We're Trying to Help - The Picture

I've been away.  For over three years.  It's time to come back.

Long story short...Joel chose his family of origin over the kids and me.

There is so much that can be said about that, and I will probably be diving into it all here on my blog more.  Diving down deep is required for all of that.  There are root issues to explore...reasons WHY he would make that crazy choice.  But, for now...

I'm just going to start out with this.  And within this, below, is a LOT of information.  It summarizes some of what has happened, it definitely shows my heart on the matter, and just generally gives a good overview and 'this is where we are now' report.

Social media gets vilified a lot.  But, when I had no one on this planet, when I was all alone in this world, Facebook saved me.  The internet, with its endless collection of information and articles and studies and Scripture commentary and history and real-life stories...it saved me.  Learning all of these new things, finding spiritual abuse survivor support groups, gathering with like-minded people...this all saved me.  Literally.

So, I have to laugh when social media gets so vilified.  When everyone in 'the church' (including my friends and family) had abandoned me, social media saved me.  Social media gave me a new family, new friends, a new church.

I share.  I am open and honest and I share.  Another thing I have to laugh at is this idea that you don't really know a person on social media...and the only way to know someone is to know them in person.  The truth is this...it's the exact opposite for me.  People who are not friends with me on Facebook do NOT know me at all.  Not even close.  I might get into the reasons behind that more at some point too.  But, for now, just know that is the case.

So, when I share so openly and honestly...sometimes posts and comments come along like these below.  Like I said...this is a good overview of what has happened and where we are now.

If you are an empathetic person, you will read this and feel for me and my kids.  You will be broken-hearted for us.  You will also feel for Joel who is so very lost in this world.  Even if you read this and don't understand completely, if you are an empathetic person at all, you will endeavor to put yourself in my shoes and you will seek diligently that understanding.

If you are not an empathetic and emotionally mature person, you will see this and you will be flabbergasted by the honesty, offended by the vulnerability, and you will undoubtedly see this as some bitter woman trying to pick a fight with the father of her children instead of seeing it as an act of love, trying to help him to see and live in truth (as she's done since 2012).  It IS an act of love and trying to help (why I chose this new title).  I wish people could move into emotional maturity, have their very own paradigm shift, and see that truth.

(The names of two people redacted because of privacy concerns, as requested...one female and one male.)