I once heard trouble doesn't last always but Trauma sure does!
If you've lived long enough you have had some sort of trauma. Let's define what trauma is.
Trauma - It results from exposure to an incident or series of events that are emotionally disturbing or life-threatening with lasting adverse effects on the individual’s functioning and mental, physical, social, emotional, and/or spiritual well-being.
Experiences that may be traumatic include:
Physical, sexual, and emotional abuse
Childhood neglect
Living with a family member with mental health or substance use disorders
Sudden, unexplained separation from a loved one
Poverty
Racism, discrimination, and oppression
Violence in the community, war, or terrorism
And the list can go on. An estimated 70 percent of adults in the United States have experienced a traumatic event at least once in their lives.
This is one of my life stories.
The very first trauma that I can remember was when I was around 3 or 4. Before that our lives were already chaotic, to say the least. My mom and dad would fight(physical) on a daily basis. You see, daddy was an alcoholic with a short temper. My mom was a strong woman and was not going to allow anyone to treat her anyway. Thus came the fighting. I remember feeling helpless and hopeless. I wanted to protect my mom but I couldn't. I was just too little and I was dreadfully afraid of my father.
Sometimes after fights, my mom would leave the house and walk the streets of New York at night for hours. I would sit on the window sill and wait for her. Most of the time she would have to pick me up when she returned home and put me in bed. I never wanted to be far from my mom.
I can go on and on about the experiences of my life. Yes we had good days and the good days outweighed the bad but there were a lot of bad days.
I accepted Christ in my life at the age of 13 and it changed my life for good. Even though my circumstances did not change.
We were homeless and at times did not have food. But God saw me through it all. When I gave my life to Christ I had HOPE. I trusted Him with everything I had. I was able to breathe. Knowing I had God and no one could ever take Him away from me. Even in my darkest times( and there were a lot) God was with me and gave me the strength to get through it.
I wish I could say now that I am an adult, that my past pain has not affected me....because it did. I did not understand Trauma. I did not know that if you are not truly healed it will come back. I did not know it will affect every area of my life even though I trusted God. I had to come to the point where I had to talk to people I trusted that were (for me) Christians. I had to go through the blood, sweat, and tears of my past in order to be a better wife, mother, aunt, and grandmother. It is paying off. I still have a long way to go but I have come a long way.
Here is an insert from my bible that has encouraged me in my darkest pain.
You may have been abused and misused. Perhaps all those you trusted turned on you and broke your heart. Still, God has sustained you. You didn't make it because you were strong. You didn't make it because smart. You made it because God's amazing grace kept you. He is more for you today than what you went through on yesterday.
I dare you to realize that you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you(Philippians 4:13) Don't give up. Don't give in. Hold on. He will make ways out of no ways just for You.
So Trouble doesn't last always and trauma won't have to either!