Three years ago, I walked away from a relationship that had slowly drained the life out of me. It wasn’t the kind of abuse people can easily see. There were no bruises or broken bones. But there was a steady breaking of the spirit — the kind that happens when you’re constantly criticized, controlled, and made to feel small. For a long time, I didn’t even realize it counted as abuse. I thought if it wasn’t physical, it didn’t qualify. But emotional and mental abuse can be just as damaging, and it takes real courage to admit that what you’re living through isn’t love.
When I finally left, I wasn’t alone. Reach Out Speak Out stepped in at just the right time, helping me to understand that the life I was living was not “normal,” and the way I was treated was not Biblical. When I was ready (it took several tries!), they helped me move to safety and begin rebuilding. Their five-year plan gave me structure when everything in my life felt uncertain. They didn’t just help me escape — they helped me begin again. That kind of support is hard to describe until you’ve lived it. It’s like being handed both a map and a hand to hold as you learn to walk forward again.
