Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence (IPV), has been broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation. Domestic violence, so defined, has many forms, including physical aggression (hitting, kicking, biting, shoving, restraining, slapping, throwing objects), or threats thereof; sexual abuse; emotional abuse; controlling or domineering; intimidation; stalking; passive/covert abuse (e.g., neglect); and economic deprivation. Alcohol consumption and mental illness can be co-morbid with abuse, and present additional challenges when present alongside patterns of abuse (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domestic_violence, accessed November 9, 2011).
“He Comforts us every time we have trouble, so when others have trouble, we can comfort them
2 Corinthians 1:4”.
Introduction
I am writing this book to comfort my sisters in Christ whose voices have been marginalized or silenced due to our church relationship that may have prohibited us from telling our stories. I am writing my story so that it may be a comfort to my sister in Christ that feel it is inappropriate for her to “out” her husband’s verbal and physical abuse she receives at the hands of the man of God.
I am writing my story because the Holy Spirit has revealed to me that my experience, with my estranged husband, is NOT my first experience with domestic and verbal violence. I have come to realize I have spent a lifetime in such relationships.
This writing shall analyse my life growing up in sexual exploitation, verbal and phsycial abuse that I endured at the hands of entrusted children and adults. I am also going to consider how it transferred into my relationship choices along with my concluding volitle relationship with the man I married on August 15, 2009, I call “Negro.”
This book is not to embarrasse or place jugement. The Word of God informs me that it is not my place to pass judgement on no one, "Do not judge others, and you will not be judged” (Matthew 7:1, Holy Bible, New Living Translation (©2007). Instead this book is written as my journey into my “The WOW Factor,” which is my constant saying, “I’m never surprised of what God will do, but always awed of the magnitude in which HE does it.” It is only through Christ that I have the courage to air out my dirty laundry. It is because of His unchanging hands that I am doing so. Through Christ I am given the courage to speak out, because through Him, I can do all things because of the strength I receive through Him. I am prayerful that throughout these writing, you also identify locations for your WOW factor.
As you read these pages, allow yourself a chance to see through my lens. Allow yourself to draw from my God-given strength so that my story may comfort you, in your story. May this book encourage you to get out of your volitle situation; so that you may have the strength to say “Enough.” I am writing this book so that you may know that we serve a true and living God that is Love. His love is not violent. His love is not behaviors of violence that would destroy our being. I am writing my story because at the age of 57, I never thought for a moment that I would have to pick myself up from such a horrible experience and start all over again. I am writing my story so that I can heal and move forward. And I am writing my story so that you may write your story.
God’s Peace and Blessings Be Unto You,
LO
