I usually retire for the evening at around 10:30, but for some reason I was up at 11:15 last night and caught the middle of the Oprah show. My heart has never been so enraged and so broken. There was a woman being interviewed who was physically, emotionally, and verbally abused by her husband for several years. To make matters worse, her husband enlisted the couple's children as agents to carry out some of the abuse. In a particular case, the children were made to make derogatory comments about their mother. They were ordered to slap her, and literally tie her up. The oldest son was commanded to video tape the husband beating the wife for 51 minutes.
When I saw this abuse with my own eyes, I literally screamed for Erik to come upstairs. I couldn't watch this atrocity alone. But somehow I felt as if I should watch. Ignoring it would minimize the story and survival of this woman. This is the first time I have cried over an issue shown on Oprah. Erik was enraged and offered his own opinion of what should happen to this man, and I was speechless. My heart hurt for her. This woman suffered from the physical abuse of her husband, but she spoke about the loss of her own humanity while enduring his anger.
I cannot believe what goes on in the world around me. Jesus save us.
This man ended up getting 36 years in prison. Too little if you ask me. His crime was not just against his wife, but he jepoardized the futures of his children.
This opened my eyes, and I believe it will help me not to be so concerned about what is going on in my little sheltered circle of a life, but to be aware of the community around me.
The journal of a lady in love with 3 blue eyed men.
4 comments:
I saw a story on Dr. Phil similar to the one that you saw on Oprah and I felt the same way!!
It breaks my heart too!! At first I think why do these women stick around when their husbands keep beating them?!! Then I realize that some of them really believe all of the horrible things these men say to them. I would love to work at a battered women's shelter some day! These precious ladies need to know that they are worth so much more to Jesus than they could even begin to imagine!
I can only imagine the sick, messed up relationships those children are in right now.
I agree - we sometimes get so bent out of shape over the things that frustrate us when it hardly even compares to the turmoil, abuse and hurt others are suffering in the world around us. We are so blessed to have families and husbands that love us - I need to be more grateful for what I have in my family and not allow myself to take my life for granted.
All I have to say is that man got off with way too easy. This is very personal, but I was once physically and sexually abused by a leader in my old church growing up. I was 15 and he was in his 30's with a wife and two little girls. As someone who was the victim, be careful not to judge those girls who are in those situations. Believe me, it is VERY hard to get out of. It isn't that easy. Believe me, you want to get out, but can't. God brought me out of that situation a few years later and I thank him for that. I am now VERY blessed with a husband who LOVES me and treats me like a queen. There are a lot of sick men out of there who are hurting children and older women. Never be too trusting when leaving your children with someone. Even if you have known them your entire life! That was me. The man that did that to me years ago was a man I knew my entire life! God is so good and I thank him everyday for bringing me out of that situation and giving me such awesome family and friends who helped me thru it! It was a hard road, but I thank God everyday to be alive!!! Bethany, keep crying out to God for those women. You are a great woman of God and don't ever forget that you can be that one who reaches out to others who are hurting and not even know it! That is what being in ministry is all about. I know that one day God is going to use what I had to go thru for years for his glory. He already has started. I can't even start to think what he has instore for me down the road. My sister (Angel) had to watch me go thru the hardest time in my life and I thank God for her EVERYDAY! She has no idea how much she means to me. She has no idea how much she has helped me! When I was hurting she was my Angel, God sent! Thank you for pouring your heart out everyday on blogspot. You never know who you may be touching. Today it was me! Thank you!!!!
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