Monday, December 14, 2009

Book Give Away

It took me one year to write what I lived. One year to put it down on paper. One year to remember how far down He had reached to pull me out. One year of fighting within myself to finally come to the place of letting Him use what I lived - to give hope - to someone else.    


It is a story I had never told; I kept it all inside. I started to wonder if it was some crazy dream, or if it had even happened at all. Sometimes I thought maybe I had made it up. Other times I thought it wasn’t that bad – it was no big deal. But last year people I hadn’t seen in a while started surfacing: family, friends... people who knew. “You’re a miracle,” they said. “How did you survive?” 
 “Survive?” “Miracle?”  What did they mean? They started to tell me stories from their memories of how bad things were: how thin I had become, how out of control... My older sister whom I hadn’t seen for a long time returned from living overseas. She needed to talk. She forced me to listen... forced me to remember. 


When the memories hit, they hit hard. I wrote to get the images out of my head. I couldn’t eat or sleep. I wanted to get in my car, close my eyes and drive. It felt like it was happening all over again – the beatings, the confinement, the rape; throwing up time after time after time, even when I had tasted only a small bite of something; shoving needles in my arm  three and four times a day; ripping my arms with jagged rocks to feel something because I was so numb inside.
Why God? Why are you letting me go through this again? 

I didn’t want to remember! Yet in remembering, it dawned on me – finally – just how far down God had reached to free me.
Every day, in heat, rain or cold, I ran - alone in the woods - in the hills near our home. There I felt the gentle touch of God. I heard Him whisper, “You’re stronger now. It’s time to tell the truth of what happened. Tell your story to give hope to others.”

How could I never have told anyone what He had done for me? Nothing else had worked. Nothing had been able to break the chains that kept me living on the edge. Nothing…except the gentleness of His touch. 
The power of His gentleness...
In the Eye of Deception: This is my story
. www.gentlerecovery.webs.com



The publisher made an error and printed a couple of books with stretched margins. I thought I would turn this 'error' into a free give away. For everyone who leaves a comment with their email here or on my website -  your name will be written down and my daughter will pull out the name of the winner. The 'winner' will be chosen on Friday of this week.

13 comments:

Denise said...

I am so excited about your book sweetie, bless you.

Anonymous said...

I would like one

Wanda's Wings said...

I would love to read your story. You have been such a blessing to me. wearthington@yahoo.com

RCUBEs said...

I wish you all the best and may many who needs encouragement get a hold of this book. You encourage us already here in this blogosphere. God bless you.

Shattered said...

I would love to read your book. You are definitely an inspiration to people like me.

Jennifer
shatteredintoonepiece@yahoo.com

Andrea said...

Praying GOD will choose the person HE wants to receive the free ones.
Blessings, andrea

Saleslady371 said...

Thank you for writing your new book. How hard that must have been. May the glory of the Lord reach down and touch each and every reader and use your story for His purposes. Now I'm curious to know you more.

Hugs,
Mary

Alleluiabelle said...

Hi Sarah,

What a blessing you are to so many. I'm with Andrea in praying that God will choose the person He wants to receive your free books.

My e-mail is in my profile on my webpage.

Love you,
Alleluiabelle

Susan said...

Awesome idea. Even errors can turn into blessings. So excited about your book!!!

ABCD Diaries said...

What a blessing...Thanks for the chance!
christinbanda at yahoo dot com

Jane In The Jungle said...

I would like one also,

jewelsbyjane@yahoo.com

Greg C said...

I want one to read please. Pick me, pick me. I hopped over here from Thankful Thursday. :)

Greg C said...

Oops I almost forgot. Gcushing@scana.com And no I wasn't trying to slip in two entries. But you can put my name in twice and I won't tell anyone. :)