I’m Afraid for You – Guest Post

Tags

abuse, Depression, domestic abuse, domestic violence, domestic violence abuse survivors, domestic violence awarenes, domestic violence help, escape plan, escape plan for domestic abuse survivors, escape route for survivors, poetry, survivors of abuse

I feel prompted to share with you all this amazing poetry from Diana Rasmussen.  When I read this it grabbed me and I realize how often we might ‘turn the other cheek’ on our ‘neighbors.’  I think about the three women who were recently rescued in Cleveland, OH and wonder how many moments occurred among neighbors that something ‘just didn’t seem right’?

God gave us all a gift – intuition and instinct.  Don’t let these gifts go to waste.  Learn to trust these gifts – they could save your life or others.  There is also a wonderful Safety Plan at the end of this post.

Blessings

Shannon

I’M AFRAID FOR YOUShe lived in the trailer right across the street

not much of a neighbor she kept to herself

When the sun went down the fights would start

noises travel in a trailer park

I went over one day with cookies in hand

saw the fear in her eyes

said I’m afraid for you

I heard what he called you last night

what he’s doing just isn’t right

My door’s always open anytime day or night

I’m afraid for you

That night he came home smelled something amiss

he started screaming and yelling

I heard punching fists

Afraid for my friend I called 911

it was time for this to be done

I’m afraid for you

I heard what he called you last night

what he’s doing just isn’t right

My door’s always open anytime day or night

I’m afraid for you

She stood in the driveway

blood on her white gown

cops took him away

when I said I’m afraid for you

I heard what he called you last night

what he’s doing just isn’t right

My door’s always open

anytime day or night

I’m afraid for you

Part of Diana’s Story:

“I have lived in abuse, years upon years, relationship upon relationship. I have been married – more than once, and I have been divorced – more than once, to abusive men. I have been to the shelters, time and again. I have had restraining orders, had them broken, and called the police again. I have been to court more times that I can count. I have fought for my children and their rights for child support. I had had 3 suicide attempts and thank you Lord, I did not succeed. I have been to the Mental Health Ward – more than once. I have gone to the counselors, taken the “happy pills” and lived in ‘la-la land” for months at a time. I have been treated for depression and at one time in my life, I did not get out of bed for 6 months.

I have laughed, I have cried, I have believed, and I have doubted. But through it all, God has been faithful. He has made a way for me and my children where there was no way. He has protected me and my children supernaturally, more than once. He has provided for us faithfully – oh the stories I could tell! He has restored my peace of mind. I am no longer taking any ‘happy pills’! I do not hear “the voices” in my head that used to scream things at me, or whisper and laugh at me.

I do not live in the land of shame and guilt anymore, I have changed addresses!

I am not that same person. I have lived free from fear and abuse for the last 8 years, and today I can say, because of Christ – I am free!

Thank you Jesus!

A few years back God even blessed me with a Godly husband, one who encourages and supports me.  We play praise music together every week at Church.  It is rather healthy I have ot say and I am forever grateful.  But I had to learn what healthy relationships were and to establish boundaries in my life.

Today, I do not live in fear. Today I am not a victim of abuse, I am a beloved daughter of the King. I am life that God touched, rescued, and changed. I know that God exists, He saved my soul from the pit,  He protected me and my children and I know He will do it for you too!”

Diana’s Bio 

Diana Rasmussen is a Music Minister, Blogger, Poetess, and Recording Artist who uses her gifts to shed light on the darkness of Domestic Violence. At the beginning of this year, God asked her to ‘quit playing Church’ and start to testify about what He had delivered her from. That was the beginning of Prayers and Promises.

Diana Rasmussen is a Soul Survivor, as many of you are too. Her songs focus on overcoming adversity, breaking free from domestic violence, and living beyond depression. Fans have called her songs, “haunting, powerful, and edgy”. Diana sounds like Annie Lennox and Bonnie Raitt, and there is a raw honesty about her lyrics. Diana has many TOP 10 AWARDS from Broadjam, Inc. in the Country, Folk, Jazz, and World Categories.

Currently Diana leads the Worship Team at Janesville Apostolic Ministries in Janesville, WI. She has been blessed to play with her husband Bob, and sing with many Anointed Singers. Diana has been a Music Minister for the last 20years in various churches, shelters, nursing homes, and community meals in the southern Wisconsin area.

To learn more about Diana go to her website:  http://dianarasmussen.com/

SAFETY PLAN

Where is God? (Healing in Poetry)

Tags

Abuse survivors, Child Abuse Prevention, healing after abuse, healing poetry, how to heal after tragedy, how to heal from abuse, overcoming abuse, overcoming tragedy, poetry, poetry for abuse survivors, Sexual Assault Awareness, Where is God in suffering, Where is God in Tragedy?, where is God?

One great gift I have in leading this ministry of healing is I receive the most heartfelt pieces of prose, poetry, personal stories, etc.

This weekend I ran into a woman I’d met quite a while back and she has been following the blog. She asked how I was doing, clearly understanding that this year is a one of endurance, growth and God’s extended grace. I gave her a genuine smile in response, “I’m two steps ahead most days and one step back at times but for the most part I am much much better.”

Her eyes reflected the feeling.  The following day I received an email from her that contained a numerous amount of inspired poetry. One poem boasted quite a title, “Where is God“.

Today I spoke to a thriver of abuse (not just survivor but a woman I will be using as a resource within the ministry who has overcome and now heals with Theophostic prayer) and she admitted to questioning where God was when we feel he’s abandoned us in the midst of evil. I remember crying out to God, “Don’t you care?!”

Makes you wonder why Christ on the cross cried out “My God, my God why have You abandoned me?” (Matthew 27:46) just before our redemption was sealed with his final breath.

God has clearly not abandoned us in the least. In fact he is so near he is within us, surrounding us, holding our eyes open, helping our heart to beat, our diaphragm to expand. He is sustaining us through the evil of another’s will and choice until we choose to recognize his presence and guidance in our lives. And then we learn to fight as righteous rather than victims.

What is your choice? It is our choice that lead us to inflict evil, walk away from evil, deflect evil and even love despite evil.

Where is God? He is in every thread of your being but you have to make a choice to see your true heritage.

Where is God

When you feel as if you cannot take another step

When crying is all you feel you have left

You ask where God is

He is in the tear drop that falls

Bathing and healing your soul.

 

When you have walked away from all of your beliefs

And feel that prayer is something you cannot say

He walks quietly beside you, though you may not see him

Youwill feel his grace in the strangest of ways

In the quiet of the night or walking across a floor

Past a stranger on the street who knows

The healing power of touch,a kind word, a smile

When you seem lost, afraid to step out and feel

Is when He holds yourhand and quietly leads you

 

The moments when you feel that you are alone

When there is no one near to hold you

And you fear that your prayers will not be heard

That is when your soulis held

The closest to His heart

Through the darkness you do not see and so often

It is then that you fail to look for the light within

A light given at birth, lasting till the end

When you feel that you cannot breathe, let alone take a step

And you feel thefrailness of your being

When you are afraid to see or chose not to believe

You ask where God was when my world crumbled within

 

It is then that the wonder of His grace may be felt

If you just take that breath, and make that step

For His grace is all around you, though you cannot see

When it seems as if there are no tomorrows that you can bear

That is when God is truly there

~ “C”

Blessings

Shannon

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I’m Afraid for You (Guest Post)

Tags

abuse, Depression, domestic violence, domestic violence help, escape plan, poetry

**From the vault**

I feel prompted to share with you all this amazing poetry from Diana Rasmussen.  When I read this it grabbed me and I realize how often we might ‘turn the other cheek’ on our ‘neighbors.’  I think about the three women who were recently rescued in Cleveland, OH and wonder how many moments occurred among neighbors that something ‘just didn’t seem right’?

God gave us all a gift – intuition and instinct.  Don’t let these gifts go to waste.  Learn to trust these gifts – they could save your life or others.  There is also a wonderful Safety Plan at the end of this post.

Blessings

Shannon

I’M AFRAID FOR YOUShe lived in the trailer right across the street

not much of a neighbor she kept to herself

When the sun went down the fights would start

noises travel in a trailer park

I went over one day with cookies in hand

saw the fear in her eyes

said I’m afraid for you

I heard what he called you last night

what he’s doing just isn’t right

My door’s always open anytime day or night

I’m afraid for you

That night he came home smelled something amiss

he started screaming and yelling

I heard punching fists

Afraid for my friend I called 911

it was time for this to be done

I’m afraid for you

I heard what he called you last night

what he’s doing just isn’t right

My door’s always open anytime day or night

I’m afraid for you

She stood in the driveway

blood on her white gown

cops took him away

when I said I’m afraid for you

I heard what he called you last night

what he’s doing just isn’t right

My door’s always open

anytime day or night

I’m afraid for you

Part of Diana’s Story:

“I have lived in abuse, years upon years, relationship upon relationship. I have been married – more than once, and I have been divorced – more than once, to abusive men. I have been to the shelters, time and again. I have had restraining orders, had them broken, and called the police again. I have been to court more times that I can count. I have fought for my children and their rights for child support. I had had 3 suicide attempts and thank you Lord, I did not succeed. I have been to the Mental Health Ward – more than once. I have gone to the counselors, taken the “happy pills” and lived in ‘la-la land” for months at a time. I have been treated for depression and at one time in my life, I did not get out of bed for 6 months.

I have laughed, I have cried, I have believed, and I have doubted. But through it all, God has been faithful. He has made a way for me and my children where there was no way. He has protected me and my children supernaturally, more than once. He has provided for us faithfully – oh the stories I could tell! He has restored my peace of mind. I am no longer taking any ‘happy pills’! I do not hear “the voices” in my head that used to scream things at me, or whisper and laugh at me.

I do not live in the land of shame and guilt anymore, I have changed addresses!

I am not that same person. I have lived free from fear and abuse for the last 8 years, and today I can say, because of Christ – I am free!

Thank you Jesus!

A few years back God even blessed me with a Godly husband, one who encourages and supports me.  We play praise music together every week at Church.  It is rather healthy I have ot say and I am forever grateful.  But I had to learn what healthy relationships were and to establish boundaries in my life.

Today, I do not live in fear. Today I am not a victim of abuse, I am a beloved daughter of the King. I am life that God touched, rescued, and changed. I know that God exists, He saved my soul from the pit,  He protected me and my children and I know He will do it for you too!”

Diana’s Bio 

Diana Rasmussen is a Music Minister, Blogger, Poetess, and Recording Artist who uses her gifts to shed light on the darkness of Domestic Violence. At the beginning of this year, God asked her to ‘quit playing Church’ and start to testify about what He had delivered her from. That was the beginning of Prayers and Promises.

Diana Rasmussen is a Soul Survivor, as many of you are too. Her songs focus on overcoming adversity, breaking free from domestic violence, and living beyond depression. Fans have called her songs, “haunting, powerful, and edgy”. Diana sounds like Annie Lennox and Bonnie Raitt, and there is a raw honesty about her lyrics. Diana has many TOP 10 AWARDS from Broadjam, Inc. in the Country, Folk, Jazz, and World Categories.

Currently Diana leads the Worship Team at Janesville Apostolic Ministries in Janesville, WI. She has been blessed to play with her husband Bob, and sing with many Anointed Singers. Diana has been a Music Minister for the last 20years in various churches, shelters, nursing homes, and community meals in the southern Wisconsin area.

To learn more about Diana go to her website:  http://dianarasmussen.com/

SAFETY PLAN