Wendy Blight - Hidden Joy in a Dark Corner: The Transforming Power of Gods Story

HIDDEN
JOY

in a DARK CORNER
The Transforming Power of Gods Story

Wendy Blight

M OODY P UBLISHERS
CHICAGO

2009 by
W ENDY B LIGHT

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version. NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton Illinois 60189, U.S.A. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked TLB are taken from The Living Bible, copyright 1971. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)

Scripture quotations marked PHILLIPS : Reprinted with the permission of Scribner, a division of Simon & Schuster, from the New Testament in Modern English, Revised Edition, translated by J. B. Phillips. Copyright 1958, 1960, 1972 by J. B. Phillips.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from the King James Version.

Scripture quotations marked AMP are taken from The Amplified Bible, copyright 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987. Used by permission of Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan. All rights reserved.

Emphases in Scripture have been placed by the author.

Published in association with the literary agency of Wolgemuth & Associates, Inc.

Editor: Karyn Hecht
Interior Design: Ragont Design
Cover Design: Brand Navigation
Cover Image: Getty Images: 200449146-001

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Blight, Wendy.
Hidden joy in a dark corner: the transforming power of Gods story/Wendy Blight.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 978-0-8024-1496-0
1. Blight, Wendy. 2. Christian biographyUnited States. 3. RapeReligious aspects-Christianity. I. Title.
BR1725.B578A3 2009
277.3083092dc22
[B]

2008039778

This book is printed on acid free recycled paper containing 30% PCW (Post Consumer Waste) and manufactured in the United States of America by Bethany Press.

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To my husband, Monty: thank you
for your unconditional love
and unwavering commitment
every step of this journey

CONTENTS

With
G RATITUDE

T O MY TWO CHILDREN , Lauren and Bo: You fill my life with incredible joy and laughter. Your love, prayers, and sacrifice through the writing of this manuscript have been precious gifts that I will forever treasure.

To my parents, John and Connie Rotty, who instilled in me the belief that I could do anything I set my mind to. And to my in-laws, Ed and Carolyn Blight, for faithfully covering our family in prayer before they ever knew me.

To Moody Publishers for believing in this project. Because of your commitment to feed the Word of God to hungry souls, many broken and hurting hearts will be healed and restored.

To my editors, Jennifer Lyell, Karyn Hecht, and Pam Pugh. Jennifer, for deeming this project worthy of publication, your dedication to protect the heart of my story, and your continued encouragement each step of the way. Karyn, for the hours you faithfully invested your gifts and talents into this manuscript. Pam, for your words of encouragement, your invaluable advice, and the laughter we shared along the way. You make me smile!

To President Herbert H. Reynolds and Reverend Mark Craig for introducing me to Gods Word and showing me that it is full of promises meant for me today.

To Jan Harrison for passionately living out your faith before my eyes. Your passion for Gods Word inspired me and gave me a hunger and thirst for Truth that has forever changed my life.

To my heart sisters, Karen Cauthen, Lisa Allen, and Lendy Jones: God used you more than you will ever know to encourage and inspire me on my journey of healing.

To Lisa Sheltra for walking through every page of this book with me. You gave me valuable critique and encouragement and helped me find the right words to convey the message that filled my heart.

To Bobbie, Robert, and Erik Wolgemuth for your willingness to take a chance on a new author. Bobbie, I am forever grateful for your belief in my story and your encouragement every step of the way.

To the South Charlotte Womens Bible study for allowing me the privilege of studying Gods Word with you these past five years. We have prayed together, laughed together, cried together, and, most of all, grown together. You are the best, and I love you all!

To the Young Womens Bible Study and Lynn Pitts for giving me my first platform from which to teach. It has been my greatest joy and privilege to walk alongside you as we opened the Word of God together and experienced the incredible hope and power it holds.

Finally, to my many friends and family who took precious time to read all or part of this manuscript and provide valuable insight and suggestions.

Our Journey
B EGINS

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

E ZEKIEL 36:26

H AVE YOU EVER BEEN the victim of someones violent behavior? Have you felt like someone ripped away all you had in this world? Have you felt like your life is spinning out of control and you do not know how you can survive another day? Have you experienced a physical or emotional pain so deep that nothing can soothe the hurt?

I have. These questions describe how I lived for years after my terrifying experience.

Circumstances can destroy everything you know to be good and true. It happened to me over twenty years ago when an armed, masked man hiding inside my home raped me. It has been a difficult story to write, one that takes me back to a desperate time. Every line I write reminds me of the years of terror, despair, and hopelessness in which I lived. I wondered whether I really wanted to travel back in time to that place, to that pain. Yet I feel compelled to tell you my story, the full story, so I can share the beautiful hope and new life given to me and available for you. There was a time when being a rape victim defined my life and left me physically void, cocooned in a prison of fear. It stole my every hope and dream. But Gods love and His Word set my heart free. I learned that within the confines of Gods story, nothing had been stolen from me, but rather everything was given to me. My life, which felt so out of control, was in reality in complete controlGods control.