27/07/2022
Because I was sexually abused by a religious elder, I've been able to minister to others like me--girls r***d by priests, boys abused by clerics. Some of them ran away from God. They hated the Church. They didn't want to have anything to do with God.
But for some reason, I did the exact opposite. A growing desire flickered in my heart: If my abuser was a false religious leader, I wanted to be the spiritual leader who served God with integrity. With purity of heart.
For the past forty years, this desire burned within me. Yes, my leader hurt me. But I will heal people. My leader was a fake. I am going to be real.
By the way, recently, I met my abuser again. And when he saw me, the first thing he told me was, "I'm sorry. Please forgive me? I held his hand and told him, "I forgave you a long time ago."
God has healed my wounds. And my scars? I show them with pride.
Let me end with these words: Don't be ashamed to show your scars to others. For it is through your scars that people will see God.
Because God is in your scars.
—-excerpt from “God, Why Does It Hurt?” by Bro. Bo Sanchez.
Read a FREE chapter at:
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