Unlocking the Secret of Your Soul: Helping Victims of Sexual Abuse Overcome Their Emotional Pain

By Josiane Assunção

In this book I share a little bit of my childhood and describe things that happened to me. I was sexually abused, rejected, abandoned, and betrayed. I suffered from depression from many long years, and I want to share how God restored and healed my broken heart, giving me hope to live again. I share that healing is a process and emphasize how important is to abide in the Word of God to find healing and rest for our souls. My heart is dedicated to helping victims of sexual abuse overcome their emotional pain and know that theres hope and healing for their broken hearts.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: May 8, 2014
• ISBN: 9781490836027

Josiane Assunção

Josiane Assuncao was born in Brazil and moved to the USA at the age twenty. A week after she arrived in Florida, she was broken inside, full of shame and guilt as a result of sexual abuse in her childhood. She accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior, and that has been the center of his hope since that day. She has been involved and planted in a local church called More Than Conquerors Ministries and has worked in children’s ministries since then. She has been married for fifteen years and lives with her husband, Anamir Assuncao, and their two children, Sarah and Matthew, in Boca Raton, Florida.

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Copyright © 2014 Josiane Assunção.

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ISBN: 978-1-4908-3601-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-3602-7 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014907919

WestBow Press rev. date: 5/5/2014

CONTENTS

Acknowledgments

Introduction

1. Spirit, Soul, And Body

2. My History

3. Fear

4. Shame And Guilt

5. Hope

6. Forgiveness: The Key To Unlock Healing For Your Soul And Body

7. My Personal Experience

Appendix

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I wish to acknowledge and thank all my friends for their encouragement and prayers while I was writing this book.

Also, I want to thank my pastors, Aldo and Vivian Souza, for their patience, support, and prayers.

I wish to thank Tina Saunders, a Christian counselor who helped me during the healing process.

I thank my husband, Anamir Assunção, and my two kids, Sarah and Matthew, for their love and support.

Above all, I want to thank God for his amazing love and goodness, which healed and restored my broken heart.

INTRODUCTION

If one word could describe why the passion burned in my heart to write this book, it would be hope. This book is intended to bring hope to the broken hearts of women who are bleeding and wounded inside, and especially to those who have been sexually abused, rejected, abandoned, and betrayed. This book is for women who suffer in silence, trying to survive each day, not knowing how to deal with the pain that sometimes leads them into depression, anxiety disorders, panic attacks, and even, in some cases, suicide.

In this book, I share a little of my childhood and some things that happened to me. I was sexually abused, rejected, abandoned, and betrayed, and I suffered with depression and anxiety disorders. I want to share how God restored and healed my heart and gave me hope to live again. Healing is a process, and it is crucial to abide in the Word of God to find healing and rest for our souls.

I invite you to take this journey of healing. Remember that you are not alone; God will be your help throughout this process. This is your time to be healed and restored. Until we face the truth that we are broken and need help, nothing is going to change. But when we face the truth and cry out for help, Jesus tells us, I’m your help in time of need (Heb. 4:16 NIV). Through Jesus, there is hope for you.

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SPIRIT, SOUL, AND BODY

For the word of God is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart (Heb. 4:12 NIV).

As we start this journey of healing in our souls, it is very important for us to know that the Bible tells us we are composed of three parts: spirit, soul, and body. (We are spirit; we have a soul; and we live in a body.)

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thess. 5:23 NIV).

The spirit is the part of us that is able to relate with God and understand spiritual things (1 Cor. 2:9–12). Romans 8:16 (NIV) says, The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. We are also new creations in Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 5:17 NIV). Because Christ lives in my spirit (Gal. 2:20), everything became new. We are born again in our spirits (John 3:5–6 NIV), and now we have God’s DNA living inside of us.

The soul is the part of us where our human personalities reside: our will, our minds, and our emotions. Thoughts, choices, love, and emotions are related to the soul. The three main aspects of the soul are the will, the mind, and the emotions. The will makes choices and decisions.