The Journey to Self Discovery

This topic of spiritual abuse has echoed in my heart and mind for years, and lately, I've seen a rise in conversations on it through emails and social media. So many people share stories that sound familiar to my own, and I felt it was time to address it openly once again. Spiritual abuse is real, and if you’ve experienced it, know that you’re not alone. I lived under the heavy weight of spiritual abuse for 26 years. It scarred me and left me skeptical of churches or ministries that use intimidation and manipulation as tools of control. In my experience, spiritual abuse can involve a variety of tactics meant to silence, control, or manipulate followers. Here are just a few examples that I’ve personally encountered: Pressure to Stay Despite Burnout : A minister once told me that even though I was physically and emotionally burned out, leaving the ministry would mean losing all of my God-given gifts. Exclusive Teachings : A church I was involved in claimed that it alone had the “true...

  I noticed something within myself coming out through my words and, as you know, words are definitely power. I found myself relinquishing my power negatively by not acknowledging my abilities. Early on in the day, I had posted an encouraging quote like I always did, admonishing others in their walk in life. People were giving me admonishments for all I had done for the community of survivors, and I immediately thought I was not worthy. I responded finally by saying, "No,  WE are great!"   Looking back, I said, damn how damaging! I had spent so much of my life feeling inadequate, forgetting all the amazing things I had done. It was like a gaping hole in the middle of me, never satisfied. I couldn't appreciate a compliment because my no self-esteem worked against my memory and acceptance of my reality. I was always trying to measure up to someone or something that didn't exist. But then I realized something: we are all kingdoms. Our bodies, our minds, our souls,...