Growing strong

There is something about watching your children struggle and knowing there is nothing you can do but love them. A little over a year ago I watched one of the hardest things to watch your child go through. At that point all I could do is talk in code about the situation. It was her trauma in life. Her Struggle and burden to work through. As a family meaning siblings and her parents and a choice few others we gathered around her and just loved her.

This year she has been making peace with this life event and has shared her pain, sorrow and her victory over this event. January 2017 my daughter was raped by an ex boyfriend. This choice he made to alter her life not only changed her world but all of ours as well.

I went from seeing my carefree daughter enjoying life to having to deal with this life altering event. It has been a very difficult road for her to walk. There have been times she was no longer walking but crawling but always seemed to be trying to move forward. It was her story to tell but as I watched her struggle and found people less than understanding that she was emotionally not able to handle everyday things. I wanted to shout at them or shake them and say "HEY WAKE UP CAN"T YOU SEE SHE IS STRUGGLING" But you can't. It isn't your story to tell. It wasn't my story to shout out and want to scream at this kid that did this.

I watched her struggle and try to put her life back in order only to have someone come up and tell her that the ex says she is lying... And down she came again.

I prayed so many nights that she would find her strength to pull above this awful thing. It was taking over my sweet daughter. Making her sad, angry, anxious and so much more. But what I couldn't see was this women fighting inside her soul to beat this. She fought and eventually woke to the realization that this story that was hers will make her stronger. It allows her to see where others maybe struggling. It opens up her eyes to those that are hurting and not saying anything. It has allowed her to find her passion of helping other women find their strength.

I came to this realization when she recently participated in a pageant at her school for a scholarship. As her talent she did a reading where she opened up and shared her story. But before the night of the pageant she called me in tears because another women laughed at her story as she told it. The women was laughing so hard she had to leave. Why do we do this to each other? I listened to my daughter and I don't even remember what was said. But all I remember was worrying about her all night. I prayed, her brothers prayed that the night of the performance she would be strong. Alex drove down and surprised her and was there all day to help her and reassure her.

That night as she took the stage to perform her talent I silently prayed again. She got up there stronger than I have ever seen her. She did it! She over came that hurdle. As she opened up that night she began to open up to others about her year and the things that she had dealt with and learned. I watched as this beautiful young women grew into this Amazing Strong Women! I was in awe. She told her story on FB in hopes of helping others that were dealing with the same thing. She was asked to go to a function at the school and perform her piece as well.

2017 was probably without a doubt one of the hardest years in her life. We never know what we can take from a tragedy that happens in our lives. She has shown me that with faith and fight you can overcome so many things in life. It is Hard! But keep fighting. Keep believing that you are worth fighting for. Keep believing in yourself and know that God never leaves your side.

Eve I am so proud of you. I would have taken all of that madness away from you if I could have. I love the women you are and the advocate you have become. I know the possibilities are endless for you to achieve in life.

By the way she the runner up in the pageant. And won a scholarship.

I am attaching her words. I will have to get the video up later.