Lynette's Story

I needed to be transformed and change what the enemy tried to destroy...My destiny. T.D. Jakes describes “lust” as a selfish compulsion on gratification. This one man plotted this action and thought against me. He felt it was his right to take what was rightfully mines. Rape is another creature inflicting his will on someone without their permission. Tamar, a good kind hearted woman; me, a good kind hearted woman. It doesn't matter how “good” you are because Satan lusts and he comes to destroy. A man violated me and I thought I was going to die that night...and yet, I wanted to die.

I felt disgusting, useless, hopeless, and embarrassed. I was depending on a man-made system, the court for justice...instead of God. Instead this man was free of charges! I felt God answered that man's prayer over mines and with that I put myself in this jail of confusion, hurt and depression. By this time, I ran away from the issue and I moved to a different state...instead of praying. I left. I AM TAMAR. I met Amnon plently of times in my life. The physical ones (the rape I endured, sexual sin), the emotional ones (the one that had some things in his past that I was too good of a woman to him. I seem like a lie and no trust. Or the pastor that I worked with telling me about his troubled marriage and touching my inner thigh inappropriately), the spiritual ones (you know the brother in Christ, or the one who deceives...says one thing and does another).

    T.D. Jakes said “One of the things that makes many women vulnerable to different types of abuse and manipulation is their maternal instinct...men will capitalize to have their way. It seems that more helpless a man acts, the more maternal you become.” I cannot count how many times I have helped someone with attention, love, money and even time, but as soon as I have some deep trouble there was no Adam, Boaz, Samson, not even a Joseph and Joseph, a just man, took in Mary and a baby that wasn't even his. Even before he heard from an Angel he still respected and loved Mary enough to not get her stoned. As soon as I wanted a relationship, (even downgrading to the worldy kind) these men would rather see me stoned dead. This isn't just about Amnons' its about Delilahs' too. I felt hurt by girls in high school...folks stopped hanging with me, stopped calling, doing deceitful acts towards me without caring how it would make me feel. I hardly trusted females throughout my life...and with that...you have to be careful with lonliness because Satan knows how to feed off of it. Women, the remedy in this hollywood love themed nation is a man. Whose going to bring you that man if you don't know God...Satan.

    Amnon is hazardous. I got used to deceivers...How do you get used to accepting pain? Can you believe I found or made myself believe that their was a peace in it.Oh, I was in trouble (there's more). I was not a harlot...I didn't put myself out there to ask for the pain. I was crying out to the wrong men “Carest thou not that I perish!” I am TAMAR. It got worse...I almost procreated well, I did with Amnon...I was devestated! Girls nowadays are like “Oh yes, I am pregnant!! I'm so happy!!” Not me, I was scared. This isnt what God wanted...I found peace with my sin that just maybe something beautiful will come from it. I thought I was experiencing regular pregnancy crap so I thought this pain was normal and I drove myself to the hospital. At first there no sound on the sonogram, and then I heard something so beautiful...I heard life! Next thing you know I was admitted to the hospital without reason. Someone taking my blood, I'm getting an IV and no one knows anything. Doc came in and told me “Emergency surgery, we have to remove your right tube and the baby or you will die” What? Excuse me? My mind was racing and mind you I was alone dealing with this (my mom was on the phone with me) but physically I was alone. I asked Amnon (the father) to come but he was too preoccupied with another woman. I won't know the sex of this baby, wont be able to see his/her face...I'm not a mother anymore.

    I started bleeding and morphine wasn't working and death wasn't such a bad idea. I was in recovery for a SHORT time as soon as I woke up in pain I was being escorted by my friend and my sister. I hated Mother's day, new mothers I was jealous of, I would cry, I felt like less of a woman and October is always a hard month for me. I am TAMAR. I am still here. I was broken, sad, confused and unwanted. I thought I was wanted by a friend I knew for years, but he betrayed and lied to me...ended up back with his babymother. So....I traveled to Germany (running away) I needed a break...that was the worst break in my life, but thats where my atmosphere started to shift. In Sept, I chose May to be my vacation month for no reason at all before going to Germany. I was ready to leave Germany once I stepped foot in there, I didnt care about my house payment or any expenses. Don't you know God sold my house in April and I closed on my house in MAY! I had this feeling of moving back to Nelson County because I wanted to go to church with my cousin and be with my loving mother and niece. I got in a bad car accident on my way home ...my car was totaled. I still feel the devil knew what this church was going to do to me. I was unemployed but I was employed by the church ...bible study and worshipping on Sunday. God eventually supplied me with a job  and not only that, but a car and a house.

    The devil was jealous of my peace and as soon as I left my comfort zone. I failed ...Amnon back again! You serious??? That fear that I instilled in myself gave Satan the go ahead. Fear and loneliness; those demons had a new home to cause havoc. I started to pray, started to have service in my basement, repenting, singing and shouting praise. I gained new friends of God. I started to make environmental changes and creating boundaries. God started communicating in my dreams and it scared me to death. I had the right artillary but not the right heart...Amnon looked different this time he started to look more like Balaam. Balaam prayed with me, he was a part of the church, he was telling me how a church woman should present herself, Balaam got me away from Amnon...and Balaam wanted and felt the same thing I felt. He did and said the right things at least for awhile and then I was mislead with the spiritual help given along with the sin.

    Not anymore! Not anymore! My GOD is moving in me and my past no matter how bad it was it wasn't enough to keep me away from my true love GOD. In case you missed the great things God has done for me let me remind you:

• I could have taken my own life away in high school
  
  
• I could have died after that man raped me
  
  
• I could have died if I didn't go to the doctor to remove my tube and my baby
  
  
• I could have died in the car crash
  
  
• I have owned two homes
  
  
• I got a job w/o a degree (I never had a degree)
  
  
• I have a car
  
  
• I have peace and joy in my heart that never left
  
  
• I have a great heart
  
  
• My health is better than most
  
  
• I'm not a wordly mommie but I am a mother in Heaven
  
  
• I have traveled outside of the U.S.
  
  
• I have women friends of Christ
  
  
• I have the worlds best MOM
  
  

I am no longer TAMAR no one is going to rape me of my faith in God, but I am Lynette Pope and God has something in store for me just like he has something in store for you. I needed to share my testimony to you young ladies & young men of Christ because I wouldnt wish my previous life on any one because it hurts badly but it taught me to learn to lean on God for everything. Understand that everyone that has hurt me I would gladly still help them if asked and hug them because God gave me the gift of a good heart.

-Lynette Pope