Grace

I came across this quote:

Chances are that you'll come face to face with hurting people today. Give them the benefit of the doubt. Show them grace. ~Clayton King

This says a lot about Cassandra and people like her.  They are simply hurting people who don’t know what to do with their hurt.  Nothing else would motivate a person to speak in a cruel way toward others.  It became clear to me this week that one of the changes in attitude that allowed me to re-connect with Cassandra was simply the growth in empathy from reading books by and about people who survived child sexual abuse. 

One book in particular, Daddy’s Girl by Charlotte Vale Allen, brought out the horror and confusion caused to a girl growing up in a horribly abusive home.  In reading this, I realized that Cassandra grew up in a world completely different from my own.  It’s no wonder that she sees the world so differently.  As I’ve written before, it is a question of developing empathy.

That said, it is also imperative that we know ourselves and to evaluate our own respective situations.  Each person who reads this must make their own decision regarding their situation in life.  I just hope that reading this blog gives you valuable food for thought.  Thank you for joining me on this journey.  I really do find myself growing in ways that I never knew that a person could grow.  By facing the challenge of my marriage, I really am becoming a better person.  In showing grace to others, we too become filled with grace.  I hope and pray that your journey is also filled with grace and tremendous personal growth. 

In solidarity and prayer,

Christian