Not a Statistic - Guest Blog by Sherry Clark

I went to a local clinic today to establish an OBGYN. They had me fill out an ACE questionnaire (Adverse Child Experiences) paper.....I guess it's routine? 🤷🏼‍♀️ I don't know I've never been there.

The doctor was shocked that my score was an 8 (Very high), and that I'd been through so much in my life. She even apologized. I responded with "It's ok, I had a rough childhood."

In that moment my instinct was to comfort her, and maybe make things a little less awkward but you could tell she instantly saw me through a different lens. I'm used to that response, but I don't understand why circumstances changed her view of me. ( After all, we'd JUST met)

As I sit here and think about the life I was given and the statistics based on my childhood. I'm. Shocked.

I'm shocked that... Through your life experiences, you're put into a box full of "others like you" and in a sense "red-flagged" in how an individual now views and approaches you.

I'm shocked that... Once someone knows your past they immediately judge who they think you are. Like "Oh, she's high risk for using drugs, being an alcoholic, or abusing her own kids." This isn't always true or fair.

Yes, I agree sometimes people become "the statistic" but......IT'S. NOT. WRITTEN. IN. STONE.

You know why? Because of the God we serve!!!

Yes, I had a ROUGH childhood, but that doesn't write who I'll automatically become as an adult. My point is; don't be quick to judge or feel obligated to apologize for someone’s life experiences.

Because of my past, I learned as a young child to hold TIGHT to certainties, and one very certain thing I had in my life was God. I knew I could ALWAYS run to Him and cry out to Him when I was scared...

NO. MATTER. WHAT.

I did it then, and I do it now. I wouldn't be the woman, mom, wife, etc. I am today if it wasn't for keeping my eyes on Him. I haven't always stayed strong in my faith but it's ALWAYS a place I can run to and a place I run to daily.

I'm not the "statistic" but I AM A CHILD OF GOD.

The God who stays.

You're the God who stays
You're the one who runs in my direction
When the whole world walks away
You're the God who stands
With wide-open arms
And You tell me nothing I have ever done can separate my heart
From the God who stays.

From “The God Who Stays” by Matthew West) https://g.co/kgs/GtXLPy

Sherry and her husband Justen live in Missouri. They have 4 kids. When she's not busy with family Sherry loves to paint.