| I was born into a family of child abuse. To complicate | | | | should have destroyed me, God has turned into a |
| matters further, I was a preacher's kid. My mother, | | | | chance for Christian Ministry. In retrospect, I see |
| herself a victim of child abuse, had no healthy coping | | | | numerous times where God supernaturally intervened |
| skills. She treated me like she had been treated, and I, | | | | to protect me. He hadn't left me at all. |
| a child with ADD, gave her ample opportunity to vent | | | | He brought surrogate mothers into my life at four |
| her frustration on me. | | | | critical junctures in my life, and they gave me what my |
| My life, even after growing up and leaving the | | | | birth mother could not. Even before I was born, God |
| parsonage, was filled with crisis, self-destructive | | | | had made provision for me, and as usual, His timing |
| behavior, and the inability to reconcile God's alleged | | | | was perfect. In the midst of my own pain, I had lost |
| love for me with allowing me to be born into a family | | | | sight of the sovereignty of God. Fortunately, God |
| where I would be severely abused. I had known Jesus | | | | remembered that He has all things in His control, and |
| as a child, and I had loved Him. I accepted him as my | | | | He never lost sight of the plan He had for my life. No, |
| Savior, and to me, that meant He would save me from | | | | He never blinked. |
| further abuse. When the abuse didn't stop, I lost faith | | | | "Thank you, Lord, for who You are: the same God |
| not in His ability to save, but in His willingness to save | | | | who planned the lives of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, |
| me. | | | | and all of Your other children. Let me never forget that |
| Now, after years of Christian recovery, I am convinced | | | | You see the whole picture from beginning to end, while |
| that God never blinks. | | | | I see only in part. Let me remember: it's not over until |
| He placed me where He wanted me. While I don't | | | | You say it's over. |
| believe He condoned the abuse, I do know what | | | | |