From Pain to Redemption: A Testimony of Healing, Forgiveness, and Faith

When I was at the age of seven, I had a cousin that sexually assaulted me. I didn’t know who to tell. I just hate it. I hate it when I had to go through this. And I thank the Lord, because he made me a better man. He made me a better man. And I understand forgiveness, because I do forgive my cousin for what he done. It’s just hard dealing with it every day in prison, trying to understand why. It’s not easy for a man to talk about sexual abuse as a child. I remember starting to act out in my early 20s. The drugs that I used, it sort of medicated the issue. The only thing I confined in was just doing the drugs. It took me to another place where I didn’t have to worry about the reality of my situation. How has God helped you in navigating all that? The night that I went to jail, I contemplated killing myself. His voice told me to get up and pray. And at that time, I wasn’t the praying type of person. I remember getting up praying that next morning, and they put me in the cell. It was an ex-pastor that was in there. He helped me understand the love of God. When that guy prayed for me, it was like an overwhelming comfort came over me. So I remember that night, I told the Lord that I wanted to give my life. And whatever it is that he wanted me to do that, I wanted to have the courage to go out there and tell my testimony and show them the goodness of God and the power of love and forgiveness. I believe in my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.