Told by “Eveyln,” written by Lauren Rose I escaped what I now understand was a 28-year abusive marriage to a man that my sister unknowingly introduced me to as a "really good guy." He was seven years older than me and owned the business he had started when he was 21....
Survivor Stories
A Tale of Two Survivors: Junia and “Hannah”
As told by Junia and "Hannah,” written by Lauren Rose Both Junia and "Hannah" found themselves in authoritarian organizations (Sovereign Grace Ministries “SGM” and Institute in Basic Life Principles “IBLP”) that used their desire to honor God as a tool to groom them...
“Chiral” Finds Peace and Purpose
Told by “Chiral,” written by Lauren Rose As a single mom of two toddlers, I thought my kids needed a dad, and I desired to be a stay-at-home mom. I believed God answered my prayers when I reconnected with my high school boyfriend when he returned from the Army, and we...
SACRED COWS IN THE CHURCH: When Churches Elevate Marriage Over Lives
This blog post was originally published Nov. 2016, since that time things have improved significantly in our churches. However, there is not a week that goes by in our ministry when we don’t hear a story of someone who is still struggling to get their church to...
“Christine’s” Church Introduced Her to Love After Abuse
As told by "Christine," and written by Lauren Rose I separated from my husband three times because of the abuse, but I was blessed that God placed me in churches that rallied around my children and me at each of those times. This is still amazing to me, considering...
“Heather” Finds Peace and Freedom at the Women’s Retreat
As told by "Heather," edited by Lauren Rose I've been working with the advocates at Called to Peace Ministries (CTPM) for six months and have been so blessed by their help and support! The 2022 He Makes All Things Women's Retreat was my first retreat, and I was...
“Nora” and Her Three Children Find Grace and Assistance!
As told by "Nora" and written by Lauren Rose The Called to Peace Ministries (CTPM) Emergency Fund was exactly the help and support that my children and I needed at the exact moment we needed it. I will be forever grateful for how CTPM stepped into my life and lifted...
“Christy” overcame the heartache of domestic abuse through a CTPM Support Group
As told by "Christy," and written by Lauren Rose When I met my spouse in college, our relationship was intense and very physical, which I now know led to me overlooking many red flags. He was a charming, Type A personality with a strong work ethic; everyone respected...
Anna – Rekindling True Love at the 2021 CTPM retreat
As told by "Anna," and written by Lauren Rose I was raised in a ritualistic denomination, void of a relationship with God. I married right out of college to a controlling young man, and we were divorced within two years. He left me in an empty apartment with...
“Serena” Finds Peace by Stepping into the Truth
As told by "Serena," written by Lauren Rose My husband and I had a short dating and engagement period before marriage, a total of nearly a year. During that year, I noticed a few red flags – jealousy, control over friendships, a lack of empathy, and communication...
“Mercy”: My Path to Redemption
As told by "Mercy" and written by Lauren Rose When I first met my husband, he made me feel so special, like no one else ever had. Most of our time together was studying the Bible or talking about what God was doing in our lives. I was a new Believer who had just...
Meet Sophia – A Pastor’s Wife, Trapped in Abuse, almost Left for Dead, until she Spoke Up
As told by "Sophia" and written by Lauren Rose At the beginning of our relationship, my soon-to-be husband was very attentive. There were definite red flags, but he rushed the relationship. He insisted on being in constant communication with me. If anything happened...