Hidden Truth

By Sherry Weaver

The first in a series, Hidden Truth weaves a story of guts, survival and faith in a way that transports the readers into the author's world as she grew up in the Motor City during it's time of social and political unrest. With pimps, prostitutes and drugs as her role models, Hidden Truth chronicles the author's life from her teen years through age twenty.

Beginning with the death of her sister, Hidden Truth is a story of inspiration - as well as a story of anger, hate, degradation and ultimate triumph.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sherry Weaver
• Release date: Jun 21, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476216386

Sherry Weaver

Raised in Detroit, Michigan, Sherry now resides in Waterford, Michigan. She's a graduate of the University of Detroit Mercy with a Bachelor's degree in Social Work. Prior to writing this book Sherry penned articles for Women of the Word and Spiritled Woman magazines. Hidden Truth is the first book of a series, Sherry's goal is to help and counsel people who share her childhood life experiences. Sherry is self-employed. She's the mother of two children, Wynter and Brandon and the proud grandmother of Aarianna.

Book preview

Hidden Truth

A true story of inspiration

by

Sherry L. Weaver

Smashwords Edition

Copyright © 2011 by Sherry L. Weaver

Heritage Publishing

Justin, TX 92108

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in review and with written permission from the author/publisher.

Mother

Sherry L. Weaver

My Mother is like a brisk winter wind that glides through the atmosphere.

When the wind hits it will cause a great chill.

Her words are as sharp as a knife that could pierce your skin or scare your heart!

Sometimes, I wish that I could wash all thoughts of her from my mind.

I often wonder if I would cry if she were to die?

I might cry for those who would be sad for their personal loss, but what would I personally be losing?

She is so critical and never supportive of anything that I do.

She always complains about her life and the life that she has led.

What does she expect me to do?

I am so tired of hearing the same sad sorry song,

It’s time to sing a new tune and move on.

Mom (Mother) you are not the only one who has suffered because of your life choices!

I have suffered, too.

It makes me sad to think this way, but I am tired of being treated in a negative way.

I use to think it was I, but I have finally come to the conclusion that it is you that has created your unhappy existence!

Introduction

During my childhood, I was like a flower in a field free to grow wild and to survive on my own. However, I was a flower that gained resistance and a tough exterior due to the negative, unprotected environmental exposure that surrounded me.

Unfortunately, my heart hardened and negativity eventually arose through the words that I spoke to myself, and to those around me.

God had already taken me through deliverance in the area of forgiveness prior to writing this book, and I had already established a relationship with Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.

Nonetheless, as I was writing my story, the Holy Spirit revealed to me just how much God has always loved me. Now I recognize that God always had his arms around me, protecting me, even when I did not have a personal relationship with him. While completing this project, I experienced additional healing and self-discovery, and, at times, it was very painful to relive parts of my past.

It is my prayer that those who read this book will recognize themselves in me. I pray that those who are hurting and wounded by their own personal life experiences will trust God, seek God and allow Him to heal their broken hearts, as well as make them whole again. Forgiving others is the key to having a happy and healthy existence—however, our wounds are so deep that we may find it impossible to forgive others without God’s assistance. In God’s Word he said, "Cast all your cares unto me for I care for you". This is a scripture that I hold very dear to my heart and I practice it daily! Forgiveness does not erase our past, but it does open doors to enhance our future.

I didn’t write this book with the intent of offending, embarrassing or seeking revenge on anyone. I was guided by the Holy Spirit, and it is my hope that this book will appeal to the Christian community, as well as assist its members in the area of forgiveness. I hope the secular community will gain hope by reading the book and understanding my personal life experiences, in addition to realizing a desire to seek more happiness for their lives by developing a personal relationship with my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

God said in His Word that he does not have a respect of person which means that what God has done for me, He can and will do for you also, if you allow Him into your life.

It has become a reality for me that once you start serving the Lord, your life and body no longer belong to you—they belong to him for the purpose of helping his people. In 1Corinthians 6:19-20 the Lord said, "Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s."

I believe it is time that we all tell our stories and give hope through Jesus Christ to the many hurt and wounded individuals on the planet. God has healed me and made me whole in many areas of my life. I wrote this book because it was time for me to tell my story and reveal my scars in order to help others. But, most important, to give God the glory and honor that He deserves. Amen!

Chapter 1

Old Enough to Know Better

Danette was only fourteen when she died. I was fifteen that year and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t convince myself that she was gone. Oh, I knew she wouldn’t live past her teenage years—Mom told us that—but I refused to believe it and I consoled myself with the thought that Danette and I would go to a disco club and dance the night away if she lived beyond the age of fifteen. We were convinced that she would be healed. But, she wasn’t and August 25, 1977 was the day I had to say goodbye.

As she lay in her casket, I remember thinking how pretty she looked. I knew I wasn't supposed to, but I took her fingers in mine and let them linger just for a second—they weren't cold and I was surprised how flexible they were. Barbra Streisand's album, The Way We Were, rested in her casket behind her and I knew Mom had put it there. It was Danette's favorite album and we knew the all of the lyrics to every song. We’d sing at the top of our lungs knowing it drove Mom crazy, but she never said a word.

So, as often happens with big family events, there was a huge turnout for the funeral and it was obvious that Danette was loved by many. My friend Sara, her four siblings and her mother were there, as well as the six carloads of my family who traveled with my dad from Delaware to pay their respects. They stayed at the Holiday Inn that was close to our two-family flat near Woodward Avenue, but I really didn't spend much time with them. Staying in a hotel was expensive and I guess Dad figured he'd done enough by making the trip to attend the funeral, because he didn't