First Fruits Friday - Client Update
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10
Recently, a Seneca staffer was able to catch up with two previous clients who are both thriving in all areas of their lives. It really impacts us to know that these women who went from desperation are now in the place of abundance that God had in store for them. Their stories are similar to others but let us tell you how they got to a place where marriage is on the horizon.
One of the clients had been sexually abused as a toddler until her teenage years. Her mother left the family. Her father had psychotic episodes and taught her how to shoot a rifle at age ten where they lived in isolation in a bunker. It was left to our client to take care of the family. She did finally get a chance to go to school - where she excelled.
Smart and savvy yet broken on the inside, this client chose to partner with males who used and abused her in many ways. She did marry and had a daughter, but the abuse they suffered became too much. The cycle continued and she used multiple relationships in an attempt to fill the hole in her heart.
She had another child and then became pregnant twice in one year. She decided to abort both times, but the second abortion was botched and she ended up in the hospital near death. She knew she had reached the bottom. "God is punishing me," she said. She began to come to Seneca for case management, and began to receive professional counseling.
It has been three years since we had heard from her. As a follow up to check in on our clients, we have learned that she moved from choosing the wrong man to choosing the right one. She moved from "marriage is just a piece of paper" to the following:
"I'm doing well. My son just turned 5! Looking into buying a house and getting married. Still in therapy and all that. Working as a financial analyst and I love it. Putting my accounting degree to work."
Though this client is still processing her childhood trauma, she has actually moved on to thriving, instead of surviving.
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17
"He held a gun to my head and called me many things.”
This client had asked for a special last minute meeting and was crying and trembling as she spoke these words. Her partner was using drugs and his behavior was erratic. This client knew that she had to protect her child and herself.
Despite a restraining order being strongly recommended, she declined. Over the next couple of months she walked on eggshells, not knowing what would set him off. Finally, he was arrested on other charges and put in jail. A 12-step program actually helped him and she thought she should use her hard-earned money to bail him out. Seneca staff, her family, and friends warned her to not do this. He began demanding more of her time for visits and more of her money. She slowly walked away from this situation and cut off all communication. Some time later, she told us that he was getting out. Regrettably, she had decided to give him the older car. We told her that by doing that, she was actually enabling, not empowering, him. Over the next few months, she vacillated from wanting to help him, to completely cutting things off again and again. Finally her family told her that if she helped him, they would no longer help her. She realized what she would lose. She cut off all communication with him. She does still allow his family members to see her child. Even they told her that it was safer to stay away from him.
She chose a fulfilling life - for her and for her toddler. She got back into school seeking to become a nurse. and will complete her associates degree in June. She works full time at a local hospital, has saved money and increased her credit score. She began to talk to a gentleman she had gone to high school with. They spoke on the phone for over a year without seeing one another. He supported her and loved seeing her baby girl on FaceTime. Finally, they met after Covid struck and began to spend time together.
She wrote to us: "Hey Seneca! Thank you for checking in! We've missed you. My daughter and I are doing great. She finally got the hang of potty training and is doing well in Speech Therapy. I also recently got engaged to someone that I know you love. He is my friend from high school .We've been talking about building a life together for awhile. We got engaged on January 14th . He loves my daughter and we've been saving money to buy a home."
As she spoke with our staffer, she continued: "I love how my fiance is caring, driven, and goal-oriented. I admire him. He reached out to me. We were on our own mission. I found it odd for us to connect again. He is passionate about life. He is kind to me and checks in on me. He is stern. He values respect and boundaries. He has morals for himself. He helps me become a better person. We plan to get married early next year."
The couple is also spiritually growing together and are excited about their future. The biological father of her child remains in jail. But, that perfect gift from above is doing well. She is a happy little girl whose smile lights up the room. Her father in heaven is with her always. He is forever hers. He is forever love.