People have asked me why I left, and for a while I struggled to answer. When you've lived in an unhealthy relationship for years, you don't leave because of one argument or one bad day. You leave because your spirit slowly realizes that what you're living in isn't love anymore. When Joey and I first got together, there were good memories. We laughed, dreamed about our future, planned a wedding, built a home together, and I truly believed we would grow old together. Those memories were real, and I don't deny they existed. But over time, those moments became fewer and farther between. What became normal was fear, confusion, walking on eggshells, and trying to predict what mood he would be in before I even walked through the door. I slowly became responsible for managing his emotions. If he was angry, I tried harder. If he was distant, I blamed myself. If he yelled, I apologized even when I didn't know what I'd done wrong. I believed that if I could just love him better, clean more, work harder, say the right thing, or stay quiet at the right moment, maybe things would get better. They never did. He regularly screamed at me and called me degrading names. He told me he didn't respect me and never would. He often refused to communicate, using silence as punishment. If I tried to talk about our relationship, ask for counseling, or tell him I felt unsafe or unloved, I was told that was my problem instead of being heard. The abuse wasn't only emotional. He poured beer on me while I was taking a shower. He forced his way into the bathroom during an argument, shoved the glass shower doors toward me, and then broke my full-length mirror. He slammed a case of beer onto my work desk while I was sitting there hard enough to break the desk in half. Beer went everywhere, and I was the one who cleaned it up. He threw laundry into the yard because it wasn't finished quickly enough. He pushed me against a wall. He put his hands around my neck and tried to choke me. Those moments changed something inside me. I began to see "nothing" in his eyes during his angry episodes, and I became afraid of what he might do next. That fear became so real that I secretly recorded one of his outbursts because I felt I needed evidence in case something worse happened. Looking back, no one should ever feel the need to collect evidence against the person they love.

Hey sis 🤍 I’m really glad you’re here. This space was created for women who are walking through life, healing, and faith—sometimes all at the same time. Women who have a past. Women who have made mistakes. Women who have felt broken, lost, or alone. Because the truth is… I’ve been there too. I’ve walked through seasons of: addiction anger broken relationships domestic abuse loneliness spiritual confusion And for a long time, I didn’t know who I was… or if things would ever change. But God. Somehow, through all of it, He met me where I was—not where I had it all together. And slowly… things began to shift. Not overnight. Not perfectly. But real. Today, I’m still growing. Still learning. Still walking this out with Jesus every single day. I’m not here to fix anyone. I’m not a therapist. I’m not perfect. 👉 I’m just a woman who made it through some hard things 👉 and knows what it feels like to think you’re alone …and you’re not. 🌿 What This Space Is: A safe place to share your story A space to grow in your relationship with Jesus A community of women who support—not judge A place to be real, not perfect 🌿 What This Space Is NOT: No shame No judgment No tearing each other down No pretending we have it all together 🌱 Here, we: Share testimonies Pray for each other Encourage each other Grow… at our own pace You don’t have to have the right words. You don’t have to have it all figured out. You just have to show up. If you feel comfortable, introduce yourself below: 💬 Where are you in your journey right now? 💬 What brought you here? I’m really glad you found your way here. Let’s grow together 🌿 With Jesus at the center. — Nicole 🤍