An Unlikely Champion - Queen of Katwe -

“Sometimes the place you are used to is not the place you belong.”

The abuse was thick, like a fog blanketing everything, but only she could see it. Nights of raging violence, rape, cigarette burns, and he even went so far as to lock up her clothing so she couldn’t leave unless she chose to go naked. For years she was put through the most sadistic violence of a worst nightmare, until one day she chose to stop it. The day he slapped her in front of her infant daughter.

That day my mother decided enough was enough and she took us out of that situation so that I wouldn’t grow up thinking abuse was normal. Despite heartache and hardship, my mother chose better for me. For us. My mom is my unlikely champion. The cycle of abuse stopped with her dangerous choice to leave. My mom chose to save me and in doing so, saved herself. She chose the future. Her choice saved her grandchildren and generations to come from continuing the cycle of abuse. I’ll be forever grateful.

Unlikely champions come in so many different stories. Can you think of a few unlikely champions in your life? Folks who made it through things we can’t even fathom? Quite a few of my readers come to mind. Some of you have fought through rough circumstances and I’m in awe of you.

God promises to bring good from our bad situations, but it sure doesn’t make them much easier. The moments we scream out, “Why God? Why me?” and no clear answer comes. And sometimes the only thing we can say is, “I made it. I made it to the other side.” You become the living proof that others can make it too. It hurts but we are survivors. Not just survivors, but thrivers!

When we’re strong enough, we’ll tell our stories and become encouragers. Whether our stories are those of domestic violence, sexual abuse, alcoholism, addiction, or surviving severe poverty. We all have a story to tell because our story needs to reach someone else. Another pre-survivor that needs to hear it and gain courage to save themselves.

So share your stories! They don’t have to be gruesome and shocking to be impactful. They just have to be real and honest.

I’m going to leave you with an uplifting trailer for the upcoming movie, Queen of Katwe, because Phiona’s story has impact. Another unlikely champion!

“Can you do big things from such a small place?”