Survivors

You are here at this site because you are suffering from guilt, shame, remorse, and a myriad of feelings. You want to be set free. We sympathize with your pain. We’ve been there. We can help.

Although you may feel isolated and terribly depressed, maybe even abandoned by God and everyone else, please remember that you are NOT alone. You are NOT the first one to be abused by your pastor/clergy/counselor. You can take the necessary steps to recover and restore your relationship with God and your spouse or significant other. You can be WHOLE and WELL again. There is HOPE for a new beginning and a new life in Christ.

Below are some links to other survivor’s stories, poetry and other articles on clergy abuse. Read them and weep, but also rejoice, for these one-time victims are now living full, happy lives, and the best part is—YOU CAN TOO!
Stories:

Hope Renewed—Samantha Nelson
My Story—Raquel Mallett
God Causes Good To Come Out of Sorrow—God’s Grateful Daughter
The Healing Path: A Faith Journey—Kim Erickson
From Darkness to Light—Khadijah
My Story—B.
Forever Changed—J.
Time To Be Heard—Marita Murphy
Breaking Free from Abuse—Heather Snyder
I Forgive You—Abigail Smith
My Story—Katrina
Have You Ever Been in a Nightmare? #metoo—Reema
At His Mercy—Elizabeth Myer
A Letter To My Sexual Abuser—Victim-Turned-Survivor
A Time to Speak!—Rita
A Time to Speak!—Part 2—Rita
Trusting God When It Doesn’t Make Sense—Joy
A Whole Lifetime to Nothing Short of Eternity—Madeline
My Story of Clergy Sexual Abuse—Mary Jo Huels-Noworyta
Why Did I Stay?—Tammy Landry
A Shared Testimony—Mrs. K
Not A Relationship—Sheila
Hope for the Hopeless—Andora (a pseudonym)
We Are Not Alone—Catherine Thiemann
Imagine the Unimaginable—Kim
Musical Misconduct—Sheila
Nowhere to Run—T.A. de Bie
I Will Never Regret Telling the Truth—*Serenity, 14 years old
Predator Pastor—Chris Keaton
Survivors Songs (a link to Clergy Abuse Songs on YouTube)
Simply Empathy—Tiffany Smith*
Relentless—Sabrina Satterfield
From Darkness & Despair to Hope & Healing—Madeline Roll
Looks Can Be Deceiving—Samantha Nelson
Deceitful Love—Cecelia
License to Prey—Ruth Collins
Environment of Healing—Rebecca Peters
A Story of Faithfulness—Jill Morikone
“I Know the Plans…”—Samantha Nelson
Mimi’s Story—Miriam Morones
Missing Puzzle Piece—Kim Logan
The Unselfish Love of a Husband—Samantha Nelson
Present Help—Jenny Hull
Long-Awaited Hope—Sandy Kirkham
Misguided Love—Sarah* (*A pseudonym)
Rebuilding and Rekindling—Heather Huffman
A Place for Me—Hope Bencho
False Friend—S.S.
God Heals Marriages—Anonymous
Silence When the Door Is Shut—Allison Moran
A Letter to Youth—Chris* (*A pseudonym)
Love Beyond Measure—A.H.
When Religion Fails, God Remains—Deborah Arocho
The Wolf—S.S.
No Longer a Voice Crying in the Wilderness—Phenessa
Behind the Mask—Laura E. Holman
Still Hurting…—Marty* (*A pseudonym)
All Shall Be Well: One Woman Survivor’s Story of Clergy Sexual Abuse—Mary Isabel Steele
No More Silence…—Marie W.
Shattered Pieces—A.T.
Bleeding Souls—Makeba
The Prodigal Daughter—Di
A New Creation—Amy

Husband’s Stories:
That Fateful Day—Steve Nelson
What Used To Be?—Steve Nelson
Betrayal of Innocence—Curt Szajnecki

Poetry:
You Knew…—Samantha Nelson
Lies—N.J.
God, Are You There?—Gie Moskito
Prison of Lies—C.D.
Help Me Understand—Nandipa
Who Would Like to Now Confess?—Debra C. Rufini
Angel of Light—Rena
Effects—Rena
The Hidden Part of Me—K.D.
Today—K.D.
Before You—Stephanie Haslick
Hollow Reflection—Sherry Stockford
Little Girl Again—Sherry Stockford
How Did This Happen?—Written by A Member of the Congregation
To Trust Anew—Written by A Friend of a Victim
Why Couldn’t You Just Leave Me Alone?—Phenessa
Anomaly Homily—Rachel Clarion* (*A pseudonym)
Hit and Run—Rachel Clarion*
Who’s Next?—Rachel Clarion*
His Power—Rachel Clarion*
In Between Nowhere—K.D.
In Quiet Desperation—K.D.
Lost But Found—K.D.
Little Girl’s Soul in a Woman’s Body—Kim
Two Faces Collide—Kim
Mary, Mary, Everywhere—Jennifer Jill Schwirzer
Lift Up Your Eyes, Magdalene—Jennifer Jill Schwirzer
Silent Tears & One Day—J. Marie Waldrep
The Pastor’s Letter—Cynthia Baello
My Hurt Soul—Samantha Beach
The Beast—Betsy
How Long?—Ray McAllister

Excerpts:
Sound Counsel—Written by Ellen G. White
If you are a survivor of pastoral abuse, we would love to hear your story and possibly make it available on this web site for others to read and renew their hope. You can use a pseudonym if you choose and rest assured that all personal information will be kept private and strictly confidential. Please contact us.

Please note: We do not necessarily agree with or endorse all the information contained in the survivor’s stories. We do, however, feel they have some valuable information that could be useful to you in your recovery. It helps to know you’re not alone, that others have shared your pain and have healed, by the grace of God, in their own time and way.