Oft Made to Wonder is set to ship early June. While I have had time to sit with this material and sort through it there are many who have not. I've heard from a few childhood friends who knew I was struggling but could never pull out of me the truth of it all. I'm going to quote them here but I also aim to give them a voice to try and put the puzzle pieces together of their own lives. There was a lot going on particularly in the 70's as it pertains to the way things were and what was considered an acceptable norm. I hope this platform allows for the much needed conversations to happen. Who knows? Maybe some answers will come.
"My sister and I have talked about you over the years. I personally felt tormented because I knew your pain was real. I knew you well enough that I knew you didn’t make things up. I so wish I could have helped you as that beautiful teenaged girl. I am so happy you have found your truth. I admire you for putting it into words. Your story needs to be told. Things are not always what they seem, even in “Christian households”. I have lost faith over the years in what we viewed as Christianity. I think the capacity we have to love each other is more representative of what we truly possess inside. I still love you!" Joyce Posey Ralston I agree with you Joyce. I think there are more important things than the letter of what we were told was the law. It gave rise to so much violence but it also created a dichotomy in my world that set me up for accepting so much more abuse as an adult. After the book is released there will be much more to talk about. I hope to see you and many more back here. In close I would like to leave you with the words that inspired the title of my book. As we ten sang so many times in church... Tempted and tried, we’re oft made to wonder Why it should be thus all the day long; While there are others living about us, Never molested, though in the wrong. Farther along we’ll know more about it, Farther along we’ll understand why; Cheer up, my brother, live in the sunshine, We’ll understand it all by and by W. A. Fletcher Love, Jia
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