Father in the name of Jesus I pray please, help me get across this message the way you want me to, by your Spirit, and amen.

PAIN CHANGES US forever, whether we like it or not. Pain gets across truth, whether we choose to realize it or not, as well. Let me give you an example.

I used to believe, it was never right to use deadly force. I was idealistic. When I was 18 years old, (many years ago) a person lied to me, knocking on the door, saying they wanted to inquire about my car, and whether or not it was for sale. He said he had a car like mine, and was interested in the engine. I said it wasn’t for sale ……….and I had the screen door locked as I talked to him through the screen.

I was a humanitarian, I believed in giving everyone a chance, I did not like people who seemed to be suspicious, fearful of other people, or even overly cautious…..

I did not believe in the booger man, and I did not believe in packing guns.

This man then (after his car story didn’t work) asked for a glass of water. I remember thinking it was a weird request, for just a moment in time. I unlocked the screen door, and that’s when it happened.

It was like a scene from a movie, unreal, terrifying, beyond words horrifying. He said he was going to rape me. I tried to be smart, had a heavy pan by the sink, backed up and grabbed it. I raised and said GET OUT In the loudest voice I could muster. Quicker than lightening, he had my wrist, got the pan out of my hand, had his hand over my mouth (because I screamed) and yes, raped me.

Then he had the gall, when he was arrested later, to tell his attorney, he thought I wanted it to happen because I was wearing shorts.

This blog is my warfare of truth, against a show I saw last night, one about Christians, going on and on about how it’s never right to kill, or to use deadly force, because of the 10 commandments. Let me tell you something, if something like that was happening to my child, and they refused to stop because I held up a gun, I would shoot them.

Chances are if I had a gun, they would stop. Certainly this cowardly rapist, bully, horrifying man, would have stopped, if I had a gun with the thing cocked and ready. Maybe I could have stopped him with Mace, who knows? IF Perhaps he was not loaded on some sort of drug that stops the pain.

It took me years to heal and recover, even with multitudes of fervent faith-filled prayer. I was afraid for so long after that, Sometimes I wondered if I would ever recover, but I did.

PAIN Changes people. If we will not seek after and listen to wisdom, chances are, eventually pain will change our perspective.

It’s not a punishment and it’s not Judgment in the sense of God saying “NOW, you shall suffer” it’s more like, “I can’t help you if you don’t listen …………” (Is what God is really saying, with is pure heart of Love and acceptance) ……..Now trust me when I say, When someone Kills God’s kids, or even tries to kill them, HE IS indignant! He is Fired up! And he does have a plan for his own kind of vengeance against his enemies………..

So pardon me, if I don’t agree when someone says nobody should have guns, because some misuse them, and do bad things with them. There are thousands of stabbings every year, nobody takes all of our kitchen knives. There are thousands of rapes…………and men are still allowed to have…………well you know……

As the voice of wisdom pleads with us in Proverbs I plead with you now……..Cry out for wisdom, beg for it, search for it as hidden treasure ……

I know I wished I had done it sooner………after all the Pain I endured….And when I did, I found out so many things about what the Lord really meant, in his word. At one time, I thought God actually sent this pain (of rape) and many other horrible things that happened to “teach me a lesson” ……….

If that’s the way you believe, I feel sad for you. Let the Holy Spirit help you OUT Of this type of thinking. Amen Blessings to you all………

Laura Grace, author, Grace to the Rescue, Grace to Grow, Grace to Grow the study guide and Grace to Soar