There are roads in life that no one would choose to travel.
The road through abuse.
The road through fear.
The road through court hearings.
The road through sleepless nights.
The road through starting over.
If you’ve lived through domestic violence, you know that healing is rarely a straight, smooth highway. More often, it feels like riding down a road filled with potholes, loose gravel, steep hills, and unexpected turns.
There are days when you wonder if you’re making any progress at all.
But every mile you travel is taking you farther away from where you started.
Sometimes the rough road is the only road that leads to peace.
Choosing to leave an abusive relationship is hard.
Learning to trust again is hard.
Facing the trauma you’ve buried is hard.
Building a new life is hard.
Yet every difficult step is laying the foundation for something stronger than what was taken from you.
God never promised us that every road would be easy. He promised He would walk with us through every valley. Even when the road is rough, He is still guiding your steps.
“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for You are with me.” — Psalm 23:4
The smooth road isn’t a life without problems.
It’s waking up without fear.
It’s finding your voice again.
It’s laughing without looking over your shoulder.
It’s discovering that peace feels better than surviving.
If you’re on a rough stretch of road today, don’t turn around.
Keep moving forward.
Because sometimes you have to travel the rough road to finally arrive at the smooth part.
At RADV, we believe every survivor deserves to reach that place of peace. No matter how difficult today’s journey feels, your best miles are still ahead.
Ride Strong. Stay Safe. Keep Moving Forward.
— Dave Beatty
Founder, Riders Against Domestic Violence (RADV)