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Abuse Among Professing Christians

About the Author

Wanda Boone resides in Durham, North Carolina with her husband of 32 years,  Earl Boone.  The Boones are the Sr. Pastors of At His Feet Ministries International.

Wanda has taught and preached the Word of God under a prophetic anointing since 1982 and is an invited guest speaker on topics pertaining to all aspects of the Word of God including; the Christian Family, Marriage, Spiritual Gifts, Deliverance and Prayer.  Wanda has authored several books.  She has a mandate on her life to reveal Christ in all of His Glory and to show forth the true nature of God in her daily lifestyle.  Her highest goal is to bring the reality of our awesome God into the everyday life of the Believer.

HEALING AFTER ABUSE

By Wanda Boone

The number of adults who live emotionally crippled lives due to child abuse is unknown.  Many adults are unable to fully enjoy the abundant life in Christ promised to them because of childhood trauma.  Christians raise their hands outwardly in worship to God but are broken and cast down in heart.

Onlookers would not believe the hidden secrets of my life.  This did not happen in the model two-parent home, nestled in the affluent neighborhood in which I was raised.  I learned to hide the horrible truth behind a dimpled smile and glistening eyes  But when left alone I was flooded with the reality of my brokenness.

According to statistics an estimated 3,244,000 children were reported to Child Protective Services (CPS) agencies as alleged victims of child maltreatment.  Child abuse reports have maintained a steady growth for the past ten years, with the total number of reports nationwide increasing 45% since 1987 (Nation Committee for the Prevention of Child Abuse (NCPCA) 2000 Annual Fifty State Survey).  Neglect represents the most common type of reported and substantiated form of maltreatment.  In 1996, the following breakdown was provided for reported cases: 62% involved neglect, 25% physical abuse, 7% sexual abuse, 3% emotional maltreatment and 4% other.  (NCPCA's 1996 Annual Fifty State Survey).

The U.S. Advisory Board reported that near fatal abuse and neglect each year leave "18,000 permanently disabled children, tens of thousands of victims overwhelmed by lifelong psychological trauma, thousands of traumatized siblings and family members, and thousands of near-death survivors who, as adults, continue to bear the physical and psychological scars.  Some may turn to crime or domestic violence or become abusers themselves (U.S. Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect, 1995 report, A National's Shame.)"

These anointed, yet crippled Christians fill our choir stands, our pulpits and our pews, waiting for their prison doors to swing open that they might be set free to dream again, to live again and to love again.

As I look back on my life, I wonder how this could have happened to such a sweet little girl.  By age seven, I had been verbally and sexually abused.  By age ten, I had been threatened with guns.  By age fourteen I had attempted suicide twice.  By age fifteen my self-confidence was shattered.  By age nineteen I had been thrown to the floor and choked.  I was expected rise from the repeated violence without a wound and without a word.

I met Jesus when I was twenty years old.  I loved the concept of God from the time that I was a little girl.  It was easy to love Him.  He was a male figure that lived far, far away.  As long as He remained a concept I was safe.  The predictable end of my story is that as soon as I met Jesus Christ and became thoroughly committed to Him, the pain stopped, the memories vanished and that was the end of the matter.  No, there was work, discipline and determination involved. 

First, take the Word of God by faith, believing that God wants to, and will deliver you. 

Isaiah 41:10 Fear not, [there is nothing to fear], for I am with you; do not look around you in terror and be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen and harden you to difficulties, yes, I will help you; yes, I will hold you up and retain you with My [victorious] right hand of rightness and justice.  (Amplified Bible)

Second, you must want to be delivered.  It is necessary to search yourself and be brutally honest.  Is it convenient to use my past as an excuse for my present fear of relationship, fear of commitment and fear of failure?

John 8: 36 So if the Son liberates you [makes you free men], then you are really and unquestionably free. (Amplified Bible)

Third, identify the enemy.  It is not your attacker.  Place the blame squarely at the feet of the enemy, the devil.

John 10:10 The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy.  I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows). (Amplified Bible)

God will take the unrecognizable splinters and remnants of your life and mold you into His image just as He did for me.  I learned to love Him intensely.   But it was not over yet.  Way down in the depths of my being, I harbored a gnawing hatred and bitterness for the perpetrator.  There was an unseen snarl behind my smile.  I confessed that I did not have any issues, trusting that my neglect would cause the memory of the perpetrator to disappear.  But there was a scripture that sprung up before my eyes.  The scripture was relentless in pinpointing my exact spiritual and emotional location. 

Mark 11: 25 And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him and let it drop (leave it, let it go), in order that your Father Who is in heaven may also forgive you your [own] failings and shortcomings and let them drop. 

I squirmed and fought against those words.  God really expected me to forgive this man? Yes, he assured me, if I indeed wanted to be forgiven.  God told me to forgive.  In response to God's command, I gave a feeble, "I forgive him, Lord, in Jesus' name".  Forgiveness has little to do with emotion, but much to do with faith and sincerity.  I was not sincere and exercised no faith.  When I realized that I did not want anyone to go to hell for eternity, regardless of their actions, I was able to truly forgive.  Something changed in me.  I could no longer be held captive by the haunting memories of my childhood.  I was free from my prison cell.   May the doors of your prison open before you to reveal your abundant life and destiny.

(c) copyright Pastor Wanda Boone, AHFMI 2003

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