The Fork in the Road: When the Familiar Path Is No Longer Safe
There comes a moment in many survivors’ lives when the road seems to divide—and neither direction feels easy. One direction is familiar. You know every turn, every warning sign and every place where the road becomes rough. It may be painful, frightening and exhausting—but you have learned how to survive it. The other direction leads […]
Understanding the Importance of Your Safety
There may come a point when you realize that the way you are being treated is not healthy, loving, or safe. That realization can be frightening. It can also be the first mile toward freedom. When you are living with abuse, it is easy to minimize what is happening. You may tell yourself the situation […]
🙏🏼 An RADV Sunday Prayer
Heavenly Father, Today we lift up every survivor who is hurting, healing, rebuilding, or simply trying to make it through another day. Be close to the person who feels alone. Give courage to the one who is afraid to take the next step. Bring peace to the home filled with uncertainty, protection to those seeking […]
Before There Was RADV
Final Chapter: We Are the Bridge For the past several weeks, I’ve taken you down roads I spent years trying not to look back on. I’ve told you about abuse. About ten dollars. About being dragged outside a bar and beaten. About waking up in a hospital unable to speak and seeing John Doe written […]
RADV Presents: The Ripple Effect
Changing Tomorrow by Investing in Today Series #17: Teach Them How to Disagree Without Disrespect Two people can love each other and still disagree. They can see a situation differently. They can have different opinions, different needs, and different ways of looking at the world. The problem isn’t disagreement. It’s what we choose to do […]
Waiting Is the Hardest Part
There are moments when you have done everything you know to do—and all that remains is waiting. Waiting for the phone call. Waiting for test results. Waiting for a court date. Waiting for an opening at a shelter. Waiting for someone to believe you. Waiting for the paperwork to go through. Waiting for life to […]
When the Project Is You
Remember when you finally finished a project and stepped back to see what you had accomplished? What if the project was you? There is a special feeling that comes when you finish something you worked hard on. Maybe it was rebuilding an old motorcycle, painting a room, planting a garden, writing a book, earning a […]
Learning How to Trust Again
After abuse, trust can feel like a door you locked for a very good reason. Someone may tell you that it is time to open that door again. They may say you need to let go of the past, give people a chance, or stop expecting to be hurt. But they may not understand what […]
Sobriety: One Clear Mile at a Time
For some survivors, alcohol or drugs became a way to survive what felt impossible to face. They may have helped quiet the fear, soften painful memories, numb emotional wounds, or bring a few hours of sleep. When someone has lived through threats, manipulation, violence, or constant uncertainty, reaching for something that offers temporary relief does […]
From the RADV Archives: Taking Your Life Back
On August 28, 2019, RADV shared a simple message: “Your strength amazes me. You’ve told your abuser, ‘I’m taking my life back. You can no longer have control over me. The power is in my hands.’” Years later, those words still carry the same truth. Taking your life back does not always happen in one […]