The Sound OF Freedom-My Story

 The Sound Of Freedom was released into the movie theaters on July 4th 2023. A friend made me aware of it. I decided to watch it. It's based off of a true story of a brother and sister who were rescued from child sex trafficking. This is not a movie you take young children to. I do strongly recommend that every person who is old enough, to go and watch it. This is very real and it's happening in your world. I think it's time we wake up. Why is this so important to me?  Let me tell you a little of my story. My birth dad abused me as a child. He was also a part of a drug trafficking ring. He was also a part of child sex trafficking. He did this all while being a faithful saint and minister in the church. When I was in 5th grade, I started fighting back and slept with a baseball bat by my bed. He decided he didn't like that and one day he picked me up from school and took me for a very long drive. This was before cell phones. He didn't say a word, he just drove. Eventually, we stopped at a man's house. It was a huge house with almost nothing in it. My birth dad and this man were talking in the kitchen. They started discussing money. I didn't know what was going on, but I knew something bad was about to happen, so I locked myself in the bathroom. The man became angry and it was then that he discovered I was not as young as my birth dad had told him I was. I was 14 years old and "too old" for him. We left. I told my birth dad that if he ever touched me again or tried to sell me again, I would bash his head in. He told me if I told the police on him, he would kill my sister, my mom and my pets. I believed him. So I kept my silence and told no one of my horrors. It was not until college that I started to open up and sought counseling. When I was 16, he finally left us. It was the happiest day of my life. Soon after a family from my church became my second family and later adopted me. We looked like the perfect church family. My birth dad used to be a youth pastor. He used to preach these dynamic sermons. As a child I would wonder how everyone liked him so much when I knew what was going to happen that night after he beat my mom unconscious. As I watched this movie, it brought back a lot of horrific memories. I decided I needed to tell my story. I write this blog with tears in my eyes. I am thankful that I am not broken. I am thankful for therapy. I am thankful for the peace of God that heals. I truly can live a joy filled life. How can I after what I have experienced?  I choose to forgive and live. Do I have a relationship with my birth dad? No, he's not safe. The last time I spoke to him, he said that was the only way he knew to share love and it wasn't that bad. I forgave him to set myself free, but I have zero relationship with him. What I experienced as a child does not hold me bound. I am free and that is cause to live a life filled with joy, hope and promise.  God is good.