Here I am with Rashida Gittens, who shared the platform with me yesterday at Good Shepherd.
We shared the time and space because the “Elephant Naming” service in the Mad People Disease series was all about domestic violence.
Something Rashida knows about personally. From experience.
In an interview format, she shared her story in a way that moved from gut-wrenching to hand-raising, from despair to hope, and, most importantly, from victim to victor.
Along the way she shared some nuggets with the women and men of our church that I believe will have a profound impact on lives and homes for years to come.
I thought being abused was normal because that’s what I grew up in.
For a short time, I thought it was my job to make him better.
Everything changed when I heard God say, “I know all your mess . . . and I died for you anyway.”
I just claimed that the blood of Jesus was stronger than all the lies my abuser was telling me.
I got my Associates, my Bachelor’s, my Master’s, and I’ll shortly get my Ph.D.
Elephant named. Abuse acknowledged. Freedom delivered.