ANGELICTESTIMONY
BETHANY STANKO OVERCOMING SEXUAL ABUSE
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eing sexually abused as a child by family members, my innocence was taken from me in addition to the ability to trust others to take care of me. The wounds in my soul were deep and they caused me to struggle with insecurity, fear, anxiety and feelings of abandonment. The pain left me feeling like “damaged goods” and overcome with depression and panic attacks. No matter how hard I tried to feel normal, I didn’t know how to get past the horrific reality I faced every day. I didn’t tell anyone about what happened to me for quite some time out of fear of rejection and large amounts of shame and selfhatred that also weighed me down. I tried drowning out the truth of my reality with large amounts of alcohol but it never worked, it just made it worse. A question I often asked myself over and over was…What if they really knew me and what I’ve been through? When I did share my story, initially I faced rejection from those closest to me, which added to the pain and despair. But then oneday things began to change. I went up for prayer at the end of church service and a woman came to pray with me. She shared part of her story with me and for the first time I realized I wasn’t alone and it changed me forever. I wasn’t happy that she had also gone through abuse, but hearing how Jesus helped her overcome gave me the courage that I needed to begin my journey of healing and restoration. As I came to know God the Father’s love and what Jesus endured on the cross for me, I decided to accept Jesus into my heart and began reading the Word of God daily. I began to find meaning and purpose in my life and was excited to learn more about the truths I was reading in scripture. As I read the Word of God, my heart and soul was comforted and I began to see my life from a different perspective and I felt HOPE rising. When I read Isaiah 61:13, I realized that Jesus came to heal my broken heart, to open the prison gates that kept me bound and to
"GOD WANTS ME TO TELL YOU TODAY, HE SEES YOU. HE SEES YOUR PAIN AND HE WANTS TO HEAL YOU THE SAME WAY HE HAS ME. YOU’RE NOT ALONE. THE PAIN OF THE PAST DOES NOT HAVE TO BE YOUR OUTCOME, BUT IT CAN ACTUALLY POSITION YOU FOR PURPOSE" create something beautiful out of what the enemy intended for evil in my life. “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.” The story of Joseph has also brought me great comfort. His family sold him as a slave and then he was mistreated, wrongly accused, and placed in prison for many years. BUT GOD turned all the bad in Joseph’s life around to provide for the needs of others and to save them (Genesis 50:20). As I read Joseph’s story, God spoke to my heart and told me that He desired to heal others through my story too. He led me to start sharing my story with others and that is why I am here today, sharing with all of you. I have found purpose in my pain and I am grateful for His work in my life. God wants me to tell you today, He sees you. He sees your pain and He wants to heal you the same way He has me. You’re not alone. The pain of the past does not have to be your outcome, but it can actually position you for purpose. Are you an overcomer? ME TOO!