Learning to connect with others who have had similar stories, other survivors.

Begin to seek out help and start reading books that can really help you to see how there are so many others experiencing the same things you are or have experienced.

Last week we looked at current behavior patterns, tracing them back to their origin, and to begin implementing practical steps to change.   Once a child is violated every decision you make from that point on usually points back to some effect of what happened to you when your whole being was violated, spirit, soul and body.

Once we have done this it is so important to realize we are not alone.

Remember, and I will keep repeating this fact because it is so important….we are spirit, we have a soul, which is our mind, will, and emotions, and we live in a body.  Our spirit is alive unto God and we have a new heart the moment we receive Christ and His death, burial, and resurrection.  We know we are heading to Heaven.   Our hearts are pure before God because when He looks at us He sees Jesus and Jesus paid the price for our freedom in the here and now!!

Our souls however, have to be renewed to what God says about us, –over what we have believed all of our lives from what happened to us and from what we heard in our minds.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

Incest and molestation are intertwined, insidious patterns that travel down through generations in families.  The only way this pattern or “curse” can be broken is through exposure and bringing the darkness it instills in our souls into the light.  The power of the “secret” has to be broken.

We know in our spirits that we were created for relationships.  God has wired in our very nature to be connected to his family…..so we keep searching for connection but allow fear of someone finding us out to hold us back.    We want people with wisdom with whom we can share the joys and hurts of our journey and we really don’t want to walk alone, even when many of us do.

When Paul said in Hebrews to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together, he is talking about the importance of realizing that we were never meant to be an island unto ourselves.  We were meant to gather with other people of like mind because that is how we grow…Jesus said if there are only 2 or 3 of us there He is in our midst.  He delights in our conversations when we have Him in common.   We grow from one another.  It is about practicing His kingdom in our every day living, every hour of the day, and finding like minded believers we can connect with in any place.  We are the church, if we know Jesus…His body.  Wherever we meet with other believers we are having church because that is who we are.

Don’t be afraid to tell someone of what happened to you.  The pain, embarrassment, shame, anger, ….it will get better, I promise you as you begin to take those baby steps to change your life.  You have the power to do this folks!!  Because it is not in your own power but it His power that He freely gives to you.  But just knowing that and not moving on it doesn’t help.  You have to reach down on the inside of yourself and allow Him to give you courage to start moving in this healing process.

For more information about Dixie’s ministry, visit  www.ReflectionsOfGraceHome.com