Not only that, but our Secret Survivors community continues to grow, providing a safe place for people to open up about their struggles, their secrets, and to help one another on the journey to becoming survivors. If you haven’t checked it out yet, make sure you do.

I still have a few more YouTube videos to create. It’s no secret in my life that I’m crazy busy these days, so I will make a concerted effort to get more stories up on the site soon. Thanks for being patient!

Leah never really felt loved by her parents. She was abandoned by her dad before she was even born, and later her mom sent her to live with the stranger who was her father. It didn’t take long for the physical abuse to start. Leah was severely beaten by her dad, and one day she came home from school to find that her dad and step-mom were moving out–without her. She was abandoned once again and was left searching for hope and love.

Jessica was seventeen when her uncle raped her. It sent her into a downward spiral of bad relationships and bad choices. She shared her secret with a few safe people, but it took her years before she could tell her family. During those years of darkness, she experienced pain that affected every aspect of her life–physically, emotionally, mentally, and relationally. Her long, slow journey towards hope led her to share her story in this book.

Chuck never fit in. When some kids at school offered him drugs, he decided it might be a good way to fit in. Before he knew it, Chuck was ingesting every kind of drug and alcohol he could get his hands on. Several DUIs and marriages later, Chuck realized that if he kept using he’d lose his son. His rocky path to sobriety and healing inspires his son, and anyone else who hears his story.

Catherine was an “oops” baby in her family, and she felt it. Never quite feeling like she belonged, she did everything she could to gain the approval of her parents. Feeling out of control of her life, she began to focus on things she could control–food and exercise. It didn’t take long for Catherine to develop an eating disorder that lasted long into her adult life. Her secret affected everyone around her, including her own daughter. But her journey towards healing is inspiring and beautiful, just like Catherine.

**

Whether you can relate to one of these stories or not, the reality is that when we carry a secret we feel pain and shame that is universal. Your story may be different than mine, but we share a common pain and heartbreak. Together, as we share our stories, we find wholeness and hope. It’s our hope that these stories will encourage you to begin your healing journey as well, and share your secret with someone…anyone.

Kat was a feisty girl who loved to sing and perform for people. She had dreams of playing the role of Annie on Broadway one day. But at the age of 14 she was date raped by a guy she thought really loved her. That led her to act out in ways that were unimaginable to people who knew her well. It wasn’t until she was in college that she realized what had happened to her (that it wasn’t her fault).

Daria first started cutting when she was in second grade. She lived in a home filled with anger and lacking in love, and had a dad who left before she was born. It didn’t take long for her to figure out that physical pain helped numb her emotional pain.

Whitney was a “good Christian girl” who secretly began having sex with her boyfriend in high school. It was a secret she kept from everyone, even her best friends. But her darkest secret happened during her freshman year of college when she had an abortion. And her secret grew even darker when she had a second abortion…

Matt was only nine when he discovered pornography. It didn’t take long for an addiction to form and he became creative at hiding his trails online from his parents. But when the found out about his struggle, he just worked harder to hide it from them as his perspective on women and sex became skewed.

**

This is just a brief look at the first four stories from Secret Survivors. The thing that was amazing about each of the stories and the people we met was that while each secret was unique, the pain they felt inside while carrying it alone was very much the same. The loneliness and despair and fear of judgment was overwhelming. But fortunately for each of these people, sharing their secret was the beginning of a journey towards healing and wholeness. You can read their whole stories in the book and discover what helped them find the courage to share their secret and what has helped them begin to heal.

Stay tuned for Part 2 to get a glimpse at the rest of the survivors in our book.

Megan and I were so excited to see this project finally come to fruition and we can’t wait to hear stories from the people who read it. In fact, I’ve already heard a couple good ones, which I’ll share in another post. For now, just know that we really hope this book will help people feel like they’re not alone and that they can begin healing from their secret pain.

More soon…

Everyone has secrets, but you don’t have to live with your pain all alone. Secret Survivors tells the compelling, true stories of people who have lived through painful secrets. As you read stories about rape, addiction, cutting, abuse, abortion, and more, you’ll find the strength to share your own story and start healing, and you may even discover how to help a friend in pain.

Preorder your copy today.

Secret Survivors: Real-life Stories to Give You Hope for Healing (Invert)

Stay tuned to this site for more stories, and encouragement to help you heal.