About Nancy
I want to share how God has redeemed and healed me. It has been a long and difficult journey but God has been by my side the entire time. I was sexually abused from the time I was 5 years old until my teen years. As a child I remember feeling that there must be something wrong with me for this to happen. I was threatened to keep this a secret and I was never allowed to tell anyone. I kept this ugly secret until I was 15 years old.
I was having a lot of problems in the Christian school I attended. The school was a ministry of my church and my pastor asked me why I had such a bad attitude. I told him I was sexually abused for many years. His response to me was “maybe it happened because you wore shorts.” He told me to forget about it and go on with my life. This was the attitude of my church. Everyone expected me to act as if nothing happened. Again, I was wounded but this time it was by my church.
I did try to forget but I could not. After high school, I married and had two children. The memories of what happened would not go away. I started coping in unhealthy ways and I struggled with rage and anger in my life. My marriage was on the rocks and my life was falling apart.
One Sunday after church, I decided to talk to my new pastor. He began to counsel me but it was very hard to open up and share some of my deepest hurts. I still felt like I had to hide. Eventually, I went through the “Seven Steps to Freedom in Christ” series with my Pastor and rededicated my life to Christ.
My pastor recommended I attend a local woman’s support group in the area called Healing Hearts Ministry. As I walked into the group the first night, I remember feeling so afraid. Everyone welcomed me and soon I felt very safe and secure in this group. I will never forget when I opened up and shared my deepest wounds; these women responded with kindness and love. I was amazed that they accepted me and my words mattered to them. It was difficult to share in a group but the love and acceptance that I received was unbelievable. The pain in my life was slowly lifting away. God worked on my heart and healed my deepest wounds. At the end of the 12 week sessions with the group, I realized how much my life was changing.
I started to feel God calling me to lead local groups in this area. I felt God’s plan was to use me to help others who have been through what I experienced. At one point, I had two people tell me God was going to use me to help others. At first, I didn’t believe them.
In October 2005, God opened the door that led to a week of training to lead small groups. Since my trip to Michigan, I have led several groups in the area. I have watched God’s healing in the lives of the women in these groups. Nancy’s Grace Groups are open to anyone who has been wounded or abused or who might be struggling and in need of support.
Today, God has blessed me with a good marriage, two wonderful children and many supportive friends. God has truly healed my life so that I can now reach out and help others in need. I will continue to go where God leads me.
Hebrews 13:5 - God has said, “Never will I leave you, Never will I forsake you …” I claim God’s promises and give Him all the credit for my recovery.
*The Steps to Freedom in Christ is a spiritual journey that can lead Christians to finding true freedom in Christ through a comprehensive process to help resolve personal and spiritual conflicts in Christ.