Trying to collect stories...

This is the hardest part so far of writing this book....collecting the stories. I think it is the hardest part because...the victims are not strangers to me...they are people I know and care about! I know it is hard for them to relive and write about what happened to them. I also know that they are strong and that by them telling their stories...they will help SO many! I am trying...it is a heavy task. Not only in deed....but also on my heart.

Who will be in the book?

This is the first question I asked myself! Who will I put in the book? I don't know anyone who has been raped. This is what I thought. But I really do believe that the Lord brought people into my life...and gave me favor with them and an unusual quick trust in me. Women that I had known for years and some I just knew for a few days started to tell me their stories. Over a few years I had people to include in my book.

I had put the book off....because I was finishing College and also working on another book. I knew this would take much more focus and that it would be emotionally draining. A dear friend of mine actually brought that to my attention...that it would not just be "some book"....and what while writing it...I would be stretched in every way possible. So I had put the book off...but while I was living in Arizona, during the year after I graduated, I had time over the Christmas break to start the book. In a week I had written my parts of the book. During this week I also had a break down. One night...I dealt with the death... the suicide of my friend. I had been so wrapped up in school and life...I had not allowed myself to mourn her death. I cried....hard. I have no doubt there will be more tear filled nights as I move forward with the book. Afterwards...came the hard part.

The hard part is to collect the stories from the women in my life that I know and Love. This is my next step. It is hard to ask them to relive this terrible thing...but in order to share their hope with other women...I must.

Where do I start?

I am very passionate about this book and this issue. Rape is serious and it happens more than people realize. It happened to my second base man from high school and it ended with her committing suicide. This is when the issue really hit me hard. When I heard what had happened I literally went up to my dorm room...sat on the end of my bed...and cried.

The world stopped moving. I was crushed. My world could not stop forever tho. I had commitments and places to be. Within 30 minutes of finding out what had just happened...I was supposed to be meeting with my "family group"...a small group bible study that I was leading that night! I broke down in the hallway. I don't usually cry in front of people so they knew it was serious. That night is kind of a blur for me...but I think I still lead the bible study...with the help of my girls in the group of course! I didn't get thru that night on my own. I thought about not going to Family Group...but now I am glad I went. It was the best place for me to be.

I decided to write a book. A book that would show rape victims that there is life after rape. That there is hope. The book is going to be rape victims sharing their stories of rape and restoration. Stories for rape victims written by rape victims.