Transcend the Evil by Denise Pridgen

Guest Blog by Denise Pridgen

Friday afternoon: “Stupid weed COME OUT!!”

I was mowing in a ditch around a telephone pole. My usual job of clipping around flower beds,
trees and shrubs had been upgraded to mowing with our self-propelled mower, mostly due to
my nagging. I was (in this family structure) the oldest girl, in between 2 boys and 3 younger
girls. But back to my incident...

Just as I pulled back, the weed came out. I stumbled a bit and my foot went under the edge of the
mower. Those razor-sharp blades cut through my shoe like a knife through butter. I snatched my
foot back, but not before the blade cut my pinky toe to the bone. I shut off the mower and
limped over to the truck. Already the pain was crazy and my shoe had that sloshy feel.

My brother came over to see what was wrong. I was crying and the floorboard had a stream of
red mixing with the dirt forming weird trails that I was trying to concentrate on, hoping it would
keep me from crying out. “You have to tell him, this is too big to hide!!”

By that time my birth father was already walking over, an angry expression filling his face. “Get back to work!” he snapped at my brother. Then he asked why I was lazing around.
I reluctantly showed him what I had done. “How did that happen?” he scowled.

“I forgot to disengage the mower for a minute.”

“STUPID IDIOT! YOU KNOW BETTER.”

I was expecting a slap, but instead, he got a cloth, wrapped it and said to hold it tight until they
finished the yard. He used the pretense that we couldn’t afford a doctor, but I know my brothers
and sisters went to the clinic regularly- so I suspected that it was because he didn’t want anyone
to discover the “other”; physical or sexual abuses.

Saturday night: My bedroom adjoined my parent’s by a fireplace. It was an old creaky
farmhouse which we rented. I was trying to pray and sob as quietly as possible. I definitely did
not want to wake the sleeping giant. My foot was throbbing terribly even though I had taken
some OTC meds, but it wasn’t touching the pain. Usually, I heard my Father’s footsteps before
he reached my room, but this time the pain had me concentrating all my efforts on keeping
quiet.

He put his hand over my mouth, said, “Shut up!” and squeezed my injured toes for
emphasis. I saw stars! I couldn’t breathe or scream. Then he leaned close to my ear and said, “If
I come back in here a beating won’t be all you get.” (meaning his sexual assaults). He molested
me with his hands and then said, “Now GO TO SLEEP!”

SUNDAY: I couldn’t go to church because I couldn’t walk on my foot. My father was a deacon
at church, so we rarely missed. That afternoon he invited our pastor to come and pray for me. Our pastor was a sweet woman who had no clue what my father did behind closed doors.
He joined the prayer, of course, like a good Father and Deacon.

Can you imagine the feelings going around in my heart and head? Has my story stirred any feelings in you? Perhaps anger, hurt, unforgiveness?

Our Sunday School class was recently discussing the need for forgiveness; we are told to forgive but
often the “how to’s” are fuzzy. This is just what has helped me, and I hope it gives you some
hope and direction as well. Almost every time I experience a situation that is very hurtful and
needs a huge dollop of difficult forgiveness, I remember the Sunday afternoon, especially the
prayer as our pastor was praying sincerely, operating under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Her
prayer was as sincere as any prayer ever prayed.

I did get well, physically and emotionally. It’s still not easy; I have to work at it. Every time I have a negative moment that needs to be bathed in difficult forgiveness, I remember God’s faithfulness, provision and love throughout all these years.

In a recent sermon I heard a pastor use this word: transcending. We can transcend any past hurt.
“For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those
who are perishing.” (2 Corinthians 2:15)

Ask God to help you find a positive memory to hold onto when Satan attempts to destroy the
life God has given you. You can transcend the evil this world offers by leaning on the Lord and trusting His Word!