You can tell a lot about someone by looking into his or her eyes. Some eyes sparkle with life, some seem far away and distracted, while others are deep pools of sadness. Eyes can tell a story that the heart would find difficult to put into words.
I remember the first time I looked into Dorothy’s eyes. She was a guest at a Christmas production I was hosting, and I was introduced to her at the meet and greet at the end of the evening. Her elegant beauty and lovely smile were what struck me initially—but it was the depth of what I saw in her eyes that stayed with me. As I drove home that night, I prayed for her. I knew nothing of her story, but I saw something I recognized. I saw the familiar weight of one who has walked a long, hard road and gathered the rare fruit of profound empathy that only such a path can produce. Grace rested in her eyes.
When this manuscript came across my desk, I was excited to read her story. It’s a hard story to read. Dorothy’s life has been marked by pain and abuse since she was a child. If that sounds warning bells deep inside you, don’t pull back; there is so much more here that you need to know.
She is honest and transparent about a time when it was almost impossible for a woman to be heard and taken seriously, particularly if she was married to a powerful man. We live in a culture that worships and elevates our sports stars but doesn’t love them enough to help them when they are clearly in trouble. When we attempt to contain and manage the rage that rests inside some of our heroes, we do them a disservice, and we abandon those who need us most — their wives and children. I pray that Dorothy’s courage in telling her story will be a catalyst for change.
More than anything, this is a story of redemption and hope. No matter how deep the pit you find yourself in might be, the love of God is deeper still. No matter how many poor choices you might have made, His mercies are new every morning.
If you are a woman living in a desperate situation, you will find help in these pages. You are not alone. If you know of someone who is being abused, this book will give you very practical steps to know how to help. If you are the abuser, there is hope and healing for you as well. It’s never too late to throw yourself on the grace and mercy of God and begin the slow but sure process of learning to live differently.
I highly recommend this book. It’s heartbreaking to think that Dorothy had to endure so much for so long, and yet what shines through her story is a spiritual truth of which I am convinced: It’s amazing what God can do with a broken life if you give Him all the pieces.
Sheila Walsh