for this land

*** political and sexual trauma trigger warning ***

I finally got the guts to watch this short documentary. Fortunately, my abusers were not the leaders in my church body growing up, but I was very scared throughout most of my life of anyone in authority over me because several of my abusers were in a position of authority over me. It seemed to be only natural that, after years of grooming and sexual abuse, that my worth was as an object used for pleasing men.

It wasn't until I met Ken (and his beloved brothers) that I realized that I didn't have to feel that way. I felt like a sister and have not ever been concerned about my safety or my identity after Ken did so much to help me heal during his life. Such healing has happened in the context of Regent, and the love of my family and extended family.

October is the anniversary of two very different sexual assaults in my life before Canada. The first on Halloween, was when I was 16 and very innocent and unsuspecting, the second was when I was 26 and was extremely violent and I was sure I was going to die. I met Ken just a few months after the assault in 2000. After this attack my period was several days late, I took a pregnancy test and the next day my period began. It was while I was pregnant with Cora that we discovered that I had a miscarriage back in 2000 (due to an antigen in my body that could have only been there through a previous pregnancy with someone other than my husband). This is my first October without Ken since the attack (the rapist got off scot free - I couldn't even get a protection order for myself to keep him away from me).

I really feel that we need to take the Bible for ALL it says – women are not inferior to men, but treasures to be honoured by men. Obedience is out of love, not abuse of power. (Ephesians 5:22-33; Colossians 3:18-19 . . .)

In November 2016, 20 years after the violent rape, I ended up with suicidal intentions and checked myself into the local hospital psychiatric facility. While I was stationed in the hallway at the over-crowded hospital, waiting for a space to open up on the ward, I watched (through the door to the doctors' lounge) Donald Trump being elected for the US President. And all I could think (and still think about to this day) is how on earth Christians could vote for a man who treats women like objects and JOKES about sexually assaulting them. How can a country vote for someone who dismisses the safety and advocates for treating women like meat? Half of the population?

Someone recently tried to compare King David to Donald Trump for me. And all I could do is cry in horror and anger. Christians should not be trying to legislate morality (listen to the pastor in this short film). Christians should be living lives like CHRIST who did NOT seek power (Satan offered it to him in the desert remember?) but to serve. Christians in power who take away women's right to vote or use birth control (I'm pro-life but also have compassion on women who don't have the support to bring a life into the world who need the Christians to step up and live life with them, not just shun them, but that is another topic). But even more horrifically, get rid of the refugees (legal and illegal) who are literally dying to find a safer place to live for themselves and their children.

I hold fast to these scriptures that come to mind over and over again when I hear why some people are worried what will happen if Kamala is elected. Recall, if you will, that Jesus was a refugee. That all of Israel were strangers during the exile. Even Moses had to lead God's people out of Egypt because they were being treated badly by the Egyptians. Doesn't that give you cause to recognize that all of us were one time strangers in this land? That the people coming to the United States and Canada for a better life are "strangers" and are attempting to escape horrors we cannot possibly imagine. Look up the term "stranger" or "foreigner" in your Bible app and see what God has to say about the stranger. Remember Ruth (David's Great Grandmother) was a stranger, and Rahab (David's Great-Great Grandmother) was a sex trade worker from Jericho (foreigner as well).

Sorry for getting all political today. But I'm working hard to deal with my personal trauma and give my daughters (and son) the tools to keep themselves safe in the world, and unfortunately, in the church as well. Please watch this short documentary. Pray about how we care for and raise our children in the name of Christ.