Ruth Ann attended Agape Connection (Love’s Response) classes and later was a small group leader.  Her love and acceptance were evident and healing to the women in her small group.  It was not unusual for her to be embracing a woman in tears with a mother’s loving arms.  She graciously shared her testimony with several classes.

~*~

Agape Connection made me realize I hadn’t dealt with all my hurts; I had just stuffed them away.  We have all been hurt at one time or another.  It is time for us to let God heal us in all areas.  I get up every morning and praise God for what He has done in my life.  I became a Christian in 1995 and realized I had lived a 25-year verbally abusive marriage.  It became a physically abusive marriage.  I divorced to save my life.  In 1998 I divorced and lost both my parents in the same year.

God and good friends made my life the wonderful life I have today.  I was spoken over by a minister that I would receive 7 times what has been taken from me and I would be helping with a group of women from where I have come from in the past.  It has been 7 years and how true my God is in blessing me.  Sometimes His seasons are longer than I want them to be.  But I have to give it all to Him to handle for me and it works out each time.

I would like to share a poem derived from conversations with women who survived abusive relationships and gained the courage to leave.  If these painful words sound familiar to you I hope you, too, will have the courage to leave and get help.

Words of Love

You’re Fat:  You’re ugly!

You’re nothing but a b_____.

Clean the House!

Take care of the kids!

Can’t you do anything right!

You’re not sexy!

You don’t turn me on

You’re frigid, cold as ice

You don’t appreciate my love!

Why I put up with you, I don’t understand!

But no one will understand you like I do!

You need me to take care of you!

You won’t survive without me!

If you don’t listen to me, I will hit you again!

And then you will understand how much I love you!

~*~

Ruth Anne is a special woman.  She has forgiven her ex-husband and has moved on with her life.  She recently married a man who treats her like a princess and even cooks for her.  She has loving relationships with her children and grandchildren.  Ruth Anne is excited about sharing what God has done in her life and especially encourages young women not to wait until her age to really start living.