Indeed we call blessed those who showed endurance. You have heard of the endurance of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful. James 5:11 (NRSV) As I have stated elsewhere (Who Is Priscilla?), I have suffered a great deal in my lifetime. As the child of a dysfunctional, abusive family, I've got some scars from that (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, a lingering Dissociation Disorder which is now mostly gone, panic attacks, and a painful mood disorder which may or may not be related to the abuse). As an adult, I've been hurt in every way a woman can be hurt, pretty much, including profound betrayal, sexual assault, an abusive marriage, and more. Eventually, in the middle of all sorts of pain and other unpleasantries, I realized that I needed God's help to heal and become whole, although the full extent of my scars and my own sin was then unknown to me. And I have received that help, directly from God, and through circumstances which have taught me and allowed me to heal, and also from a few loving souls He has sent my way. The healing journey has not always been easy, nor pleasant, nor enjoyable. Quite the contrary. It has been worth it, however, and I am glad that I have gone this route, and gotten to really know and become intimate with the God who made me. The writings here in this section of Priscilla's Pen are the personal reflections of a woman who has been given the Blessing of Job, and learned much from the journey. I am not attempting any sort of serious theology, just my own outlook and insights into various things which have affected me and my life and which I feel like writing about. It is my hope that God will bless these writings and use them to encourage and comfort, to enlighten and enrich. To those who are given this blessing (and I do believe it is a blessing, although it is a difficult one to appreciate sometimes) and those who are called to minister to the suffering and the anguished, I dedicate these writings, in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen. Job's Comforters A discourse on the well-meaning friends of Job who turned up to "comfort" him, and ended up doing more harm than good for their suffering friend. The road to hell, they say, is paved with good intentions. The Nature of Blessings Just what does it mean to be blessed? Drowning An original poem and a psalm. In the Light An original poem. Stumbling Blocks A very personal reflection on issues of trust and on that which becomes a stumbling block. Where Was God? This addresses the biggest question an abuse survivor has when struggling with their faith: If He loves me so much, where was he then, when I needed His help? New Main Menu About Contact

And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.   Romans 5:3-5 (NRSV)
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