How can I talk to my kids about sexual abuse? How do I know if what I encountered is abuse? Is my church a safe place for my kids? All of these are important questions and we talk about the hard stuff today with my guest Mary DeMuth. Her best advice for us? Speak up, and persevere anyway.
If you met Mary DeMuth today, her joy might confuse you. Who she has become in light of tragedy is a testimony of Jesus’s ability to transform a broken life. A child of three divorces, a victim of repeated sexual assault at five-years-old, with a father who died when she was ten, Mary wanted to end her life in her teens. In the tenth grade, she heard about Jesus, and she knew she wanted to chase after Him for the rest of her life. Thankfully, He chased her.
Mary is the author of forty books, including her latest: We Too: How the Church Can Respond Redemptively to the Sexual Abuse Crisis. She has spoken around the world about God’s ability to transform a life and planted a church with her family in southern France.
Her best work? Being a mom to three amazing young adults and the wife of 28 years to Patrick. She makes her home in Dallas alongside her husband, an energetic chocolate lab, and a fuzzy black cat.
WHAT WE CHAT ABOUT: ​Mary’s history of sexual abuse and finding Christ
how Mary reconciles her faith in a good God who allowed her to be abused
how Mary’s experiences have affected her parenting
what lead Mary to focus on the abuse happening in the church
how Mary is using the stories of other survivors to help fuel her advocacy
the power of sharing your story
key factors of a safe church
how to recognize when you’ve been abused and how to begin to heal
Mary’s encouragement for survivors about the process of healing
confronting your abuser
educating your kids about sex and abuse
what Christians can do to help bring justice for victims

LINKS MENTIONED: 21 Days of Healing The Child Safeguarding Policy for Churches and MinistriesGod Made All of Me: A Book to Help Children Protect Their BodiesLifeIsBroken.com
CONNECT WITH MARY: website | instagram | facebook
CONNECT WITH EMILY: website | instagram | facebook | patreon
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