Overcome: How I Prevailed through the Darkest Days of My Childhood

By Susann Arai

This book will take you through the many ups and downs of my difficult childhood. I want to reach out to you and to others who might have similar experiences. I want them and their families to understand that it is possible to make it through these kinds of hardships and live a successful, fulfilling, and love-filled life by the grace of the Lord. If you cling to him, he will enable you to find optimism, hopefulness, and zest for life on the other side of the horrors or challenges you face. Just know that you can do it too. Or if you have a loved one with an experience like this, maybe this story can help you understand.

The kind of childhood I had is one that can often be cyclical. Children who grow up with only fear and never learn to love often create that kind of environment for their children and friends. I want to show people that if you get treated really badly, you can learn from that and help others. It doesn't always have to be a step that feeds the cycle. You may feel inclined to hate because of your terrible circumstances, but there is another option. It's hard, but you can find a way not to become bitter. In my story, you will see how it is possible to shed that hate and negativity and instead go forward, much lighter and better than you would have been. Come on this journey with me to see that you, like me, can get through anything.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Jul 30, 2021
• ISBN: 9781098094676

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Overcome

How I Prevailed through the Darkest Days of My Childhood

Susann Arai

Copyright © 2021 by Susann Arai

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Preface

When something has happened to you, and it sticks with you through the years—well, isn’t that something worth talking about? I want to tell you about what has really stuck with me. Now, you’re going to read about some bad things, but those aren’t what stuck. They made an impression on me, for sure, but what’s really important, what really stuck was my faith, my optimism. I was always peeking around the corner to see what good things might come next. There was a lot of hoping; there was a lot of praying, and that was what has carried me through. This book is meant to tell you my story. It’s not the happiest of stories, but it is true. It is the story of my childhood and how the Lord guided me through a lot of tough times. I’m not writing this for pity or attention, no. I am writing this so that if there is anyone out there (even just one person!) who can relate, they know that they can make it through.

Chapter 1

Mom

It really all started when I was six years old. It really all started the day my mom left. I remember that day because it started like any other but was quickly devoured by the feeling of change.

Susann, honey. I have to go. I love you, and I will see you often, but Mommy just can’t live here anymore. It took a while for me to process. I was only six, after all. But when I saw her stuff all packed up, I knew that she was serious. I cried, and I screamed. I latched onto her leg and resolved never to let go. She couldn’t leave if I was with her.

Please, Mommy, don’t go away! It didn’t make sense. The possibility of my mom not living in my house, not being there to take care of me, had never even danced in the same room as my mind. But now it is happening. Why? Why do you have to go, Mommy? Why?

Well, Mommy’s gotta get a better job, an important job… I’ll send money… I’ll be there at important times for the family… she trailed off and resumed packing. This is what she told me at the time, but I never really found out why she left. If it had been a fight with my dad or a rousing epiphany or infidelity on either side, I would never really know. My dad never let on that anything bad had happened. He would only speak very highly of my mother. Never a single bad word uttered about her leaving, about her—anything. That was just the kind of man he was, pure at heart with joyful eyes and unstoppable love for his family.

I never stopped missing Mom. My siblings and I didn’t have this in common; they were stronger than I was about the breakup, or at least they didn’t cry about wanting mommy as much (of course, I was two to three years younger in age). We were told by our babysitter and soon-to-be stepmom that she ran off with a man. And that she never loved us. I didn’t believe it for a second! I never harbored any ill sentiment toward Mom. Sure, I’ve seen hints of what this early departure did to my psyche and how I’ve subconsciously struggled with abandonment issues, but that never made it to the forefront of my mind. My mind was too focused on the hope that all of us would