I found this in my inbox today. God bless, and you are in my prayers.
Live It!
Today's best advice from Christian books
http://liveit.crosswalk.com/
Let God Restore You After Rape
By: Whitney Hopler, Live It Channel editor
Few experiences so dramatically destroy your dignity and sense of trust
as rape does. Many of the rapes suffered by women and men alike are
committed not by strangers but by people they know - often, people they
never imagined would force sex on them. Still others are committed by
people the victims have never met. But no matter what the
circumstances, the pain is the same.
Here are some ways you can seek healing after being raped - or share
with someone you know to help her or him recover from the trauma of
rape:
* Don't blame yourself. No one deserves to be raped, and the
responsibility for the rape rests solely with the person who committed
it. Don't justify the rape or excuse it; acknowledge the wrong done to
you.
* Honestly express your thoughts and feelings about the rape to God.
Know that God cares deeply about your suffering and won't be offended by
any of the tough thoughts and feelings you're experiencing. Invite the
Holy Spirit to come dwell with you in the middle of your pain, and pray
for an awareness of the Spirit's presence with you.
* Remember that grief is a process, so allow yourself to take the time
you need to cry and vent anger in healthy ways (such as by breaking
dishes to release it).
* Ask God to give you a good support system of people to help you as
you recover. Accept help from caring friends and family members, and
consider joining a support group of others who have experienced rape.
* Realize the importance of forgiving the person who raped you. As
difficult as that might seem, it is possible if you rely on God's
strength. It's also crucial to work through the forgiveness process
because not doing so poisons your spirit and blocks your healing.
* Give God the broken pieces of your spirit and your life, and trust
Him to transform them into something new and better. Remember how much
He loves you and have confidence in His power to help you.
* Let God restore your dignity. Ask God to show you how He sees you so
you can see how valuable you are as a person. Read the Bible
frequently, praying for God to renew your mind with His truth.
* Pursue some new activities and make some future plans. Move on past
a feeling of victimization into the new, full life God wants you to
have, one day a time.
Adapted from Beauty Restored: Finding Life and Hope After Date Rape,
copyright 2001 by Me Ra Koh. Published by Regal Books, a division of
Gospel Light, Ventura, Ca.,
www.regalbooks.com, 1-800-4-GOSPEL.
Me Ra Koh, a date rape survivor, earned a master's degree in teaching
for the purpose of learning to speak to the brokenhearted. She travels
around the United States, teaching writing workshops and speaking to
people about date rape. She and her husband live in Washington State.