As always, Rachel's work is powerful, her words filled with so much emotion, her strength always there.

As a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, reading Rachel's words was difficult. They not only conjured up the shadows of my memories, but they made me ache for the little girl that was once Rachel.

I want to quote a paragraph from Broken Places that struck me and resonates deeply with my own experience with abuse, something I still struggle with.

"What did I learn from my abuse? Not to trust. That I was alone, truly alone. That nobody would really ever protect me but me. That words carry meaning, but actions mean more. I held tight to the belief that I was alone." (Still true for me)

Reading Rachel's words above made me realize I'm not all that alone. Logically, I know I'm not the only one that deals with trust issues. Many people do whether it's from abuse or something else. But on so many other levels, I feel alone in this.

Inside there's still a little girl wanting someone to protect her, but knowing it will never happen. On the outside is a grown woman that feels the same way.

Thank you, Rachel, for writing your books. From one survivor to another (hug) (hug) (hug) (hug) with a few tears thrown in.

I highly recommend you read Rachel's books, Broken Pieces and Broken Places. Have boxes of tissue handy.