An inspiring memoir about choices; some good, some not so good. This is the story of an adult's mistakes, poor choices and circumstances that developed into a series of major physical, financial and emotional losses. Her story of triumph shows incredible strength and tenacity, as well as sheer determination to become successful against all odds.

ABUSE IS UGLY. IT IS ALWAYS WRONG. IT IS NEVER PART OF GOD'S DESIGN FOR HEALTHY FAMILY LIVING. IT DISTORTS RELATIONSHIPS AND SHATTERS DREAMS. IT CREATES PAIN AND DESPAIR. IT NEVER PRODUCES HOPE. YOU KNOW THIS ALL TOO WELL - THAT'S WHY YOU'VE PICKED UP THIS BOOK. Nancy Nason-Clark and Catherine Clark Kroeger know the pain of women who have been abused, especially the unique pain of Christian women who thought it couldn't happen to them. In this straightforward, practical book they supply the answer to the questions you face: How do I know I need help? How much of my story should I tell? Where do I find spiritual support as a victim of abuse? What help can I find in the community? How do I get started on the healing journey? What key steps will I need to take to get on with my life? How can I understand what help my abuser needs? How do I learn to trust God again? Their advice is solid, backed up by Nason-Clark's professional expertise as a sociologist and Kroeger's as a biblical scholar. Together they supply both here-and-now, step-by-step advice you need to start the healing journey and biblical insights to nourish your soul and sustain you on the path to wholeness.

When all seems lost, where can you find hope? Katherine and Jay Wolf married right after college and sought adventure far from home in Los Angeles, CA. As they pursued their dreams--she as a model and he as a lawyer--they planted their lives in the city and their church community. Their son, James, came along unexpectedly in the fall of 2007, and just six months later, everything changed in a moment for this young family. On April 21, 2008, as James slept in the other room, Katherine collapsed, suffering a massive brain stem stroke without warning. Miraculously, Jay came home in time and called for help. Katherine was immediately rushed into brain surgery, though her chance of survival was slim. As the sun rose the next morning, the surgeon proclaimed that Katherine had survived the removal of part of her brain, though her future recovery was uncertain. Yet in that moment, there was a spark of hope. Through forty days on life support in the ICU and nearly two years in full-time brain rehab, that small spark of hope was fanned into flame. Hope Heals documents Katherine and Jay's journey as they struggled to regain Katherine's quality of life and as she relearned to talk, eat, and walk. As Katherine returned home with a severely disabled body but a completely renewed purpose, she and Jay committed to celebrating this gift of a second chance by embracing life fully, even though that life looked very different than they could have ever imagined. As you uncover Katherine and Jay's remarkable story, you'll be encouraged to: Find lasting hope in the midst of struggle Embrace the unexpected Welcome God's miracles into your everyday life In the midst of continuing hardships, both in body and mind, Katherine and Jay found what we all long to find: a hope that heals the most broken place--our souls. Let Hope Heals be your guide along the way. Praise for Hope Heals: "As I read this book, tears streamed from my eyes even as joy flooded my heart. Jay and Katherine are a raw yet refreshing testimony to the unshakable trustworthiness of God amidst the unimaginable trials of life. This book reminds all of us where hope can be found in a world where none of us know what the next day holds." --David Platt, author of the New York Times bestseller Radical and president of the International Mission Board "Hope Heals is a beautiful, true story that illustrates the love and protection God has for us even in the darkest times of our lives. Katherine and Jay's dedication to each other and the Lord through their most devastating season is inspiring. This book will help your heart believe that He sees, He knows, He cares, and He is still working miracles today!" --Lysa TerKeurst, New York Times bestselling author and president of Proverbs 31 Ministries

Every day, everywhere, women like Rose face not only the danger and torment of domestic violence, they struggle with their faith and often receive inaccurate messages from a well-meaning church community. As a Christian woman enduring physical abuse from her husband, Rose Saad heard conflicting advice from her faith community. Here, Rose intertwines her own experiences with those of other abused women within the church to offer a much-needed guide for the abused Christian woman and her supporters. If you are asking, "Why is my husband abusing me? Has God abandoned me? Do I have faith"? this book will provide: courage and clarity understanding of the Bible verses that have you locked in a spiritual dilemma peace with your decision to break free If you're in an abused woman's support network, "A Path to Hope" will grant you new understanding of: the abused woman's behaviors why she thinks the way she does her spiritual struggles her needs as she pursues help You "can" move from abuse to freedom by applying His truth to your situation. There is "A Path to Hope." "A valuable contribution to an important cultural conversation." -Rev. Zeke Wharton, Past President, Interfaith Community Against Domestic Violence "A courageous book. . . . It's time for the church to wade into these deep waters and offer abuse victims the protection they deserve." -Steven D. Brand, MSW/MPH, LCSW, ACSW Bio Rose Saad, RN, is a Christian survivor of a physically abusive marriage. She speaks publicly on the topic of domestic violence while pursuing her master's in pastoral counseling. Rose resides in Maryland."

Kim Meeder has seen horses go where no one else can tread - stepping through the minefield of a broken child's soul in a dance of trust that only God can understand. From a mistreated horse to an emotionally starved child and back again, a torrent of love washes away their barren places. Kim's ranch is a place where this miracle happens over and over again. It is a place where the impossible flourishes, where dreams survive the inferno of reality - a place where hope rises. Where Wounded Spirits Run Free Follow a horse where no one else can tread, through the minefield of pain that surrounds a broken child’s soul. From a mistreated horse to an emotionally starved child and back again, a torrent of love revives their barren places. In the presence of unconditional love, a mute girl speaks for the first time. A defiant teenager teaches a horse to trust again...and opens his own heart to love. A rescued horse gives a dying man his last wish. A battered girl finds love and protection in the friendship of a battered horse... Come visit a place where the impossible flourishes, where dreams survive the inferno of reality—a place where hope rises.

Nason-Clark's sociological research reveals how churches and secular organizations have responded - sometimes with assistance, sometimes not - to victims of violence in their midst and how their response could be more effective. By exploring the relationship between violence and Christians' response to it from various perspectives - those of victim, clergy, congregation - this book ultimately encourages a pastoral assistance that reduces violence in the world and helps victims find the inner strength to leave their gardens.

Men who act abusively have their own story to tell, a journey that often begins in childhood, ripens in their teenage years, and takes them down paths they were hoping to never travel. Men Who Batter recounts the journey from the point of view of the men themselves. The men's accounts of their lives are told within a broader framework of the agency where they have attended groups, and the regional coordinated community response to domestic violence, which includes the criminal justice workers (e.g., probation, parole, judges), and those who staff shelters and work in advocacy. Based on interview data with this wide array of professionals, we are able to examine how one community, in one western state, responds to men who batter. Interwoven with this rich and colorful portrayal of the journey of abusive men, we bring twenty years of fieldwork with survivors and those who walk alongside them as they seek safety, healing and wholeness for themselves and their children. Women who have been victimized by the men they love often hold out hope that, if only their abusers could be held accountable and receive intervention, the violence will stop and their own lives will improve dramatically as a result. While the main purpose of Men Who Batter is to highlight the stories of men, told from their personal point of view, it is countered by reality checks from their own case files and those professionals who have worked with them. And finally, interspersed within its pages is another theme: finding religious faith or spiritual activity in unlikely places.

This provocative book presents a strengths-based framework that challenges negative stereotypes about battered women. The volume also outlines ways to improve research, risk assessment, and safety planning.

Whether caused by words, actions, or even indifference, emotional abuse is common--yet often overlooked. This helpful guide reveals how those who have been abused by a spouse, parent, employer, or minister can overcome the past and rebuild their self-image. It includes •strategies for dealing with the verbal abuser •self-check quizzes with each chapter •keys to rebuilding relationships •letters from survivors of emotional abuse •help dealing with spiritual abuse •a biblical plan for healing

She was only eighteen years old when she first tasted the blood of violence. She was a young mother, tired of the abuse and constantly on the run, escaping the raging fists of her husband, the man she once loved and trusted. Betrayal of his promises, the beatings, and a near-death experience brought her to find refuge behind a police badge. Her chilling and shattering details of abuse take you on a long journey where she finally ends the family violence and becomes a cop. Based on a true story, Aileen Christine takes you back into the early 1970s when most police were reluctant to make an arrest during a domestic violence call.