Have you ever wondered why you can be surrounded by people and still feel completely alone in what you’re carrying?

Maybe you’ve spent years trying to move forward from childhood sexual abuse or childhood trauma. You’ve prayed, worked on yourself, sought help, and tried to put the past behind you.

But sometimes the shame, self-doubt, relationship struggles, people-pleasing, or feelings of rejection still surface.

And you may find yourself wondering:

“Why am I still struggling with this?”

The truth is, healing doesn't mean pretending the past didn't happen. And you don't have to walk through your healing journey alone.

In this episode, Leslie talks about the importance of safe, faith-centered community for women healing from childhood sexual abuse and childhood trauma.

She shares why she created the Faithfully Restored Community and what she hopes women will experience there: connection, encouragement, prayer, biblical truth, reflection, and a safe place to grow.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why healing can feel lonely, even when you're surrounded by people
• How childhood trauma can affect relationships, identity, confidence, and emotions later in life
• The difference between strength and isolation
• Why being seen and understood can matter on the healing journey
• How faith can become part of your healing process
• What it means to be rooted in Christ while healing from the past
• Why your childhood sexual abuse does not have to define your future
• How God can bring restoration, purpose, and hope from your story
• What you can expect from the Faithfully Restored Community

A reminder for you

You don't have to have your whole story figured out before taking your next step.

You don't have to be completely healed.

You can simply come as you are.

God is not finished with you.

There is still hope. There is still purpose. And there is still a future.

Your next step

If you're ready to connect with other women on a faith-centered healing journey, I invite you to join the Faithfully Restored Community: https://members.lesliechermak.com

Come and learn. Come and listen. Come and pray. Come and take the next step.

You don't have to heal alone.

>> Visit Website: https://lesliechermak.com/

>> Personal Coaching with Leslie

👉🏻 JOIN Faithfully Restored Community for Women: https://members.lesliechermak.com

Why am I still struggling when what happened was so long ago?

If you have ever asked yourself this question, you are not alone.

Maybe you've tried to move on. Maybe you've prayed, gone to counseling, read the books, or told yourself that you should be over what happened by now. But deep down, you still struggle with shame, self-worth, trusting others, difficult relationships, anger, or patterns you can't seem to break.

In this episode, I share part of my personal story as a survivor of childhood sexual abuse and talk about something I wish I had understood earlier in my healing journey:

Coming to faith and beginning a relationship with Jesus was life-changing—but there were still wounds from my past that needed healing.

Healing can happen in stages.

Sometimes we don't realize how much our childhood experiences are still affecting us until something triggers an old memory, emotion, or pattern. And when that happens, we may wonder, “Why am I still struggling?”

In this episode, we're talking about one of the first steps toward healing: acknowledgment.

Acknowledgment doesn't mean living in the past or allowing your trauma to define you. It means giving yourself permission to honestly recognize what happened, how it affected you, and where you may still need healing.

You will learn:

• Why childhood sexual abuse and trauma can still affect your life years later
• Why feeling stuck doesn't mean you're failing
• How shame can keep us from facing what happened
• Why healing is often a journey that happens in stages
• How acknowledging your story can become the first step toward freedom
• Why you don't have to carry your pain alone

Friend, what happened to you was not your fault.

You are not weak because you still struggle.

And you are not stuck forever.

God is not afraid of your story. He sees you, He loves you, and He can meet you in the places that still hurt.

This Week's Reflection

Take some quiet time and ask yourself:

“God, what areas of my life have I been avoiding because of my past?”

You don't have to have all the answers today. Simply be willing to take one honest step forward.

Join My Insider List

If this episode encouraged you, I would love to invite you to join my Insider List. You'll receive encouragement, podcast updates, and resources to support you on your healing journey. You'll also be the first to know when the doors open to my upcoming free community for women seeking healing, hope, and connection.

Join the Insider List: https://lesliechermak.myflodesk.com/newsletter

And if you found hope in today's episode, please follow the podcast and share this episode with another woman who may need to hear:

You are not alone, and healing is possible.

Scriptures Mentioned

John 8:32 Psalm 34:18

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>> Visit Website: https://lesliechermak.com/

Have you ever found yourself thinking, “Why do I keep doing this?”

Maybe you keep falling into the same relationship patterns. Maybe you struggle with anger, people-pleasing, shutting down, negative self-talk, fear of rejection, or difficulty trusting others.

You know you want to change. You've prayed about it. Maybe you've been to therapy, read the books, listened to podcasts, and tried to use willpower to break the cycle.

And yet…you still find yourself repeating the same patterns.

What if you're not broken?

In this episode, we're talking about why childhood trauma can create patterns that follow us into adulthood—and why recognizing those patterns is not a reason to shame yourself. It's an opportunity to begin healing.

I'll share part of my own story and what I've learned about recognizing the difference between who I am and what I learned to do to survive.

You'll discover:

• Why some unhealthy patterns may have started as survival responses
• Why recognizing a pattern doesn't mean you're failing
• How trauma can influence the way we think, respond, and relate to others
• Why healing requires more than willpower
• How renewing your mind can help create new patterns
• Why healing happens in stages rather than all at once
• How to begin responding differently when an old pattern shows up
• Why your past does not have to determine your future
• How God can lead you toward greater peace, joy, freedom, confidence, and energy

Scripture

Romans 12:2 — “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

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>> Schedule a Rooted & Risen Coaching Session.

>> Grab a set of “My Identity In Christ” reflection cards.

✨ Identity in Christ Reflection Cards

TEAL- https://lesliechermak.myflodesk.com/teal

MAUVE: https://lesliechermak.myflodesk.com/mauve

>> Visit Website: https://lesliechermak.com/