Why Wait? Make Money Now & Stop Abuse

Why do some businesses crash and burn while others sky rocket to the top and excel their sales quota every quarter? I believe it is actually based on various factors.

#1 Advertisement. Companies that excel Advertise. They use all their resources; websites, blogging, twitter, facebook, myspace, generating timely press releases, sending out flyers and business materials, etc.

#2 Stay Current. Companies that excel in the business world Stay Current. They keep up on current trends, changes, and what's happening in the world.

#3 Meet Needs. Companies that excel in today's economic crisis Meet Needs. They plug their products and marketing into the needs of the people as well as the needs in the business industry.

#4 Target Audience. Companies that excel in today's competitive world have a Target Audience.They target a certain people and business in broad spectrum and work on reaching them and meeting their needs.

#5 Create Something New. Companies that excel and advance Create Something New. They take an idea that has already been done and put a spin or a twist on it to create something new, exciting, and current. Everyone wants the new more updated version of everything. It's human nature.

#6 Show Don't Tell. Companies that excel have a unique way of Showing Instead of Telling. They use short well-written articles, graphs, pictures, charts, and important statistics to draw readership attention which then in turn generates business and traffic. Traffic equals sales. 

#7 Spend A Little, Get A Lot. Companies that excel invest in training and learning programs. With the little they spend to either get trained on how to write excellent blogs/articles or by choosing to hire a freelance writer, they save time and make even more money. Articles that use key words will draw traffic to your site, and traffic equals money for you or your business.

Why listen to me? I'm just an abused, runaway, 7th grade drop out, right? Actually, yes, I quit school in the 7th grade, I did runaway, I was horribly abused, went through two abusive marriages, nearly died many times, and my children were sexually assaulted by their biological father.

Yet at 26, a single mother of three I got my GED, went onto college, maintained a 4.0, made the Dean's List, graduated with an Associates Degree, landed my first publication in Guideposts for Teens Magazine (which is no beginning market), won the Writer of the Year Award (twice), had more than 500 articles/stories published in 35+ magazines, have five books on the market, teach writing at schools, conferences and online, founded two non-profits, helped more than 200 needy/abused families and pets, developed the curriculum for Abuse Bites our Anti-Bullying program (pre-K thru High School), became an Award-Winning Certified Pet Therapist & Dog Trainer, and now am the Healing Projects Specialist for the Bully Police USA.

I'm not bragging. I'm simply saying if I can accomplish all of that after not even graduating from high school, surely anyone or business owner can too. They just need the WRITE tools and the ability to never give up no matter how hard or long the journey becomes.

Writing is the most important thing to having a business. If you are a good writer, you can draw attention to and virtually sell anything. So I'm offering a four week online interactive writing workshop entitled "How To Get Published" for only $50 to help any individual/business owner who wants to take the initiative and really get their business off the ground. Writing Workshop

And the really great bonus is this: All of the money we take in will actually go to stop abuse, bullying and violence all over the USA in memory of our dear son, Brian, who passed away a few months ago. His Story

Forgive The Bullies

Forgive The Bullies

Is that even possible, to forgive our bullies?

Yes, it is.

My son, Brian had Asperger's Syndrome and a heart defect. I watched him get called names, be teased relentlessly, and come home after being beaten up on the bus just to say, "It's okay, Mom, they didn't mean it."

Even though they hadn't said they were sorry, Brian already forgave them.

His brothers teased him about his weight at home. It really upset him and he even cried sometimes. But when they apologized, what they did was already forgiven and forgotten and he was ready to hang out with them like nothing happened.

Forgiveness isn't for our bullies. It's for us. It's the key to our peace, our happiness, our health, and well being.

Doctors said Brian should have only lived to be 1 year old--he lived to be 22. Why? I believe it's because he learned how to forgive and be at peace and love others and himself.

He lived every day like it was his last, and taught us how to love, laugh, forgive, and press on no matter what obstacle got in our way. R.I.P. Brian 6/27/88 to 8/10/10.

Today, thanks to Brian, we can take that message to others and help them get free too, so they can enjoy their lives.More

In our heroes honor, Brian, we are trying to get 5,000 Likes on Abuse Bites facebook page by January 1st. Please click on the link and support us and tell all your friends and family. Soon we'll have a new look to our website too @ http://abusebites.com please bookmark the page and come back and check us out.

Also I'd like to hear who your hero is or about your struggle with bullying/ forgiveness. Please send an email to: abusebites@gmail.com and put HERO, BULLY or FORGIVENESS in the subject line.

1$ in CHANGE to Stop Abuse, Bullying, & Violence

This benefit is being thrown for our family in honor/memory of our son, Brian who died in August.

I am asking everyone around the world, every city, state, country, and nation to donate/give $1 American Dollar to the cause so we can use your spare CHANGE to CHANGE the world & Stop Abuse, Bullying and Violence.

We will use this money to travel all over the USA/World to educate others on how to get safe from abuse, bullying and violence. Every penny is tax deductible. 

Our son Brian was bullied all his life. He lived and died forgiving his bullies. After he died we found a CHANGE jar he'd been saving. We knew right away we were supposed to collect CHANGE to be the CHANGE for him and others who are bullied. RIP Brian 6/27/88 to 8/10/10.

Our son Jeremiah was nearly bullied to death. Our son Robert was a cutter and had 2 nervous breakdowns due to abuse. Our daughter Melissa was nearly choked to death in school and labeled "gay" because she chose not to date and save herself for the right man.

Please consider taking the $1 CHANGE CHALLENGE TODAY and tell all your email buddies, FB friends, and Twitter followers. We need your support to STOP ABUSE, BULLYING & VIOLENCE. Can you give just $1? If not, give what you can, pass this on, pray for us and our mission, and leave it in God's hands.

You can donate online @ http://www.takeabiteoutofabuse.com/change.html. Or send check or money order payable to: A Time To Heal

CHANGE to STOP ABUSE
PO BOX 1582
Owosso, MI  48867

Thank you for partnering with us!

The Abuse Bites Team
www.abusebites.com

Education Key to Stop Bullycide & All Forms of Bullying

October is National Bullying Prevention Month. Yet in the last few weeks across the nation there have been at least twelve bullycide victims. Bullycide is the result of someone being bullied to the point of taking their own life.

The latest bullycide report was in Boston, Massachusetts, where a 10-year-old girl was found hanging by a scarf in a closet. "This is heart wrenching," says Lisa Freeman, who founded the anti-bullying program, Take A Bite Out Of Abuse. "Things like this don't have to happen."

Freeman believes with proper education, kids, teens, parents, and teachers will have the tools they need to take the proper action for prevention in the future. "Accidental suicides happen all the time," she says. "Kids today are playing dangerous games like the choking game."

This is just one of the many self-abuse topics Freeman discusses in her interactive workshops. "The choking game is where kids take an object such as a rope, scarf or tie and wrap it around their neck for a high feeling," she says. "Typically they are with someone else the first time they try it, so when they pass out, the friend is able to loosen the grip so they can breathe. However, when they try it alone, there's no one to release the grip and it ends up killing them."

It is Freeman's goal, as well as her whole family, to travel around the country to educate others on bullying and abuse. "I don't want another person to lose their life," she said. "I almost lost my son to bullycide two years ago."

Freeman's son, Jeremiah, was a sophomore then. He had been bullied all his life, was even threatened, and would have severe panic attacks when even thinking of going to school. "He wrapped a belt around his neck three times," she said. "Thankfully we knew the warning signs and got him the help he needed and now he's helping others."

A benefit has been set for the Freeman's in memory of their other son, Brian, who passed away in August. He had Asperger's Syndrome and a rare heart defect. He was bullied all this life. Yet, he lived and died forgiving his bullies. The EATS and BEATS for CHANGE to TAKE A BITE OUT OF ABUSE will take place on Sunday, November 7^th from 4-9 p.m @ Gi Gi's Banquet and Catering. The Mayor, Ben Frederick, will give an address. Limited seating is available. Advanced tickets are $10 per person/ $20 per family ($5 more at door). Mail check/MO to: The Freeman Family, PO Box 1582, Owosso, MI  48867. Get Tickets & info online @ www.abusebites.com.

Forgiving My Bullies

It's been less than 2 months since I buried my son. (Brian's story)

The grief from that has been enough to weigh on my heart, let alone being bullied through it. I wasn't out to hurt no one. I attacked no one. I simply logged onto my facebook account and posted my feelings on my wall. I have to admit, it was one of the roughest days I'd had since Brian passed. I haven't had much sleep due to my other son having a life threatening seizure. (Jeremiah's story)

I felt deserted. Hurt. Lonely. So I posted something about feeling hurt, that no one would probably understand, or if they did they'd be too busy with their own lives to respond.

A certain person, from the church I recently attended for more than two years, responded. More like, she viciously attacked me. She replied with a comment to say that I shouldn't be feeling like that or wallowing in my own grief and sorrow. Instead I should be like her, going to church 4 times a week, so I can fit in and receive love. After all she'd lost both parents and a sibling and knew what grief was like.

Why do we always try to fit everyone into our little box and stereotype their life? 

That would be like me stereotyping how the church should act with me and my family. While they gave freely and liberally to another family in need, they seemed to forget our needs altogether. Other than the typical service our church gives to everyone, bringing 3 meals in right after the funeral; No one called, came over, or hardly posted anything encouraging on our facebook wall. Yet, we realized that this other family needed them, so we stepped back.

I have learned through these two hard years, you can be left out in a whole room full of people, even at church. 

Sadly, me and my family know how that feels first hand. At church softball games we sat there watching as certain people passed right by us to offer everyone else hugs. We watched cliques form inside the church and even tried to speak to leadership about it, but was told there wasn't any and I was being deceived, and then the very next Sunday it became a sermon, and suddenly Jesus even had cliques! Many times I'd offered to serve in different areas in this particular church, but was told I did enough already, so I prayed and took my talents and gifts to reach others outside the four walls of the church.

As the Lord led, I taught pet therapy, held anti-abuse/bullying workshops, visited and prayed for the sick, helped the poor and needy, and did various parades to raise awareness on abuse and bullying.

We did reach people. We even brought many of these individuals into that same church. Sadly some of them were bullied and left out too. Some have moved on and found churches were they are loved and accepted, some are still there praying it will change.

Every time someone walked out the door, I heard, "Let 'em go. I don't even care why they left."

But in the Bible, Jesus clearly states that he is the Good Shepherd and if even one strayed off he would leave the 99 others and go after that one.

We are supposed to be the church, the body. It should affect us when someone walks away hurt or wounded. We should love them and pursue them in or outside the church walls. 

I'm not condemning the church; I'm speaking to the body. Why are we attacking our own? I've been shown more love and compassion from people in the world that don't claim to have a personal relationship with Jesus or any affiliation with God. Why is that?

 

God designed the church to be a place for healing, love, acceptance, freedom and life, not a place of judgment, condemnation, or to be left out. We were all created equal, born with a free will. God is the only one who can ever change us or judge us. 

So why do we keep trying to fit everyone into our own little box, and when they don't fit, we toss them out like rotten potatoes? 

I can't speak for anyone else, but for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.  And I will do what my son Brian would do, forgive my bullies, in and out of the church, in life and in death. Because if I keep holding this hurt inside, I know I'm only hurting myself. If I don't forgive, I will not be forgiven.

Forgiveness is key to healing any heart, sorrow, pain or grief. I hope you too can forgive those that have hurt you. And if I've hurt you, please forgive me.

How To Stop Bullying

It doesn't seem possible still that we lost our son two weeks ago. What a hero! He died forgiving his bullies. http://www.takeabiteoutofabuse.com/change.html

 I've survived nearly every form of abuse in life, yet this is one thing I hoped I'd never have to survive. However, at the same time I am absolutely honored at the work to stop abuse, bullying and violence that will go on in his name. I'm already seeing it happen.

Many letters have poured in from parents, grandparents, teachers, lay people, and concerned citizens. Bullying and abuse must stop. There is only one way. We need to take action. We need to make a change and a difference for the next generation. Have a no tolerance policy and stick to it.

I heard from teachers who saw other teachers and administrators bullying kids and stood up for them. Thank God there are a few good people out there who care and are taking a stand for our children. But it needs to happen on the playground as well. Many times bullying is seen as a squabble or simply overlooked. These kids need intervention the first time. 85% of the time playground bullying goes unattended, 4% of the time teachers and aides step into help, but mostly help comes from peers, still only 11%. Come on, we need to step it up and intervene.

What you can do to stop bullying…

*Raise awareness in your community, church, school, workplace, etc about anti-bullying programs like ours that are available to educate and teach kids, parents, adults, and even educators how to properly handle bullying issues. http://www.abusebites.com  This isn't just a SCHOOL problem. Bullies/Bullying is everywhere. We'd love to come to your school, church, work place, library, community, contact us today @ lisafreelife@gmail.com

*Connect with other anti-bullying forces out there, such as the Bully Task Force http://sisfi.org/main.html?src=%2F  in New York, Bully Police USA  http://www.bullypolice.org/speaker.html  in Washington, etc.

*Donate your time, talents, and even money to help anti-bullying organizations so they can be productive in educating others. We have people all over the USA taking our information packets to their schools, churches, and other events in the community, as well as putting up canisters to collect donations. Change of Heart for Brian and others like him@ http://www.takeabiteoutofabuse.com/change.html.

*Start a local anti-bullying group to discuss ways you can raise awareness and bring safety to your community

*Choose to do something about bullying, don't just sit there and hope the schools/laws will protect you and your family, you have to be proactive or nothing will ever get done. Don't give up, together, we can do this!

If You Really Knew Me

Typically I'm not an MTV fan. However, when a girl who recently went through my pet therapy class facebook'd me and said, "You might want to watch this new TV show 'If You Really Knew Me' I think it would be something awesome to add to your anti-bullying program for high school students."

The program was amazing! I loved the show from beginning to end. What an eye opener! After watching this show, I hope we can take bits and pieces to incorporate them into our presentation.  WOW!

During the first part of the show, you see the teens separated into various groups, preps, outcasts, popular, nerds, etc. But then students participate in a one-day program "Challenge Day" that breaks down the walls of separation. I watched how they interacted with the students to do various activities, and how the students began to break down emotionally. It was amazing! I loved when they split up into small groups and each shared something that no one would know about them. They purposely put the outcasts, nerds, and popular people together.

But the best part of all was when they asked all the students to stand together in back of the blue line. Then one by one they'd call out things like, "if you've ever been affected by someone close to you dying, someone or yourself taking drugs or alcohol, physically hit by a brother or sister, being yelled or screamed at, put down on a regular basis step over the line." Nearly all the kids stepped over. Then they said, "See, you're never alone. Someone else is going through the same stuff you are."

It was awesome to see the outcasts, nerds, and popular people all hugging each other. As I wiped the tears from my eyes, I thought about my own life. How I wished they had a program like this when I was growing up. Maybe I wouldn't have run away. Maybe I wouldn't have been so abused. Maybe I would have had friends.

If you really knew me, you'd know that all my life I felt like an outcast. In my family. At school. Even at church. People just didn't seem to accept me. I'm still very lonely and don't have many friends. Every church I've been in people have tight cliques and although they may say Hi and give me a hug sometimes, I still feel like that outcast on the outside looking in. My kids are all different and have special needs; they are often outcasts and not accepted either. I cry and ask God why sometimes.

If you really knew me you'd know that I didn't graduate from school. That I dropped out in 7^th grade to run away with an older boyfriend.  I was beaten, raped, kidnapped, and forced into dancing and prostitution. And I was homeless for two years because when I thought about going home, my boyfriend would beg me to stay telling me that we would never see each other again if I went home. This same boyfriend nearly beat me to death on our wedding night when I was 16. (Check out Lisa's book based on her true story)

If you really knew me, you'd know that in my second marriage my husband was supposedly a Christian man addicted to pornography, which was blamed on me from pastors and counselors for years. You'd know that I kept trying to be a better wife and please him, even though he had numerous affairs and gave me VD. You'd know that he later molested our three children. And you'd know that when I did kick him out, that he kidnapped my children and I had to pretend to get back with him to get them in my custody, and then sneak off to a shelter with them one day while he was at work.  (Check out my book based on our true story, "The Pictures That Destroy The Mind" )

If you really knew me, you'd know that me, my entire family, and even our dogs have been abused. My eldest son was a cutter and nearly committed suicide.  My daughter was called gay, was emotionally impaired, and almost strangled to death by another student. My youngest son was nearly bullied to death in high school. And my son, Brian is autistic, only has two chambers in his heart, and needs a heart transplant. (Check out our entire family/even our dog's various healings)

If you really knew me, you'd also know that I overcome fear every day to speak and share my story of abuse survival. You'd know that sometimes I feel overwhelmed and depressed and like I have no one to turn to. (Check out a Vision Lisa had that keeps her going)

If you really knew me, you'd know that I struggle in my marriage even though I'm married to a wonderful Christian now, I fall in my Christian walk, and I'm having a hard time with all the emotions that go along with menopause. (Check out Lisa's healing testimony)

If you really knew me, you'd know that it breaks my heart every time a child is bullied; a teen even thinks of suicide or becomes a victim of dating violence. You'd know that I want to do more to help, in the schools, churches, and communities abroad. And you'd also know that I couldn't go out and do any of this if God hadn't brought me Snickers. (Lisa & Snickers story)

If you really knew me, you'd know that a lot of people attack me and get the wrong idea about me. That I only want to do God's will, not my own. That I don't care about fame or fortune, I just care about reaching others and helping them heal from abusive lifestyles. And helping them so they don't make the same bad choices I made.

If you really knew me, you'd know that sometimes I just want to give up. Doing a ministry, non-profit, training dogs, and caring for four adult children with special needs is a ton of work.

If you really knew me, you'd know that I have learned to give it all to God. He is the reason I do and can do anything I do. I get excited and afraid every time I know I'm going to speak or write. The excitement comes from knowing I will hopefully be able to help others, the fear comes from all the abuse and rejection I suffered. People even in the church have rejected me, my book, and my testimony and made me feel like dirt, and like I'm not as good as them.

If you really knew me, you'd know that I have learned to surrender to Jesus. He was horribly rejected and abused too. I want to be like him, so I forgive all, realizing that people are just people, they will hurt us, but if we don’t forgive them, we hurt ourselves far more.

Like Paul says in Philippians 3:14, "Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

Check out this enlightening Interview with one of the students for Challenge Day: http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2010/07/19/mtvs-really-knew-breaks-boundaries-high-school-time/

Let's Call "Pornography" What It Is!

Let's Call "Pornography" What It Is!

A lot of people say, "It's okay to look as long as you don't touch."

Wrong! Dead wrong!

My x-husband was addicted to pornography. Our minister and every marriage counselor we saw seemed to look at me as the one who needed to give more. I obviously wasn't meeting my husband's needs or he wouldn't turn to porn.

NOT!

He was addicted to pornography! He had the problem! He needed help! But since I was always getting fingers pointed at me, I stayed with him, thinking if I gave him more, loved him more, etc, he would change.

HE DIDN'T!

He had affairs! He gave me a venereal disease! But worse—He molested our three small children!

DON'T FOOL YOURSELF PORNOGRAPHY IS ABUSE!

*I share our true heart wrenching story in my book, "The Pictures That Destroy the Mind" how I had to fight for the safety of my kids, how I got them back after my ex kidnapped them, and how I reclaimed my relationship with God even though others in the church didn't help or support what I was going through.

Jesus clearly stated that "to look at a woman/man with lust in the eye is committing adultery." Matthew 5:28 Pornography is adultery. Pornography is sin. Everyone sins. Get free today!

GET HELP FOR YOUR FAMILY BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!

*Another book God led me to write "Coming Out Of Sexual Addiction" will help those who are struggling with porn to heal.

Statistics on Pornography's Effect on Families and Marriages

47% percent of families said pornography is a problem in their home (Focus on the Family Poll, October 1, 2003).

The Internet was a significant factor in 2 out of 3 divorces (American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers in 2003 - divorcewizards.com).

Pornography Addiction and Industry Statistics

As of 2003, there were 1.3 million pornographic websites; 260 million pages (N2H2, 2003).
The total porn industry revenue for 2006: $13.3 billion in the United States; $97 billion worldwide (Internet Filter Review).

U.S. adult DVD/video rentals in 2005: almost 1 billion (Adult Video News).
Hotel viewership for adult films: 55% (cbsnews.com).

Unique worldwide users visiting adult web sites monthly: 72 million (Internet Filter Review).

Number of hardcore pornography titles released in 2005 (U.S.): 13,588 (Internet Filter Review).

Adults admitting to Internet sexual addiction: 10%; 28% of those are women (Internet Filter Review).

More than 70% of men from 18 to 34 visit a pornographic site in a typical month (comScore Media Metrix).

More than 20,000 images of child pornography posted online every week (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, 10/8/03).

Approximately 20% of all Internet pornography involves children (National Center for Mission & Exploited Children).

100,000 websites offer illegal child pornography (U.S. Customs Service estimate).
As of December 2005, child pornography was a $3 billion annual industry (Internet Filter Review).

"At a 2003 meeting of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, two thirds of the 350 divorce lawyers who attended said the Internet played a significant role in the divorces in the past year, with excessive interest in online porn contributing to more than half such cases. Pornography had an almost non-existent role in divorce just seven or eight years ago." (Divorcewizards.com)

Christians, Pastors and Church Pornography Statistics

A 1996 Promise Keepers survey at one of their stadium events revealed that over 50% of the men in attendance were involved with pornography within one week of attending the event.

51% of pastors say cyber-porn is a possible temptation. 37% say it is a current struggle (Christianity Today, Leadership Survey, 12/2001).

Over half of evangelical pastors admits viewing pornography last year.

Roger Charman of Focus on the Family's Pastoral Ministries reports that approximately 20 percent of the calls received on their Pastoral Care Line are for help with issues such as pornography and compulsive sexual behavior.

In a 2000 Christianity Today survey, 33% of clergy admitted to having visited a sexually explicit Web site. Of those who had visited a porn site, 53% had visited such sites “a few times” in the past year, and 18% visit sexually explicit sites between a couple of times a month and more than once a week.

29% of born again adults in the U.S. feel it is morally acceptable to view movies with explicit sexual behavior (The Barna Group).

57% of pastors say that addiction to pornography is the most sexually damaging issue to their congregation (Christians and Sex Leadership Journal Survey, March 2005).

Statistics on Women with Pornography Addiction

28% those admitting to sexual addiction are women (internet-filter-review.com).

34% of female readers of Today's Christian Woman's online newsletter admitted to intentionally accessing Internet porn in a recent poll and 1 out of every 6 women, including Christians, struggles with an addiction to pornography (Today’s Christian Woman, Fall 2003).

Statistics on Child Pornography Use

9 out of 10 children aged between the ages of 8 and 16 have viewed pornography on the Internet, in most cases unintentionally (London School of Economics January 2002).
Average age of first Internet exposure to pornography: 11 years old (Internet Filter Review).

Largest consumer of Internet pornography: 12 - 17 year-old age group (various sources, as of 2007).

Adult industry says traffic is 20-30% children (NRC Report 2002, 3.3).
Youth with significant exposure to sexuality in the media were shown to be significantly more likely to have had intercourse at ages 14 to 16 (Report in Pediatrics, April, 2006).

"Never before in the history of telecommunications media in the United States has so much indecent (and obscene) material been so easily accessible by so many minors in so many American homes with so few restrictions."

- U.S. Department of Justice, Post Hearing Memorandum of Points and Authorities, at l, ACLU v. Reno, 929 F. Supp. 824 (1996).

Statistics on Online Perpetrators

1 in 7 children who use the internet have been sexually solicated - 2005. (Internet Filter Review)

1 in 4 kids participate in Real Time Chat. (FamilyPC Survey, 2000).

1 in 5 children (10 to 17 years old) receives unwanted sexual solicitations online (Youth Internet Safety Survey, U.S. Department of Justice, 2001).

2 in 5 abductions of children ages 15-17 are due to Internet contact (San Diego Police Dept.).

76% of victims in Net-initiated sexual exploitation cases were 13-15, 75% were girls.

"Most cases progressed to sexual encounters" - 93% of the face-to-face meetings involved illegal sex (Journal of Adolescent Health, November 2004).

Stats taken from: http://www.safefamilies.org/sfStats.php

Freedom From Abuse

Freedom From Abuse

As a child I was neglected. Oh I had plenty of food, clothes, and toys. And I guess my parents loved me, but I didn't feel loved or valued. It was like no one listened to me or wanted to hear what I had to say. They didn't want to be bothered with me.

In my search for love and acceptance in my neighborhood, I found abuse. Boys and men used and abused me, and out of fear I let them.

Driven by fear, horrible insecurities set in. And on top of that I was numb. I had this huge aching hole in my heart.

I tried to fill it with everything throughout my teen years; boyfriends, drugs, alcohol, etc, but the hole just got bigger.

At school I was the odd girl out. I wasn't pretty enough and preppy enough to hang out with snotty rich girls. The geeks didn't want me either.

So I ran away. I ran from one thing to the next. Even one state to the next as I hitchhiked around the USA. I didn't find love and acceptance there either. Nope. I suffered even more abuse. And now I was starving, only had the clothes on my back, penniless, taken hostage, raped, and nearly killed.

For years I was trapped in a vicious cycle of abuse. For years I chose men who abused me. Then it began happening to my children.

That's when I drew the line. I tried to stop it before. I tried to get help. I tried to save my failing marriage that I was always told was my fault.

Yep, it was my fault he was addicted to pornography. It was my fault he cheated. And it was my fault he molested our three children.

NOT! It took awhile to get my head on straight, but, at 26 I finally stopped believing the lie. I finally found the TRUTH and the TRUTH is what set me free.

People can lie to us and tell us they'll change. We can lie to ourselves and try to believe the abuse will get better. Or we can face the truth, that we cannot change anyone, they have to want to get help. Sadly, most people who abuse want to get help, but they're afraid of being judged if they seek it. They're also believing the lie.

Anyone can get free. I know. I did.

As long as you have breath in your body it's not too late. It's your choice. Will you remain a prisoner inside your own home believing the lie, or will you let the TRUTH set you free?

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." - Galatians 5:1

GET FREE TODAY WITH THIS FREE BOOK OFFER "Run For Your Life" about my true life story @ http://www.runtolife.org

Now booking speaking engagements for 2010 & 2011.

Contact Lisa @ lisafreelife@gmail.com Via Web Sites @ http://www.abusebites.com http://www.runtolife.org http://www.atime2heal.org