Courage Network

This is very simple. I need you to take a moment (don't find it, take it) and then STRETCH.
How was it? Did you feel anything? Do you feel better?

Ok, Now try this:

STRETCH your mind...go way out from your day to day flow.

STRETCH your way of thinking...remove your thoughts and apply your dream(s).

STRETCH your eyelids over your eyes...begin to see your dream(s) in a reality state of being.

STRETCH your mouth...and let positive words flow from it.

STRETCH your words and let life, not death flow from it.

STRETCH your perception of time...understand that your delay is not a denial. Go forward and make that dream a reality.

Now I ask you how do you feel?

Stop sitting around waiting on someone else to make you feel better. Get up and get moving. Put your faith at work. And once you get to moving, don't look back. I love you so much but more importantly God does.

Be encouraged. Be inspired. Be who He created you to be.

Love,
Bella Grace

“Sisterhood is many things. It’s a warm smile on a cold and rainy day, a friendly hug, a cheerful hello… It’s all that a good and lasting friendship is, only better. It’s treasured. It’s sacred. It’s knowing that there will always be someone there for you. It’s dreams shared, and goals achieved. It’s counting on others and being counted on. It is real.”

This post dedicated to all my Archangel Sisters.  I love each and every one of you!

This morning I was charged with the task of defining what “thriver” means to me.  I compiled a list of the first words that came to mind: self knowing, embracing life, living to the fullest, empowered, open, secure, unbroken, girl power, liberated, and vibrant.  It was a good start.   However, truly grasping the essence of thriving is not something that can be broken down and explained on paper.  It’s something that needs to be felt. 

The most wonderful thing happens when you attend the My Avenging Angel Workshops and follow-up sessions.  You become part of a sisterhood: a loving, accepting, flaw embracing community of women committed to improving not only their own lives, but also the lives of others.  That is where the thriver energy emanates.  It comes from each and every woman. 

The Angels are a diverse group- coming in every shape, size, age, color, and religion- a reminder that domestic violence does not discriminate.  Yet, we do not dwell on our past.  Instead, we celebrate the beauty of our differences and bond over a common experience.  Surprisingly, it’s not the trauma or past suffering that brings us together.  It is the desire to bring about change- in ourselves and in the world that binds us.  Together, we see a future filled with limitless possibilities.  In each of us there is hope, faith, and the courage to embark on a journey to a more fruitful and fulfilling life.  We give each other strength.  Our ties cross town and state lines across this country.  We are feminism at its best- an abuser’s worst nightmare!  Are motto: “Living well is the best revenge”. 

Being a thriver is more than becoming a self-aware, self-loving individual.  It is about belonging and becoming part of a community.  The community is necessary to impact other lives.  It’s the sense of sisterhood that helps to empower us.  I could not imagine what a difficult journey it would be, or it even being possible to thrive without a strong support network.  No one individual is self-sufficient enough not to need a shoulder to cry or lean on during hard times.  A house is only as good as the foundation it is built upon, and the individual is no different.  You are only as solid as your base.  In this respect I have been very lucky (not only to have the Angels, but also the unconditional love of my amazing family, friends, and boyfriend who always back me 100% - equally in success and failure).

I am so grateful to belong to such an awe-inspiring group of women.  Each is a blessing in a my life, a window to the possibilities of how the future could be.  I am fortunate to not only have such a tremendous family (both by blood and bond), but to be part of one.  Knowing that I play a role helping and healing others is more healing and empowering than anything I could achieve on my own.

If you reside in or near Connecticut and are interested in moving beyond survivor to thriver please visit Susan Omilian’s website for more information on the FREE My Avenging Angels Workshops.  You can also email me at runningthriver@gmail.com.

If you do not live near Connecticut and are still interested in joining the Thriver community, check out the Thriver Workbook.  In it you will find many of the exercises Susan uses in her workshops.  You can also check out The Thriverzone.

As always, thank you for reading!  Please feel free to share any of the information here if you know someone who can benefit from it (just give credit back to the site please ) Comments and feedback are always welcome and appreciated.  Good luck in your Thriver Journey!!!

“Being good is commendable, but only when it is combined with doing good is it useful.”

- Unknown

 

I have officially launched my Running for the Color Purple Campaign! I will be running in the upcoming Half Diva Marathon in Long Island Oct. 2, followed by the Hartford Marathon Oct. 15 in an effort to raise money for CT-ALIVE (CT Alliance of Victims of Violence and their Families). October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, so the timing could not be better for both raising funds and awareness.  I also intend on using my future marathon running to continue this campaign.

I would strongly encourage other runners not currently running for charity to consider doing the same.  You don’t need to necessarily support domestic violence, but can find an organization that is important to you.

Some startling statistics:

One in four women in this country has or will experience domestic abuse in her lifetime.

Approximately 1.3 million women are physically assaulted by an intimate partner annually in the US

Approximately one in five female high school students reports being physically and/or sexually abused by a dating partner.

On average, more than three women are murdered by their intimate partners in this country every day.

Only one third of injured female rape and physical assault victims recieve medical treatment

Women of all races are about equally vulnerable to violence by an intimate partner.

Intimate partner violence affects people regardless of income.

Nearly three out of four (74%) of Americans personally know someone who is or has been a victim of domestic violence.

Forty percent of girls age 14 to 17 report knowing someone their age who has been hit or beaten by a boyfriend.

Studies suggest that between 3.3 – 10 million children witness some form of domestic violence annually.

As a survivor of domestic violence, this cause is very important to me.  CT-ALIVE has personally touched my life, and I can attest to the amazing services they provide to women attempting to put their lives back together after abuse.  They offer these programs and services free of charge to victims, which is why fundraising is so important.

The Connecticut Alliance for Victims of Violence & Their Families Inc. (CT-ALIVE), is a Connecticut non-profit corporation which is tax-exempt under Section 501 (c) (3) of the IRS Tax Code. CT-ALIVE was established in May of 2002 by a group of survivors of homicide that wanted to help other survivors heal after the horrific trauma they had experienced.

Your generous donation to CT-ALIVE will help provide services to victims of violence and their families under several of our Projects. You can also Sponsor Our Event.

To donate to CT-ALIVE’s work, events or services, click below to pay by credit card or send a check payable to “CT-ALIVE” to P.O. Box 330083, West Hartford, CT 06133. Your donation is tax-deductible.

Domestic Violence affects not just the individual, but also the family and community of the victims. It’s time to let go of the stigma associated with abuse and start talking about it. Education and awareness are crucial. Please show your support, spread the word, and DONATE!

If you are interested in joining me or learning more leave a com

No Fear...
Shout it out loud!

"our deepest fear (may be) that we are inadequate,"  however, know this:

God Has Not Given Us The Spirit Of Fear

You can not be your past if you are living in the present. And  you will not be your present situation once you enter your future destination. The only thing holding you back is

YOU

Start telling yourself that No one can hold you back. No situation can hold you back. No thing can hold you back. Absolutely nothing can hold you back. You are not a slave, you are free. You have liberty. You have dominion over whatever it is that is trying to make you feel like you are in bondage.
And for my sisters and brothers that are in an abusive relationship, trust me, I know the feeling. I was once there. Feeling like there was no where to go. When the truth is all you have to do is trust that YOU can walk out of the dark and into the light. and thanks be to God (or whatever Higher authority you believe in) for Courage Network, and the National Domestic Violence Registry. These are organizations that are genuine and serious about providing you the resources you need to feel comfortable and safe. Knowledge is power, and the more you learn the more you will grow.

No Fear!

Be encouraged. Be inspired. Be who he created you to be.

Love,
Bella Grace

I was to come on here Monday, and spread a little sunshine. However, something blocked me. But whatever, I am here now.

I simply want to say that whatever you are going through...go through it. Go through it so you may reach the end of the tunnel and rejoice! Don't stop. Don't focus on the heaviness of your situation. Don't limit yourself and cut yourself short by saying God doesn't care. He does, and you will see he does if you continue to press forward until the end.

Remember the battle isn't yours anyway. So pray and give it to God and then proceed with love and joy and know that if I keep going I will make it to the end.

Be encouraged. Be inspired. Be who he created you to be.

Love,
Bella Grace

Hello everyone,

I just wanted to say to someone that may be experiencing an uneasy time in their life right now...you need more than a breath of fresh air.
You need to not be afraid to stop yourself and say "hey, I need to get out." And then just do it.
Get out, meet some new people, have an ice cream cone, sit under a tree at the park. Find something to do that will be your stage as you recite positive words and affirmations that will whisk you away from the negative words and adversities that try to drown you with guilt and depression, lonliness and biterness, defeat and confusion. Please understand those are all lies and that you are not those dreary things. You are a light. You have life. You are an overcomer. You are a conqueror. You are a survivor. You are a victor. The things that you have been battling are just things that have been set into play to see if you will hang in there and finish the race...whatever your purpose is.
Don't be afraid to take more than a breath of fresh air whenever you feel overwhelmed or bombarded with a lot of "going ons." Just simply do what it takes to reset yourself so that you may continue shining like the bright star that you are.

Be encouraged. Be inspired. Be who he created you to be.

Love,
Bella Grace

Dr. Salter received a Masters degree in Child Study and a Ph.D in Psychology and Public Practice, and she has been building her expertise in child abuse since the 1970s. She makes her position clear in the: “Victims were the result, not the cause, of the problem.” What, if anything, can be done about offenders? To determine an answer, Dr. Salter interviewed offenders and developed educational films from those sessions.

Denial is the refusal to acknowledge the existence or severity of unpleasant external realities or internal thoughts and feelings. Society denies the cruelties of predators in our communities, while also denying the effects of sex abuse on victims. The remedy for denial is information, and the knowledge of what it takes to keep our children safe. Dr. Salter’s book offers the awareness needed to prevent the perpetuation of sex offenses in our neighborhoods. The reader is not asked to understand predators but to identify them.

A premise of the book is in the phrases “No opportunity. No abuse.” Dr. Salters states that it is the parent’s responsibility to “avoid situations where sexual abuse is possible.” She urges parents to supervise their children during community activities. This presumes that a child has caring parents who take the time to determine what sexual abuse is and when abuse is possible. It’s possible that a child does not have such a parent. Therefore, it is up to the community to be wise about the manipulations of a predator.
 
Predators is divided into eleven chapters, with a full Index, Bibliography, and Notes that offer specific information to lay people and academics alike. Delving into the predators’ consciousness and lack of conscience via Dr. Salters interviews is no easy task. However, she urges us to know what they look for so that we can protect ourselves and our children.
Review completed by Lynn C. Tolson 

Open Embraces and Scentsy have joined forces concerning Domestic Violence. Our efforts are to bring about more awareness and financial resources.

Open Embraces (http://openembraces.webs.com/) is a grassroots non-profit. Its’ purpose is to help victims and the families of Domestic Violence victims financially. Open Embraces’ goal is to help victims pay for expenses incurred leaving the violent situation and seeking help; or in a worst case scenario, paying for the burial of a loved one who died in a “domestic” situation.

The first family we chose to sponsor is one who has faced the death of their loved one. Thankfully their loved one has already found her final resting place. The family has been able to place a headstone in recent months. There is now a place for her two sons, her sister and other family members to remember her peacefully. This family is still facing the challenge of paying for the burial. 

Scentsy has joined with us to help raise money for our non-profit. All proceeds donated from this fundraiser will go directly to our first family to cover their loved one’s burial expenses.

Scentsy will give 50% or more of their earnings for this fundraiser to Open Embraces. You can order 24/7 on  https://beckyhull.scentsy.us/. Once on the website go to Open Parties and scroll down to Open Embraces-Scentsy Fundraiser...click on buy from party and place your order. The items will be shipped directly to you to keep things simple. There will be some shipping but it is for a great cause! Questions about Scentsy contact beckyandjim@charter.net.

Thank you for making our fundraiser a great success. The first family and we at Open Embraces and Scentsy appreciate your help!

We also have an online petition at http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/ChangeinWI2/. Please go sign the petition if you would like to take part in this change!

Thank you!

Heather and Justin Giese and Becky Hull