He stole every ounce of potential from me. But I am getting it back! I have the potential to do GREAT things in my life & I will! He stole my self worth. For too long I hated myself & felt like I wasn’t worth investing in, but I see now that I am! I see now that I have always been worth more in God’s eyes. I am worth more than any price, much higher than rubies and pearls! He stole my sense of security. I am secure knowing that God is in control! In essence he killed me. He killed my spirit to make me feel as weak & pathetic as himself. I see now that staying shackled by pain of my past I’ve let him regain control, NOT any longer! I’ve taken it back & placed the blame squarely on him, where it belongs!

He made me feel as though I am not worthy of anything. He caused such pain and hardship in mine and mom’s relationship, all so that he could molest me. He did this all so I could feel as lowly as he, people that have been hurt either eventually get to a place to work through it or like him, they work hard at bringing everyone around them down by putting them down.

I have carried the shame abuse with me every day of my life. I have kept it hidden because I didn’t want it to bring shame or guilt to the rest of the family. I hid it to protect my family. I never hid it to protect him. Now, I don’t have to hide it any longer. The shame is where it belongs, on him. It does & it is on him to shoulder, I don’t want to carry his pain, I can’t in order to survive!

Sexual abuse caused so much pain and a horror that will affect me the rest of my life. All the therapy in the world cannot change what has been done. The only thing therapy will do is help me cope with it, and help me to learn to live my life, in spite of the abuse. I am slowly finding my potential, self-esteem, self-love and self worth by breaking my silence. I am getting to know myself & I like the person I see, she is strong & won’t let anything or anyone hold her down! I wish I knew this person years ago, but she needed time. I am enjoying getting to know my true, wonderful self!

I will continue to tell people, if I can help just one person to speak out against wrong done to them, then I’ve done a lot! I will be silent no more! I will no longer be shackled to that secret; its out for all to know and that feels so good! I no longer want to give him the satisfaction of robbing me of happiness! Silence begets silence & hurts more than just one.

I fear…being single in a very couple emphasized world, friends that aren’t invested in Christ, family that refuses to see that their choices are what led them to where they are, family that let fear override their emotions & steal their joy. (My Grandmother & her husband constantly fear everything to the point they don’t do anything!) I also fear that I will never know my biological dad & that my mom & our relationship is over b/c of her reluctance to accept that she’s made choices that’s alienated me from her.

So, what are your fears?

In the New Testament we find similar passages. Romans 1, talks against sexual sin as ‘against nature’. He also talks about adultery, and an implied condemnation of other sins including child molestation. The writer of Hebrews says the marriage bed should be undefiled (Hebrews 13:4), which would include this as well as adultery and fornication. In Ephesians (6:4) and Colossians (3:21) Paul addresses parent-child relationships, which would also rule out incest.

The Bible is not a book of rules for each possible situation, but is a guideline for living in general. The summation of the Law and prophets, according to the rabbis including Jesus, is “love God with all your heart, and soul, and mind” and “love your neighbor as yourself.” If we constantly think of the best for God and others we won’t be involved in such harmful acts as child molestation.

The Bible may not specifically mention molestation, yet here are scriptures that would comply with the sexual deviancy of molestation.

1 Corinthians 5: 1,2 – It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that does not occur even among pagans: A man has his father’s wife.  (or molested his wife’s daughter.) And you are proud!  Shouldn’t you rather have been filled with grief and have put out of your fellowship the man who did this? 

The Bible is also clear the implications of offense to a child

Matt. 18:6 (NIV) - ⁶But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.

(KJV⁶But whoso shall offend one of these little ones, which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.)