Victim to Victor

We hear a lot about victims in our society. Yes, there are victims of horrible circumstances and experiences, including sexual assault, domestic violence, childhood abuse and neglect, just to name a few.

We also often describe the children who are aborted as victims of abortion. Sometimes, we also describe the women and men impacted by abortion as victims, also.

I’m here today to say that I’m not a victim. I was victimized by the abortion attempt on my life. I was meant to be a victim, but by the grace of God, I am a victor.

Not just because I survived, but because I’ve chosen to face what happened to me, and despite the struggles that I’ve had with the truth about what was done to me, I’ve chosen to heal from it.

I’ve chosen to find peace with both what I know and what I may never know about all of the circumstances surrounding my survival and adoption.

I’ve chosen to find joy amidst the winding, twisting turns of my life that have not always been easy or without suffering.

I’ve chosen to love and forgive those who attempted to harm me, regardless of how they feel about me in return.

I’ve chosen to walk out purpose from the pain that I have endured.

I’ve chosen to be brutally transparent with the world about who I am and what I’ve experienced.

I’ve chosen to embrace who God made me to be.

How you’ve been victimized in your life may be very different than how I’ve been, (although I’ve been victimized in more ways than just the abortion attempt meant to end my life), and although it’s life-changing to be victimized in any way, I want to encourage you in your own journey.  

No matter what you’ve gone through, no matter what you’ve experienced, each day, you have the great opportunity to seek out healing and support, to move from a place of being a victim to ultimately being a victor over your circumstances.

Not only will the choices you make to heal and grow, to walk out your own place of meaning, have a huge impact on your life, but they will also have a great impact on people around you. As this photo reminds us, you never know the difference your experiences, your choices, your story may have on someone else.

Don’t be afraid of where you started on your journey. Don’t be ashamed that you were victimized. Don’t be afraid to seek out help. Don’t be afraid to tell your story. You never know what a difference your journey from victim to victor might have, just look at me as an example!

Let’s be the greatest survival guide that exists. Today, turn the page….