BROADCASTS.com

b'Editor\\u2019s note: Today\\u2019s reading discusses abuse.\\n.\\nDaniel. Esther. Peter. Paul. As a teenager, I knew them all. If there was a\\nBible trivia show, I could have been a champion. I went to church and knew\\nBible stories like the back of my hand.\\n.\\nI knew about God, but I did not know Him.\\n.\\nHow about you? Do you know about God? Or do you know God? What\\u2019s\\nthe difference?\\n.\\nWhile I had accepted Jesus as my Savior, I didn\\u2019t understand what it meant\\nto have a relationship with Him. I didn\\u2019t know His Word, I didn\\u2019t know my\\nworth in Him, and I didn\\u2019t know His promises and how to hear His voice over\\nlies.\\n.\\nIn the midst of all of this, I had the good desires to be loved and to be a\\nmom one day. So, when love came knocking, I opened my heart wide. This\\ncould have worked out well if my boyfriend had been a healthy individual,\\nbut he was not. Instead, he was abusive, emotionally manipulative, and a\\ndestroyer of my self-worth.\\n.\\nAt the time, I didn\\u2019t know God well enough to know His love for me, my\\nworth in Him, and the promises in His Word. I didn\\u2019t know He would fulfill\\nthe desires of my heart as I delight in Him (Psalm 37:4). I didn\\u2019t know I\\ncould trust Him for all the details of my life, including relationships.\\n.\\nWhen we know God and not just know about Him, it changes everything. His\\ntruths permeate our minds. His promises override our fears. His presence\\nleads us through life\\u2019s big decisions. His Word becomes the lamp for our\\nfeet and the light for our paths (Psalm 119:105).\\n.\\nGod loves us so deeply, reaching out to us before we could love Him, dying\\non the cross for us (1 John 4:19). Our trustworthy Savior invites us into\\nrelationship with Him, so that we may be ever deepening in our\\nunderstanding of Him and the good news that He has come to save and restore\\nus. No matter what we experience, Jesus is present with us, including\\ngiving us wisdom to find safe people\\u2014who reflect His love\\u2014to reach out to\\nwhen we experience abuse. \\u2022 Erin Nestico\\n.\\n\\u2022 If you or someone you know is suffering from abuse, and if your situation\\nis potentially life-threatening, call 911 (or the emergency number for your\\narea) or go to the local hospital emergency room right away.\\n.\\nIf you need someone to talk to but are not in need of immediate help, you\\ncan set up an appointment for a one-time complimentary phone consultation\\nwith a Christian counselor through the Focus on the Family Counseling\\nService. In the United States, call 1-855-771-HELP (4357) weekdays 6:00\\na.m. to 8:00 p.m. (Mountain Time) to set up an appointment. In Canada, book\\nyour appointment by calling 1-800-661-9800 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.\\n(Pacific Time) and ask to speak with the care associate.\\n.\\n\\u2022 Have you ever been hurt by a dating partner\\u2019s words or actions?* Have you\\nhurt someone? There is hope through Jesus. He offers healing and\\nforgiveness, no matter how terrible the situation may be. Who is a trusted\\nChristian adult you can talk to as you seek to follow God\\u2019s good intentions\\nfor how people should treat one another, including setting up loving\\nboundaries?\\n.\\n\\u2022 How is knowing God different from knowing about Him? \\n.\\n\\u2022 Jesus invites us into relationship with God, to know Him deeper and\\ndeeper throughout our lives. Would you like to pursue this kind of\\nrelationship with Jesus? If you have questions about it, who are trusted\\nChristians in your life you can talk to? (If you want to learn more about\\nwhat it means to know God, check out our \\u201cKnow Jesus\\u201d page.)\\n.\\n*If you are unsure about whether or not a dating partner is acting in an\\nunhealthy ma'