The Journey with the Survivor

Streets look different when ministering to victims of sexual and domestic violence or any other type of abuse.

The streets are almost dark; it is not the main street where everyone walks. The paths are down the back roads of life. They curve around the corner to a Monstrous Alley, and there is no way out to an accepted form of living. The street of Belief changes its name often. The road called Foundation is false and caves at any given moment. The street of Disbelief plagues the heart. Hope disappeared a long, long time ago. And the church. Well, its name is very different from when they grew up. The church is now called “God He Doesn’t Care,” and the membership is high. Many survivors live on the Avenue of Cold and Hard at the corner of Bitter Alley.

The outcome is a new story,

I write this brief story to encourage you as you walk with a survivor. Remember by the time you engage them in recovery you will walk this same walk as they begin to tell you their story. I want you to prepare yourself for the journey and the honor it is to walk with a survivor. You will help them find

• A new story
• Identify and replace old habits and patterns created because of the abuse
• Discover and understand triggers
• Safety and what it means to them

And so much more. One of your crucial roles is to be a WITNESS and a LISTENER to the change which I found was critical to my own recovery. I will write more about this year.

Found in Thoughts In Solitude by Thomas Merton  (1958)

“My Lord God I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.

But I believe that my desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope that I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it.

Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.” 

“Violence is not completely fatal until it ceases to disturb us.” 
― Thomas Merton, Thoughts in Solitude

My best to you throughout 2019!

Serving at the pleasure of God!