Free for the First Time

Have you ever kept a
toxic person in your life because you didn’t want to hurt their feelings?

It’s almost comical
when you think about it—they’re terrorizing you, but you still don’t want to
offend them.

I received the
following message from a reader of When to Walk Away, and it’s just the
kind of story authors love to hear, a woman who was finally set free on
multiple levels after decades of letting a toxic person shrink her life.

Hopefully, it will be
an inspiration for many of you as well:

Hi Gary, I’ve been meaning to write and express my gratitude for the gift of your latest book When to Walk Away. It appeared on my “recommended for you” list on my Kindle back in October. God is so good to me in that way. He knows I love to read and book titles show up in this suggested list that always apply to what I’m currently experiencing and struggling through.

Oddly enough, I had just had a doozy of a conflict with my sister who fits the definition you give of “toxic.” This has been a common occurrence for the past 25 years (really since I married my husband). She starts every conflict and each one leaves me reeling for days. It’s always an accusation of an offense I didn’t know I committed or an expectation I am not meeting.

I have established a pattern of keeping the peace no matter the cost so my mom won’t be caught in the middle. I realized this time–thanks to your book–that I have taken the abuse and inadvertently protected my entire family from bearing the consequences of my parents’ divorce.

I feel free for the first time in my adult life because I did not apologize (because I didn’t do anything wrong) and I quit trying to rescue her from her own behavior. It was hard at first but the fruit of it has been so much peace and freedom like I’ve never experienced before. And my mom (who always responds to the historical conflicts with “I just want my kids to get along!!”) sensed something was going on and asked me about it. I was able to share the changes, what I learned from your book, and that I am not going to respond in the way that’s been expected of me. She released and affirmed me in a way that she never has before. The fruit of this book is spanning beyond just my life but I’ve recommended it to so many others and they are devouring it. Thank you so much for writing it, making sure it is biblically sound and also calls us to our own repentance for the ways we have exhibited toxic behavior ourselves. I am eternally grateful!!

What I’ve found is
that when you’re concerned about how a toxic person will feel or be harmed if
you stop allowing them to bully you, the reality is that there are multiple
family members who are hurting as they watch you being bullied. Even if you’re
a people pleaser (not that that’s a healthy motivation!), you’ll end up
pleasing far more people walking away from a toxic person than letting them
terrorize you. You may well anger one, but it’s likely you’re bringing
relief to a dozen.

The best motivation,
of course, is following in the footsteps of Jesus to walk away from a toxic
person and toward a reliable one. But sometimes, we just need to “get away” to
have any idea about where to go next.

I’m so grateful for
similar stories and testimonies pouring in about God setting people free. What
makes me so happy about it is that this is a book I wish I could have read
myself thirty years ago. I can’t go back and preach to my younger self, but I
can offer a word of comfort and counsel to people who are in their twenties now.

If you know of someone
who needs to be set free but who is letting false guilt and a misunderstanding
of “grace” or “forgiveness” keep them in a toxic situation, please consider
sharing this message with them. (If finances are an issue, we do our best to
make the books available for whatever people can afford when they contact us
directly.)

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