Statistics for false reporting of rape and sexual child abuse

 It's been several years since I attended the Battered Mothers Custody Conference in New York, but at that time stats showed that [during divorce proceedings only] false accusations of abuse stood at 25%, which is high but still SIGNIFICANTLY lower than the national average of false accusations across the board for other crimes (70% wrongful convictions).

Any number is too high for falsely reporting a crime. There is no excuse--ever--for falsely accusing someone of anything. But neither should rape victims be singled out and treated like criminals when reporting the crime, especially in light of the fact that false reporting for rape is the lowest number in all the categories, only 2-10%.

False accusations in general are 11% made by men and 6% made by women and more than half of all wrongful criminal convictions are caused by government misconduct, with some studies finding police misconduct to be the leading cause of wrongful criminal convictions.

Grieving the loss of unwanted divorce

 

 Who do you know who may be grieving a loss due to death or an unwanted divorce (even if the divorce was a life-saving necessity due to something as ugly and life-threatening as domestic violence)?

The former we tend to remember and, with long-suffering and great compassion, usually support and encourage in their grief.

The latter we tend to view differently and, no matter the reason for an unwanted divorce, usually expect them to "just get over it" and move on.

Everyone deserves respect and compassion for their losses. Remember, whether we can relate to it as a loss or not (especially in the case of an unwanted divorce due to domestic violence or abuse), it may indeed be a terrible loss to them.

I remember grieving hard over divorcing my abusive spouse. I loved him and wanted him to get the help he so desperately needed. I wanted him to change. I wanted our marriage to work. But I knew my entire life would likely be destroyed or even lost if I pursued that dream. So, I was the one who filed for an unwanted divorce...and I grieved...and almost no one grieved with me (I write about that in my book).

Regardless of the reason for an unwanted divorce, give those who experience it time, support, and the space and encouragement to grieve their losses.

Today is National Grief Awareness Day. Who do you know who may be deeply grieving an unwanted divorce?

20th Anniversary of my great miracle

Twenty years ago, today, I lived.

I lived because a great and mighty God went before me in preparing the way for me not to die. I will not go into the steps he took (over a period of years, months, weeks, and days) in setting me up to survive. Suffice it to say that two days prior to the event, when I felt an almost irresistible urging to begin fasting and praying for someone not to die, I had no idea I was fasting and praying for myself!

The story of that fateful day, and of my great miracle, is posted HERE.

Legal Tender in the Courts of Heaven

Are you standing in faith for something, and it seems everything and everybody is standing against you in it?

Stand stronger.

Have you been waiting for the manifestation of God’s answer to your prayer for a very long time?

Stand longer.

There is a reason the Most High included the verse in his Word that says, “Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart and lean not to your own understanding.” 

If your five senses tell you that God’s promises are not true, feel free to ignore your five senses.

Go for broke. Believe God.

People of faith, dare to believe in the supernatural. Faith is a supernatural and tangible thing. Yes, it has a substance to it. Faith is the substance of things hoped for. It is the evidence of things not [yet] seen.

The very fact that we have hope for the manifestation of that which we cannot yet see, is the evidence that the tangible substance of faith is at work in our lives.

Faith is a tangible substance in Heaven and the only currency accepted in the courts of our God.

Be rich in faith.

Jesus said if we have faith nothing will be impossible for us. So, trust in what God tells us and not in what our finite hearts and minds tell us, not in what science or the facts tell us…and most definitely not in what any faithless miserable comforters in our lives may tell us.

It is not a sin for women to cut their hair

 20: Neither shall they shave their heads nor suffer their locks to grow long they shall only trim their heads

Comment: Shaving heads and growing hair long are holy things reserved for taking the Nazarite Vow (Numbers 6:5). Sampson was a life-long Nazarite. That's why he lost his strength after cutting his hair. It broke the vow. It is likely that Samuel and John the baptizer were Nazarites as well. It is probable that Anna the prophetess took the vow of the Nazarite before entering life-long service in the temple. She was respected in the beginning as a Nazarite and later as a prophetess.

23: And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean

Comment: Some denominations forbid women to cut their hair, but, according to Ezekiel, it is not a sin for women to cut their hair. It is just the opposite. It is a sin for anyone not to cut or trim their hair. 

Aside from taking a Nazarite vow, it is sinful (in not recognizing that which is holy) to grow hair long without ever trimming it. Additionally, the Nazarite vow was for both women and men (Numbers 6:2). 

Women taking a Nazarite vow are required to shave their heads at the beginning and end of each vow. Both men and women are forbidden to cut their hair during the vow. But, also, both men and women are forbidden to apply the holy practice (of not cutting hair) in a common way. 

They are forbidden to apply the holy practice of growing hair without cutting or trimming as a common every-day practice. 

For Students of Bible Prophecy

 

Just added a new Bible prophecy post at the Hungry Hearts Bible Commentary.

For women who are or have been in abusive relationships

 "It deserves to be recognized as a very helpful book for women who are or have been in abusive relationships as well as for women who may not be in such challenging situations but for whom this could be an educational tool to open their eyes to what may well be happening around them without them even realizing it." -- Loes Tam of Ministry to Silenced Women

The long-awaited 2nd Edition of WOMAN SUBMIT! is available now!