred weapons were words. One of my male relations, we’ll call him Henry to protect the guilty, liked to use sexual words no one should ever hear from a relation. I believe he only pulled this stuff while drunk. The farthest Henry ever took it was the time he groped my breast briefly—and I slapped him hard. When I told a therapist about this stuff in detail, the therapist took it far more seriouslyRead More →

By:
On:
In: Abuse, Children, God's love

Since the introduction to this blog’s new series referenced the fact I’m a child abuse survivor, I should start there even though I’m “done” talking about that. Since I didn’t have those talks with you, through a long, difficult, painful process, God’s squeezed about every drop of bitterness out of me. Though, we’re probably still working on the toxic feelings I’ve misdirected towards myself. Whether I’ve forgiven my abusers depends on whether forgiveness is compatible with staying out of their drama when I’m not yet strong enough to be in relationship with them without getting drawn into it and it pulling me down spiritually. Christ,Read More →

By:
On:
In: Notices, Prayer and Devotions

For quite sometime, I’ve had serious blogger’s block that is negatively impacting other areas and I’ve finally figured out why. God had called me to break my personal rules of being professional. Note I’ve been defining being professional defined as presenting one’s self as an expert who is perfect, has it all together, with no problems, weaknesses, or struggles. That is, to risk being vulnerable in public, making people uncomfortable, and destroying my reputation by losing people’s respect. In other words, my rules of professionalism look a lot like the rules of an abusive family on keeping silence on the abuse and presenting yourself andRead More →

By:
On:
In: Dreams and Spiritual Warfare

> I am 19 years old and was brought up as a Christian. I’ve sort of back > slidden away from my faith since I’ve started university and working, > and I think this has resulted in spiritual attacks. Between one and four > nights a week, I have bad nightmares and night terrors, sometimes they > feel like I am physically fighting with a presence. It’s really > starting to effect me now more frustration than fear as I’m not getting > good quality sleep. When I wake up from these nightmares I often sense > a weird feeling in the room and haveRead More →

By:
On:
In: Abuse, Bible and Theology, Dreams and Spiritual Warfare, Idols, Legalism, Morality, Post-Modernism, Sin and Holiness, Suffering

Dear Andrea, Some fellow Christians I know and love have said critical things about Christians having their own “Christianese” language, their own books and movies,  their own methods for finding a spouse, etc. They accuse fellow believers who try to live according to the Word and defy the ways of our secular culture of living in a bubble and can be so harsh and condemning. It is hurtful and confusing when Christians say such things. What should I do? Yours, Gentle Reader Dear Gentle Reader, Christians having their own Christian culture isn’t wrong. In fact, the Bible says we are a holy nation, citizens ofRead More →