There is hope! Regardless of what you have done in the past, where you have come from, or what has been done to you, it is not too late to find peace, joy, love, and fulfillment. I understand it might feel impossible to you right now, but I promise you, it is not too late…there is hope!
You are not alone! One of the most challenging things about trauma is that it can cause you to feel alone in your pain. For much of my life I felt alone, misunderstood, and confused about how to break free from the unhappy life I continuously found myself in. One of the things that has helped me find hope and healing is connecting with people who have experienced similar pain, but who have somehow found a way through it. My desire, as I share with you about the lessons I have learned, is that you will realize that you are not alone.
A little about me… I am an abuse survivor with PTSD. But that is not my identity – that is just part of the amazing story that has shaped my life. My abusive father abandoned our family when I was two, and my young alcoholic mother struggled to care for me and my siblings. I ended up living on my own by age fourteen. I dropped out of high school to work full time, and I (subconsciously) followed in the footsteps of my parents, becoming a young mother myself and doing all that I could to fill the pain inside of me with all the wrong things. In my pursuit of love and “normal,” I ended up in a long-term abusive relationship and I had no idea how to escape the only way of life that I knew. Years of trauma and pain took a toll on my self-esteem, and I often struggled with depression, anxiety, and feelings of hopelessness.
Fast forward to today, after years of pursuing growth, I can honestly say to you that there is truly hope for healing and change. In the past ten years, I earned a Bachelors in Psychology from ASU and a Master of Education from USD, I started and run a school for children with learning challenges (my dream job), I broke free from the abusive relationship I was in (you can read more about that here - The Mend Project Testimonial - posted under my middle name, Lyn) and I am now married to a man who is kind and gentle – my best friend! Of course, life still has its ups and downs, but I have overcome the majority of my PTSD symptoms and my days are filled with peace and joy.
Why this blog... Jesus said, “broad is the road that leads to destruction…narrow is the road that leads to life (Matthew 7).” My heart longs for the narrow road, and this blog is meant to be a place to share about the lessons I have learned (I am still learning) along the way. I have no fancy words or quick-fix remedies, but perhaps as I share about my journey – the pain, the mistakes, the triumphs, the healing – it will bring you comfort and encouragement as you, too, stumble along the narrow road.