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...

For much of my life, I was a people pleaser. I tried to please my parents, bending to their expectations and hiding parts of myself to fit their vision of who I should be. I tried to please my siblings, quietly accepting roles that didn’t reflect my truth, just to keep harmony in the family. I was kind to a fault, always putting others first, even when it meant sacrificing my own happiness and well-being. I thought kindness would make me lovable. I thought if I gave enough of myself, people would value me, care for me, and protect me. But instead of finding safety and love, I lost myself. I tried desperately to fit into the box others constructed around me, but the truth is, I was never meant to fit. I was always too big, too bold, and too complex to be contained by anyone else’s expectations. Yet, I allowed myself to shrink, to contort into shapes that weren’t natural, just to avoid conflict or disappointment. My need to please others started early. When I was abused at the tende...