Recording Artist, Author, and Abuse Survivor Advocate
Dear Jenn is a new blog series in which Jennifer will be answering questions from her readers. This week’s question is from a gentleman in Australia who asks: “My friend … Continue reading #DearJenn: My Friend Has PTSD. How Can I Help Him?
Human emotion is complex. We are created in the image of a complex God and the emotions we feel – though corrupted by sin – are like his fingerprints on our hearts. In this damaged and dying world each of us experiences abuse, betrayal, abandonment, loss, or heartbreak. How do we cope in a Godly way?
My mom knew that my dad was a pervert with a violent temper who never apologized for anything. She thought that if she submitted to him and was a good … Continue reading 2 Lies that Enable Abuse in the Church
There were many times, particularly when I was a teenager and young adult, that I took great solace in hymns. Some seem to think that’s a bit odd. I suppose … Continue reading The Healing Power of Old Hymns
I had hand-drawn cards from my kids, a bottle of wine and roses from my husband, but I felt I couldn’t fully appreciate them. Mother’s Day just wasn’t about me. There was an emptiness that could only be explained by the hole that was left by my mother.
Because, no matter how smart, strategic, or passionate you may be, you have been sent out as sheep among wolves.
I stole his gun. I hid it, unloaded and wrapped in a towel, in a box of chintzy craft supplies, knitting, and fashion accessories I’d accrued as a teenager. It was the last place he’d look. I left the ammo in his dresser drawer. It was my way of mocking him, as if to say, “I’ve taken your power, but left the bullets so you can play marbles with them.”
In a dramatic piece published by The New Yorker, author Rebecca Mead refers to, The Passion of Emma González, comparing the plucky teen girl to Joan of Arc, and by implication, Jesus Christ. While the writer no doubt intends the saintly veneration of González, she is contributing to the psychological crucifixion of these children.
These days, I don’t expect people to care. I don’t expect people to pay attention or comprehend a problem unless you rub their noses in it. Nevertheless, the level of apathy and negligence demonstrated by Broward County Sheriff’s Office shocked me.
Here’s Why Emotional Abusers Use Insults, Slander, and Online Harassment to Silence Opposing Views
Nothing scares me anymore; There is no shame, There is no guilt. You walked with me through the Valley of the Shadow of Death; Of what should I be afraid? Who … Continue reading Epic 1: Nothing Scares Me Anymore
Lately in my conversations with readers, the topic of abuse recovery has come up. Some of us don’t expect to ever fully heal. Others are desperate to heal, and cling … Continue reading Great (but Realistic) Expectations: What Does Happiness Look Like?
