"BREAKING FREE"

The following is an account of a woman who suffered abuse and hurt in her childhood, but through the grace of God and help from others, she now ministers to hurting people. Here is her story:

Any hurt I may have experienced, I have found that in God’s Word, there is full redemption. The Lord has given me compassion for hurting people because I was a hurting person.

I was born to a teenage mom who raised me the best she could. My parents divorced when I was very young and my mom married my stepfather who was a very harsh man. He tried to love me like his own, but the love was just not there.

I lived in a time when drugs and abuse was commonplace, and I was constantly told if I didn’t like it, I could leave. I was left many times with a family member who abused me more times than I care to count. All I could think about was that the one who was supposed to love me the most was the very one who abused me. So, as a young child, I had no self-respect nor self esteem.

At the age of 14, I found myself thrown into womanhood. At a time when young girls should be going to football games, shaking pom-poms, and being the apple of their daddy’s eye, I felt like an ugly duckling. I felt betrayed, scared, and alone. I tried to tell my mom and stepfather what had happened to me, but they did not believe me.

I left school at age 15, and though I did not seek a homeless shelter, I lived with people I knew nothing about and in some of the darkest places on this earth. I know now that my life, even then, is a miracle from God.

At age 16, I met my husband, who came from a "leave it to beaver" type of family. They loved and respected one another and were very close knit. I often wondered that after they heard my story, if they could ever accept me. I learned very quickly that God had a plan for my life even then.

Instead of rejecting me, they opened their hearts, and took me in. His mom cooked for me, invited me to her gatherings, took me shopping, and made me feel like a part of the family.

Many would say that after that I lived happily ever after, but that is far from the truth. I became a professional performer. I could clean up and talk with the best of them, but inwardly, I was dying inside.

One day I attended a Methodist church. I walked in one way and walked out a totally new creature. But it did not last.

After the joy of praise was over, I found myself back in the pit of despair. I sought counseling to get to the root of the problem and benefited from it, but I still was not completely delivered.

It was not until I met Beth Jones and read her book, "Breaking Free" that I received total freedom. Through her, God did a radical thing within me. I now teach others and share my story that total freedom and deliverance comes only from a loving Father.

Even though your natural father may discourage and disappoint, God will never leave nor forsake you. Through "Breaking Free", God uncovered the depths of my despair and gave me a new start. So, "if you find yourself in the pits of despair and this young woman’s life reminds you of your own, remember what the psalmist says; " God is at the end of the pit waiting to incline his ear unto you, for he loves you right where you are." In closing, the author shared five benefits of breaking free that I would like to pass on to you. They are:

By: Travestine Wright