Dena’s Alive at Last small group leader asked, “What would you like your life to look like in the next one to three years?” Dena boldly responded, “I want to live in my own house, and be able to pay all my bills. I want a comfortable place where my kids can visit one day, with flowers growing in the front yard.”
Dena had a history of being involved with gangs, and of being the tough girl in school. Her peers reinforced her reputation affirming, “You better not mess with Dena.” She wore her reputation like a badge. Yet, the cost of such a reputation required Dena to live a risky, dangerous lifestyle filled with theft and violence.
In reality, her tough exterior masked the pain and brokenness resulting from early childhood sexual abuse. She tried to escape the haunting images that often flooded her mind by attempting suicide repeatedly as a young teenager. When she failed at suicide she resolved to reinforce the self-protective shell and never let anyone hurt her again.
Dena never thought she would be in a situation where she was the one intimidated and controlled. But that is exactly where she found herself as a mother of young children. She was vulnerable and bound to unhealthy relationships with men because she couldn’t provide for her children on her own. The taxing life of sexual exploitation led to desperation and eventually homelessness.
Dena turned to a homeless shelter in hopes of regaining her dignity and emotional health. In 2019 Dena attended Alive at Last’s healing small group. Things began to change for Dena- not her outward circumstances at first, but inside. Dena admits that doing the hard work of inner healing was the first step to charting a new life. Dena’s story is not finished yet. But with her strong faith and renewed hope, her future is bright.
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