[Once a week, I am going to be sharing with you a brave story sent in from a reader. You can comment, respond, encourage. Want to submit your own story or a story of a brave friend of yours? Head to thatisbrave.com!]

This week’s #thatisbrave story comes from Lori. She is sharing about her niece in hopes of calling out the brave she sees. Heartbreaking and amazing at the same time. Her words, and her name, are used with her permission.

. . . . .

I could tell you some brave stories about myself; this life affords those to all of us, but they seem to stand silent, on holy ground as my niece, abused, abandoned, and broken chooses to wake up, breath, pray, and hope for a better tomorrow.

Marie suffers from post tramatic stress disorder, renal failure, and abuse at the hands of her husband and his family. Marie was a latch key kid. She also suffered abuse as a child, and removed from her home at 15. Her Nanna loved her and shared the Love of Christ with her. It is from that legacy of hope that Marie holds on, and for her children.

Marie is a mother. It is that part of her heart that is breaking the most. Her husband and his mother illegally, and under duress took temporary custody of her children and left Marie homeless, penniless, and has kept Marie’s children from seeing her when she has tried to visit. Marie has despaired of life, but the hope that she and her children would one day be free from her families legacy and ravages of abuse, infuse the will for her to live. Marie deserves so much more to be written about her life. I am just giving a glimpse into her story because I want her to know she is seen and loved.

. . . . .

Have encouraging words for Marie today? Share them below!

. . . . .