Jasmine's Place Issue No. 7 - September/October 2013 | Page 42

INSPIRATIONAL By Carey Scott Abuse as a child made Carey begin count her worth in numbers, but she’s found a better way. I experienced sexual abuse in my childhood and it marked me as a target for other predators. But it did so much more than that. • • • • It set me up with a life-long fear of rejection. It left me with deep feelings of worthlessness. It caused me to question the motives of others, never fully trusting their intentions. It made me hyper-vigilant to protect myself by trying to control the world around me. And until recently, I wouldn’t have pinpointed these struggles to be related to that abuse. I knew I had issues, but who doesn’t, right? I’m learning that these beliefs and behaviors were birthed as a result of my abusive encounter when I was 4 years old. It’s my ground zero. It makes sense, though. I’ve been a mess most of my life. Easily triggered and offended. Slow to forgive and unwilling to forget. And I’m learning why. But God is healing those JASMINE'S PLACE 42 42