SAFETY ALERT: If you are in danger call 911. Or reach the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or TIY 1-800-787-3224. Please review these safety tips.
One of my most common discussions with others is why I am a domestic violence speaker. After many years of digging, growing, progressing and learning, life would make no sense being anything but a domestic violence speaker, advocate and trainer. It hasn’t been easy, and it didn’t come overnight. There has to be time for30
Domestic violence and emotional abuse—emotional abuse and domestic violence: You can’t have one without the other. It is a well-tested statistic that tells us all domestic violence begins with emotional and/or verbal abuse. No exceptions. There are far too many who question if they are actually a victim of domestic violence. Their reasoning is they30
Janay Rice, wife of Ray Rice, posted on her social network, asking for privacy as they deal with the domestic violence that took place in an elevator months ago. While I fully understand that they do need a modicum of personal privacy during this time, a measure of reality came to me. Recently, I personally30
TOO OFTEN WE WANDER ABOUT, SEEKING PURPOSE IN LIFE. Once we feel we have discovered a fragment of that purpose, we attempt to fulfill it, put it to use, make our lives mean something. Scripture tells us, “They will know you by the fruit you bear.” My mental eye immediately perceives an orange tree covered30
Whether it is victimization by sexual abuse or domestic violence, it’s not always easy to pick out the victims. My book, Orange Blossom Wishes, was released in 2008. Since that time I am still asked on a consistent basis by many who knew me, some very close friends, “How did we not know? How did30
Simplification is usually the best way to go. So, you are not contemplating leaving just yet, but you are consistently in fear, being verbally abused and beginning to think this is not the way you want the rest of your life to go. You have options and alternatives. For those who read this blog regularly,30
BECOME THE KIND OF PERSON YOU WANT TO ATTRACT! I used to repeat this phrase over and over again to the group I led as a Director of Singles Ministry—Be the kind of person you want to attract. You will attract the kind of person you ARE, not the kind of person you desire. I30
I had the privilege of being interviewed by Gayle Guyardo of the Tampa NBC affiliate, WFLA, on the Channel 8 News Today morning show. We addressed my own personal story, in recognition of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Please take 6 minutes to view the spot. It has some valuable information regarding domestic violence. To30
Emotional wellbeing? Emotional health? Just what are they and how do victims of domestic violence reach them? How do we attempt to make some sense of senseless acts in life—molestation, spousal abuse, habitual rejection, poor choices in relationships… The list may seem extensive, but if you will stick with me, I think the result will30
What does the Bible say about forgiving and forgetting? The first Bible verse I ever learned was, “Love one another.” Then, the Lord’s Prayer—”Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” I got older and found in red letters, “To be forgiven, you must first forgive, for as you forgive, in30