Anne Miller - Healing Together: A Guide to Supporting Sexual Abuse Survivors

Miller writes with candor, humility, and a wealth of knowledge borne of both experience and study. This book should be in the hands of every leader in the church and every follower of Christ. Equal parts handbook for what to do when sexual abuse happens and narrative for how to empathize with and care for victims of sexual abuse, Healing Together is a must-read.

L ORE F ERGUSON W ILBERT, AUTHOR OF H ANDLE WITH C ARE (2020)

Healing Together casts a compelling vision for the support of sexual assault survivors. It is a practical guide and first-aid resource written with the wisdom, honesty, and understanding of a survivor. This book explains clearly the effects of trauma, which is vital to our response and care for survivors. We will assign it in seminary courses we teach on preventing, recognizing, and responding to abuse.

J USTIN S. H OLCOMB AND L INDSEY A. H OLCOMB , AUTHORS OF R ID OF M Y D ISGRACE AND I S I T M Y F AULT? J USTIN IS A BOARD MEMBER OF GRACE.

This is the most well-rounded book on abuse Ive read to date. It is the perfect balance of personal narrative, spiritual implications, medical definitions, and practical application. This is an invaluable resource. Thank you for telling your story and sharing your expertise, Anne!

J IMMY H INTON, PASTOR, ADVOCATE, HOST OF T HE S PEAKING O UT ON S EX A BUSE P ODCAST

Anne Miller has penned a forthright narrative of how a pastor sexually abused her as a kid and how the Southern Baptist Convention betrayed her when she reported it. Thankfully, she doesnt offer up platitudes for such traumas, but rather, in this bandage of a book, she simply seeks to help people help survivors. And in that sort of heart-sourced help, there is hope.

C HRISTA B ROWN, AUTHOR OF T HIS L ITTLE L IGHT

An incredibly practical book on how to love the broken in our midst. This is a love letter to the church, asking her to rise up, put on empathys shoes, and weep alongside the weeping. Millers heart for others, her spot-on typification of trauma, and her love for Jesus emanate from these help-filled pages. Highly recommended.

M ARY D E M UTH, AUTHOR OF W E T OO

Rarely do you read a book from someone who is a survivor of sexual assault, a gifted writer, a student of trauma and abuse, and an advocate for other survivors. But Anne Marie is all of those. She uncovers the relatively hidden world of sexual trauma that only we survivors and trauma therapists see. Remarkably, she has distilled complex concepts and made them straight-forward without over-simplifying. This is a stand-alone achievement.

M IKE P HILLIPS, COAUTHOR OF O VERCOMING P ORN

Pastors, friends, and family members of survivors, if you have a desire to understand the heart of a survivor and know the many different phases of grief we experience, Healing Together will open your eyes to the ugliness of clergy abuse and how it affects the heart and life of a survivor years later.

Survivors will find themselves agreeing with many of the emotions that are evident in the pages of this book as Miller walks through her journey.

Raw, heart-wrenching, and eye-opening, Millers story grabbed my attention, and many times, I found myself sobbing. While I remain an active member of a Southern Baptist church, this book is a knowledgeable read and worth your time, whether you are a believer, Southern Baptist, survivor, or have a desire to learn more.

M EGAN N ICHOLS L IVELY , SBC ADVOCATE AND SURVIVOR

ZONDERVAN REFLECTIVE

Healing Together

Copyright 2019 by Anne Marie Miller

Requests for information should be addressed to:

Zondervan, 3900 Sparks Dr. SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546

ePub Edition September 2019: ISBN 978-0-310-11209-9

Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.Zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.

Scripture quotations marked CSB are taken from the Christian Standard Bible, Copyright 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible, and CSB, are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

This book is a source of information only and is intended to supplement, not replace, the advice of a trained professional. The resources identified are accurate as of the date published. The author and the publisher expressly disclaim responsibility for any adverse effects arising from the use or application of the information contained herein.

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Cover design: Studio Nth, LLC

Cover photo: Stas Malyarevsky/Shutterstock

Interior design: Emily Ghattas

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To Charlotte
I dont understand how God found me worthy enough to be your mom, but its the greatest privilege in the world, and my greatest joy. Youre the most amazing girl I know. Your hugs are epic. I love you, monster. Beep, beep.

Dont participate in the fruitless works of darkness, but instead expose them.

E PHESIANS 5:11 CSB

L ORD my God, I called to you for help,
and you healed me.

P SALM 30:2

Carry one anothers burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

G ALATIANS 6:2 CSB