What If I Told You.....Part 1

What if I told you about a girl I know.....22 years young with her whole life ahead of her. A recent college graduate, she attends church regularly and loves the Lord with all of her heart. She was married on June 30th, days after graduation. Protected her entire life by a loving family, can you imagine her surprise when she was turned across the knee of her new husband and spanked hard? His reason: "You have been spoiled your whole life and it is time for things to change." The horror she must have felt. The abuse continued and even escalated as time passed. She tried to run away, but her attempts were not successful for many reasons, so she decided to retreat into a secret place she created for herself. A safe place. In this place, she shared her fears and anxieties with only One person. Her Father. The only real Father any believer has. And He listened.

Some days were better than others, because some days her husband chose not to say hurtful things. Some days he didn't push her, pull her hair, threaten her, or hit her. In fact, some days things went fairly well and she hoped her prayers were being answered. Finally. But then the pattern would continue. For years.

What if I told you this 22 year old became a mother when she was 26? I am sure you would be surprised to learn her husband threatened to kick her in the stomach and kill both she and the unborn child when she was almost due to deliver. He didn't, because she gave him what he wanted. A ridiculous request he made, but she honored it. On the day of the delivery, something inside this young mother changed. Perhaps it was hormonal, or maybe it was maternal instinct that she had never known before this time. Whatever it was, it rose up in her and caused her to hate her husband. She decided on that day that she would never allow him to hurt their son.

Two months passed, and with each passing day the love between mother and child grew deeper and deeper. The abuse continued. "One day I will tie you up and run away with him....you will never see him again." You can imagine, as I can, how her heart must have been torn in two. Her upbringing reminded her and taunted her: "Divorce is wrong". However, her instinct screamed at her to protect the young child. So she obeyed her instinct and prayed that God would forgive her for being a disappointment to Him.

When she had her next opportunity to escape from her husband, the mother packed up her small infant child and ran away. Heart thumping madly in her chest, hands shaking with terror, she scooped up her precious baby and fled. She promised she would never go back, and she didn't. But this is only the beginning of the story......