****The short story below is part of a larger work that is, yet, incomplete. All events are true; the letter from my senior “pastor” is verbatim. There were certain names that were left out for privacy sake****
All the previous abuse culminated with a spiritual awakening. The Lord began to bring clarity to my heart. I realized that scripturally I needed to address the issues ongoing in my marriage. The abuse began to take a toll on my church life. I was so afraid of my husband that I avoided going anywhere with him, or where he had been. I stopped attending and serving in the church. This had nothing to do with my love for my pastor, other leadership, or the congregation. My senior “pastor” was well aware of the abuse. I was told that I needed …show more content…
I should say, too, that at no time was I ever contacted by anyone. The information he referred to was false. Prior to this, another letter from my senior “pastor” arrived outlining an additional perceived offense on my part…however, I was not even in the USA at the time. Yet, no one bothered to check his or her “facts”. Once it was finally realized I had been out of the country…there was no apology…no anything. Upon reading this, I was so devastated that it felt as if I had been kicked. It was difficult to take a deep breath. Then I thought that perhaps I had misread it, so I reread the letter. This time I realized the depth of my pastor’s disconnect.
Here was a man who professed to understand and minister to the needs of his leadership team, and the congregation with integrity and wisdom. Moreover, in one stroke of his pen he had dismissed as trivial all the years of pain and suffering I endured in silence.
Furthermore, he denigrated me as a mere woman who had maturing to do. I was not sulking at home like some petulant child; I was trying to find a resolution to the ongoing issues in my marriage while continuing to serve God at the same level of excellence that I had always strived. And if true his reference that “The Holy Spirit” has revealed more to me about your situation than you may be aware of” I am left to wonder why he didn’t seek to
All the previous abuse culminated with a spiritual awakening. The Lord began to bring clarity to my heart. I realized that scripturally I needed to address the issues ongoing in my marriage. The abuse began to take a toll on my church life. I was so afraid of my husband that I avoided going anywhere with him, or where he had been. I stopped attending and serving in the church. This had nothing to do with my love for my pastor, other leadership, or the congregation. My senior “pastor” was well aware of the abuse. I was told that I needed …show more content…
I should say, too, that at no time was I ever contacted by anyone. The information he referred to was false. Prior to this, another letter from my senior “pastor” arrived outlining an additional perceived offense on my part…however, I was not even in the USA at the time. Yet, no one bothered to check his or her “facts”. Once it was finally realized I had been out of the country…there was no apology…no anything. Upon reading this, I was so devastated that it felt as if I had been kicked. It was difficult to take a deep breath. Then I thought that perhaps I had misread it, so I reread the letter. This time I realized the depth of my pastor’s disconnect.
Here was a man who professed to understand and minister to the needs of his leadership team, and the congregation with integrity and wisdom. Moreover, in one stroke of his pen he had dismissed as trivial all the years of pain and suffering I endured in silence.
Furthermore, he denigrated me as a mere woman who had maturing to do. I was not sulking at home like some petulant child; I was trying to find a resolution to the ongoing issues in my marriage while continuing to serve God at the same level of excellence that I had always strived. And if true his reference that “The Holy Spirit” has revealed more to me about your situation than you may be aware of” I am left to wonder why he didn’t seek to