I was listening to Pastor Ben Stuart preaching on Luke 7:36 Where a women with a bad reputation comes to a dinner party, risk’s the shame of what the people will think or say to her, to pour perfume on Jesus’s feet, thanking Him and worshiping Him for his forgiveness of her sins. I loved that the pastor described her as “risking shame”, it struck me as beautiful for a lot of reasons, but what felt personal to me in this story, is how every time I tell my survivor story I risk shame.

What is so hard about Sexual abuse and assault, is that even though NONE of it is the victims fault, you are left feeling the shame of it. I personally was in a prison of shame for many, many years and shame takes a toll on your soul and it’s a heavy weight to carry. What is so beautiful about the story above is that Jesus took her shame and He took mine, and as the pastor perfectly described “turned our ugly things into something beautiful.”

Because of Jesus graciously freeing me from the shame and silence of my abuse, I’m able to tell my story in the hopes that it brings other survivors out of their silence and encourages them that healing is possible.

Survivor, you are not alone, I know the shame you are risking every time you share your story and I know how incredibly brave and hard that is to do.