Lisa Saruga, counselor and trauma therapist, shares her formidable journey from surviving a violent assault in the 1980s to having her attacker identified 35 years later. Lisa discusses how her faith in God and His goodness anchored her through her healing journey. She explains that trauma doesn’t have to define you and that feelings of hopelessness, loss, and grief can be overcome. Her story of redemption, packed full of God’s tender love, eventually led her to become an advocate for legislation to protect victims. We're drawing from her book: The Trauma Tree: Going Beyond Survival, Growing Toward Wholeness

Verses referenced: Psalm 27:13-14; Psalm 119:81

00:00 Introduction: Facing Death and Finding Hope

03:30 The Assault: A Life-Changing Moment

05:09 The Aftermath: Suppressed Trauma, Becoming a Therapist

05:56 The Cold Case Reopens

08:06 God's Presence in the Journey

13:42 Meeting the Perpetrator

20:00 The Pear Tree Analogy

23:23 Theresa and Elise: Different Paths to Healing

27:55 Understanding Basic Needs and Trauma

34:23 Raw Journaling that Heals

38:00 A Message from God in the Mess

45:05 Seeing God's Goodness in Dark Times

Connect with Lisa: LisaSaruga.com

Book: The Trauma Tree: Going Beyond Survival, Growing Toward Wholeness

Connect with Kelly: KellyHall.org