As I sit down to pen these words, I’m contemplating what some aspects of the word abused are. If we look at it as an acronym, we could say:
Anxious
Battered
Undermined
Sexualized
Emotionally Violated
Devalued
Let’s break down each one a bit individually.
Anxious woman, you mother your children daily and push through the dread and worry that lives in the pit of your stomach on a daily basis. Anxiety can paralyze us as people, and yet you are somehow, unfathomably, able to surmount this anxiety and press on. We salute you, anxious mother.
Battered woman, you mother your children in spite of the fact that you yourself may be bruised and beaten. You may even be using your own body as a shield between your abuser and your babies. You may have broken bones or be broken in spirit, yet you persevere every second of every minute of every day. We salute you, battered mother.
Undermined woman, you are trying so hard to stand for what is right and true for your children. For every step forward you take with them, your partner may be undermining and circumventing what you are trying to accomplish. Yet, you stay the course and you continue to try every day. We salute you, undermined mother.
Sexualized woman, you have been objectified, misunderstood, and sex is not on your terms, but someone else’s. You are the guardians of the purity of your babies, even while yours may have been stolen from you an eon ago, or on a regular basis. Hold your head high as you walk through the room. In your heart and soul you are as beautiful and as pure as the freshly fallen snow. We salute you, sexualized mother.
Emotionally violated woman, we grieve for your wounded heart. You gather your children close to you and tell them that everything will be alright even when you may feel like giving up. You must have cried yourself to sleep at least 1,000 times, and yet you rise again for your children to tell them there is still hope in the world. We salute you, emotionally violated mother.
Devalued woman, you have been told over and over by your abuser that you are without worth. Yet when you look at your children, you see them as priceless treasure and you would lay down and die for them. Some days life is so brutally hard when you have been told you are so small and of so little consequence to anyone. Beautiful daughter, you are the apple of your Heavenly Father’s eye, and beloved by Him. You may not be able to believe that for yourself yet, even though you know how precious your children are. You carry on every day for those you have been entrusted to mother. We salute you, devalued mother.
As I write this, people everywhere are yearning for the day when you will rise and stand in your beauty, grace, dignity, and power. We are longing for the day when you will be emotionally, physically, and spiritually free to be your authentic selves. We are all trembling in anticipation of the day when you will own your power, Warrior Queen. We cannot wait to embrace you in solidarity as you step into your powerful destiny. However, today, on Mothering Sunday, we salute you, precious woman who mothers’ children despite all you are facing yourself. Shine on…
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