ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES

Have you ever seen a movie and it reminded you about something that happened in your life? In my case I was running from a movie that reminded me of my life 13 years ago. The movie was called ENOUGH and it starred Jennifer Lopez. Although I never killed my abuser the fact was that between the tender ages of 19-21 I was involved in a live-in domestic violence situation and something about this movie rang to close to home. The movie ENOUGH is about a woman who ends up marrying a guy that she thinks is her hero. She’s had a rough life, her mom died young and her dad abandoned them. And for a while it seemed like a dream. Sure there were red alarms with some things but for the most part she was happy, that is until she finds out her husband is having an affair and confronts him. Then the physical abuse begins. And it escalates to the point where she has to run with her daughter or lose her life. 

My situation didn’t involve a husband or a child, just a boyfriend. But the abuse was real. I remember feeling so alone and so hopeless. Like I was drowning in slow motion and the people around me could see me but no one noticed my pain. I would go to work and school and hide the bruises, most of the time he hit me where my clothes would cover.  There is a shame involved with domestic violence that blinds you to hope and unless you have looked at yourself in the mirror after being abused and wondered, “What’s wrong with me?” “Where did I go wrong?” “How did I let it get to this point?” “I wish I would die….anything is better than this.” At the end of the movie a police officer comes up to Jennifer Lopez’s character and tells her, “You were one of the lucky ones”.  About 1,400 women die each year because of domestic violence in America.  One of the lucky ones, I am one.

Domestic violence doesn’t begin with violence. It begins when the abuser tears about the victims self-esteem and makes them get to the point where the victim actually believes that they deserve the abuse. It’s all a lie!  The truth is that God sees you for who you really are:

·         John 1:12 I am God's child.
Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God

• Ephesians 3:12 I may approach God with freedom and confidence.
  In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.
• Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.
  I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

What I learned after watching this movie was to stop running from things that remind me of my past. The truth of the situation is that God was watching over me and He got me out of a dangerous situation. And the Bible says that He is the same; yesterday, today and forever. He made me lucky one and since He doesn’t change He can do that same for you.