Arise: No Shame in Scars – Part 1

Today I have a testimony to share with you from Emma Nation. Emma describes her life and the miraculous journey that the Lord brought her through. Her life’s journey got so rough that suicide looked like a perfect way out, but God had greater plans for her!  The image, depicts the gravity of her depravity without Christ.

Testimony

I survived childhood, but I definitely wouldn’t say that I enjoyed it. As I’m sure many of you have experienced, being a kid often times means being hurt. It’s so sad, especially because, each child is chosen and carefully created by a loving Father who has a specific plan and will for that child’s life. Sadly, each child is born into a world full of hurting people, people who hurt those that they ‘can’, because they themselves are so broken and wounded.

God specifically chose to create me in 1981, in the womb of a loving mother married to a loving father. I’m the third child to be born to these imperfect parents. They divorced when I was five years old, but had been entirely unhappy for years before, hurting each other, myself and my siblings with their anger and pain. My mother quickly remarried but out of her great need to be loved, didn’t see the signs that the man she was marrying, was a predator. My step-father sexually molested me for years until at the age of 11, I shared with a friend this “special” relationship that I had with him. That night I was removed from the home, and little did I know, it would be years and years until my mother was able to show me love again. She was unable to accept the idea that her husband was capable of such things and rather than lose the man she loved and needed, she lost me…for a time.

© Copyrights 2011 ARISE1 Designed by Mark Taylor for the testimony of Emma Nation

I moved to my father’s house after a few years of court dates and lawyer visits and being entirely unbelieved by those around me, including counselors. My father loved me also. But his wounds continue to be carefully guarded by a violent temper. There was little stability and less love in his home. My father was jailed one night for killing a dog and later, nearly arrested for attacking my brother.

My own wounds and pain from abuse and abandonment were ignored and at the age of 16, I made my last suicide attempt. I desired to end my life, BUT GOD!! God stepped in. I had made one slit in my right wrist and the shower water went cold and the phone rang. It must have been the Holy Spirit that put it in my heart to answer that phone call at such a pivotal time. I answered, and it was a man from Focus on the Family returning a call I had made months prior, crying out for anyone to care about me and my pain. At that moment, this man had already left his office, but God put my name on his heart and he returned to his office to make this one last phone call. He said that he was so sorry that I was in so much pain (he cared). He asked me what was going on inside of me (he listened). He told me God was with me and that He loved me desperately (he shared). In those moments, I dedicated my life to Christ as He touched my heart and called me to Himself out of His amazing love for me…. to be continued