Each Thursday morning I drive to a neighboring town to meet with a man who experienced sever childhood sexual abuse during his earliest years. His wife meets with us each week so she can support him in ways meaningfully connected to the lesson’s context. We are using “Mending the Soul” to support this time. Over the past several months we have addressed the different kinds of abuse and the impact they have on one’s beliefs, actions, etc. Yesterday we started on the chapter that addresses breaking free of the strongholds abuse has created. This gentleman became overly silent as we began to challenge the beliefs about himself. When I finally asked if loving himself seemed egotistical, his response was YES! Does this man know the verse in Psalms that says he is fearfully and wonderfully made? Yes he does. Applying it to himself and believing it is now true is a HUGE step.

His wife made the statement that this is very difficult work. It is one thing to face and know the giants in your life and the damage they have done. This is grueling work. However, it seems just a difficult to now face the truths about oneself and believe them.

I write this knowing so well how difficult these steps of belief are. This is when my prayer warrior introduced me to the three R’s: Recognize, Reject and Replace. Today I know these truths and I humbly believe them for me. The darkness of lies and the taproots of them go deeply into one’s soul. These are the words of this man’s wife. God’s tremendous healing does address this however and His healing process is now beginning to addressing beliefs. How tenderly and lovingly our Father’s steps of healing are. I’m so grateful for Him!