Crazy Craze

The whole world seems to be falling apart.  The news is so bad.

Ferguson MO is on fire, a man who had sex with his step daughter since she was six, forced her to have an abortion at 13, armed robbery, men, women and children are being executed by ISIS, the President is partying, lawlessness and disrespect is all around us. These are just the tip of the iceberg.

It makes my head spin.  How can this be the world we live in?

There are good stories though and even in the bad stories there are often good endings.  My story started out so bad.  My mom was a young 15 year old who was brutally raped and thoroughly humiliated walking home from a date.  It was so bad she didn’t speak of it for two years.  She’d rather let people think she was promiscuous than recount the event when she found out she was pregnant.

Under social pressure she married the boy, thinking it would get better, but it was worse.  They never laid down together normally.  After two years of being attacked and violated, she was pregnant again.  She told her mom that if she didn’t take her in, she would kill herself. She had no thought that he would abuse small children.  He did unspeakable things to my sister and me for many years.

Then, when I was molested by an uncle from the other side of the family, I went off the deep end.  Trafficked for almost four years, beaten, kidnapped, raped, and involved in other criminal activity, I too got pregnant.  The man who bought me told me to abort or die.  I chose to lie.  I faked an abortion.  He believed I had don it and let me go.  Saving my baby saved my life.

I promised God that I would bring her up in the fear and admonition of the Lord. I did.  I married a wonderful man and we now have five grown children. All of whom have served in ministry of one sort or another. All are really great people.  They have their own lives.  They work.  They are respectful and kind.  They are small business owners and employees, a mom.  I have two grandchildren who are learning to be kind and respectful as well.

No life is easy.  Everyone has their stuff.  I thank God for all the things he brought me through.  I pray for those that are going through now.  The Scripture tells us that He will bring us through the fire and the flood.  Neither of those things are pleasant. Neither is easy.

I cannot even imagine being in the middle east right now, nor would I prefer Ferguson or the next place to implode.  I will scan the news and pray for the people going through and hope they make it to the other side. For the child of abuse, the trafficked, the tormented, the warn, those pursued and those drawn toward the death.  I pray.  God, in Your great mercy, please intervene. Please make Yourself known, rescue, restore and redeem, in the Most Holy Name of Jesus.

I will speak out.  I will help, when I can.  I will continue to promote peace. What will you do?