Life Beyond Dry Bones: Hope and Encouragement for Those Recovering from Childhood Sexual Abuse

By Ann Coffey

Survivors of abuse have unique pasts, but the damage and pain are similar. Early-childhood trauma causes physical changes in the developing brain and a severing of emotions, and it distorts survivors’ perceptions about themselves and others, which can last a lifetime. Sexual abuse affects the body, mind, and spirit, and healing must include all three. Unfortunately, many abused and relationally broken wander through a maze of opinions and suggestions.
In Life Beyond Dry Bones, author Ann Coffey tells how secular therapies offer partial help, but without the spiritual guidance, healing is fragmented and the recovery process incomplete. She tells how, with help from God, deep forgiveness and moving forward is possible.
Life Beyond Dry Bones offers hope, encouragement and practical help from a Christian woman who has traveled the road from childhood sexual abuse to healing, forgiveness, and freedom. Coffey shares her story of abuse and how through therapy and prayer she started to come to terms with her past.

• Language: English
• Publisher: LifeRich Publishing
• Release date: Jun 25, 2019
• ISBN: 9781489723284

Ann Coffey

Ann Coffey earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing and public health and did graduate work in family practice as a nurse practitioner. After twenty years in the nursing field, career opportunities changed, and she founded Morning Star Dog Training in California. Coffey now lives in Colorado where she writes and speaks at various settings encouraging those recovering from the effects of childhood sexual abuse.

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Copyright © 2019 Ann Coffey.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

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ISBN: 978-1-4897-2327-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4897-2328-4 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2019906802

LifeRich Publishing rev. date: 06/24/2019

To God, my Father; Jesus, my Savior; and the Holy Spirit,

who love me more than I will ever understand,

and to

Daniel and Rachel, my children,

whom I love more than they will ever comprehend.

I will not die but live,

and will proclaim the works of the LORD.

—Psalm 118:17

Contents

Preface

Introduction

Chapter One

The Valley of Dry Bones: All Is Rubble

Chapter Two

One, Two, Buckle My Shoe: I Remember Happy Times,

and I Remember Dark Times

Chapter Three

Three, Four, Shut the Door:

The Betrayal and the Abuse

Chapter Four

Five, Six, Pick Up Sticks: Coping Skills and the Self-Made, Illusionary, Destructive Lifestyles

Chapter Five

Seven, Eight, Lay Them Straight: The Benefits and Limits of Medical Treatment and Secular Counseling

Chapter Six

Nine, Ten, Let’s Start Again: Discover the Joy of Who You Are and the Pleasure of Genuine Relationships

Epilogue

Appendix: Prayers from My Journal

About the Author

Your Notes and Insights

Preface

We may have different stories, but we all share the shame, pain, anger, and confusion as survivors of childhood sexual abuse. I say survivors because we are still here.

We all are in different stages of recovery and have developed our own ways of dealing with the effects of abuse. We all make choices as adults. Are they working for you? Recovery affects not only you but your family, friends, coworkers, and other people who know you.

For all who are in or approaching recovery, I strongly recommend that you find a therapist, counselor, psychologist, or psychiatrist to help you work your way through the complexities of healing from childhood sexual abuse.

God is the ultimate healer, yet He has given us people who are trained to assist in this challenging journey.

It takes courage to turn around and face broken pieces of your past. It takes strength to walk through the rubble of the past, live in the present, and cry for a future.