For sure. Definitely. Someday.
But somehow, someday never arrives.
Life happens. Interruptions intrude. Years slide away and the dream of a book becomes a permanent part of the scenery in the land of good intentions.
For sure. Definitely. Someday.
And then? She actually did it.
She did it because she is impelled by a passion to tell her story. She is compelled to write, to speak, and to spend time with those who have faced what she has faced: the soul-shattering experience of childhood sexual abuse.
It’s not an easy topic to write about and it’s certainly not easy to read about. But the destination of the healing journey makes the challenge worthwhile.
All quotes are from Crystal’s book.
As I’ve worked with Crystal as part of her Influencer Team, one of the many things that has impressed me is that she hasn’t been content to just write a book and then sit back, dust off her hands, and congratulate herself on a job well done.
Instead, she has been intentional about making herself available to hurting women–by phone, by email, or by spending one-on-one time with them.
Crystal’s heart is to help, her heart is to heal. And this book is going to extend the reach of her heart.
The reason Crystal has such a heart for hurting women is because she has experienced deep pain herself.
She writes:
Sexual abuse in the life of a child creates a brokenness that he or she carries right up into adulthood.
Crystal became increasingly aware of her own brokenness and dysfunction after she became a young wife and mom. She began to notice problems with anger and moodiness; she struggled with overshopping and overeating–all of it pointing back to unhealed wounds from her abuse.
As Crystal lived her life out of her brokenness, her unhealthy behavior continued to get worse.
She came to a desperate juncture where she knew she had to deliberately pursue healing. As time passed, the open wounds of abuse began to be gently mended by God’s transformative work in her life.
But Crystal kept opening her heart to the challenge of healing and she kept doing the hard work of restoration.
As she continued to make progress in finding wholeness, Crystal began to think about the thousands of other women who needed the healing she was discovering. She knew she had to get her story into the hands of those women.
And last week, it happened! Her journey delivered her to an amazing destination: the publication of her book, Journey To Heal.
Journey to Heal is more than just a book. It is also an opportunity to:
Although having a book to read is a wonderful resource, sometimes it’s nice to actually have a chance to sit with an author and be able to hear her voice, as well as her heart.
Crystal has provided you with an opportunity to do just that. You can click anywhere in the box below to join an online video study with Crystal and several friends who would love to share their stories with you. The video is free when your purchase the book.
(The page may take just a moment to load.)
In the aftermath of brokenness and healing, Crystal’s message to every wounded woman wounded is this:
There is hope. There is healing. The time to start the journey is now.
You can order Journey to Heal here.
What a beautiful, courageous woman. I’m so glad she has shared her story she will touch many lives.
Becky can you pray for my province? We are in a province wide state of emergency due to a wildfire in another city in the north of the province. 88,000 people (the entire city ) have been evacuated and many of them are now evacuated in arenas and community halls in my city. Thanks!
Jenna,
That fire is such an unspeakable tragedy; I can’t imagine the lives being uprooted and all the families and children seeing their beloved homes destroyed. My heart and prayers are with you and your beloved province.
As child sexual abuse reached a sibling of mine at very young age, by a ‘family friend’, the repercussions are so far reaching. Back in the day, it was hush, hush. Fortunately, when he told my mom, she believed him, took him to the pediatrician and we never saw that person again. It is still hush, hush to the family of this ‘friend’ and they continue to deny it to this day. I don’t even want to think about all the kids in that family he has had access to, and I know they wouldn’t be believed either 🙁 So awful. My sibling has carried it all his life, it dented him.
Kuddos to putting it out there. The more, the better!
Lesley,
There are few families exempt from this kind of tragedy. I’m thankful your sibling said something and was believed. In Crystal’s book, she talks about telling someone who didn’t want to believe her and caused her to feel even more abandoned than she already did.
My heart goes out to the family of this “family friend” you referred to. You’re right–the more said about this subject, the better. Victims need to know they are NOT alone and they have a voice.
Becky,
Thank you SO much sweet friend for sharing Journey to Heal with your readers! I am so grateful for you and all your support. I am just thrilled and thankful this message of hope and healing for women is finally available in bookstores and praying God uses it to heal many hearts and lives.
Ps…I agree with the other comments here…you should write a book!! You know you have my support!!:)❤️
Crystal,
It’s been an honor to help you get your book out there to the women who need to read it. Thanks for the wonderful years of friendship!
All right you need to take some advice that I gave you a few years ago. You could help many other families in dealing with childhood cancer and its effect on family life by taking your journals and transcribe them into a book or possible two or three books! You are a gifted communicator because from experience from Ann and me you have allowed us to follow your journey through Sarah’s many fights with cancer and thank you for the journey. I now am following a young gentle man that is fighting a huge battle with cancer and I feel close to the family because of what you wrote in your journey.
Jim,
I know. I have been threatening for a long time to write a book. 🙂 But then I get overwhelmed just thinking about it! Maybe when Sarah goes off to college and life simplifies a little, I’ll have some time to launch into it. Thanks for all your encouragement of my writing over the years.
(And it helps that I have an example to follow in Crystal!))
Do it, Becky!
Jan,
Come to think of it, I may be too busy working my fingers to the bone, helping to pay for Sarah’s college. 🙂 It IS on my Bucket List, though.
Jim, I’ll second that!
Amazing God, amazing woman. Sharing.
Guerrina,
Thank you SO much for sharing! There are so many women who need to hear that message!
What an amazing friend you have. Thank you for sharing her and her story with us. Her book is loaded on my Kindle and ready for reading.
Jan,
Thanks so much for purchasing Crystal’s book. As you can probably guess, I highly recommend it!!
Remarkable lady, God bless her for her courage and perseverance. She is a great friend of our family.
Steve,
“Remarkable” is a perfect word for her.