Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a pervasive issue that affects millions of individuals worldwide. It is a form of domestic violence that occurs between two people in an intimate relationship, such as spouses, dating partners, or cohabiting couples. Despite its prevalence and devastating impact on victims and their families, IPV remains largely hidden and misunderstood. In this blog post, we will delve into the history of IPV, its relevance today, and share some eye-opening facts about this complex issue. Brief history of the subject: - IPV has been present throughout history but was often dismissed as a private matter. - It wasn't until the 1970s that it gained recognition as a social problem. - The term "intimate partner violence" was coined in the 1990s to encompass all forms of abuse within intimate relationships. Relevance of the subject today: - According to the World Health Organization (WHO), one in three women worldwide has experienced physical or sexual violence from…

by Rev. Dr. C. L. Thompson “Jesus has to be and to become ever more the center of my life. It is not enough that Jesus is my teacher, my guide, my source of inspiration. It is not even enough that he is my companion on the journey, my friend and my brother. Jesus must become the heart of my heart, the fire of my life, the love of my soul, the bridegroom of my spirit. He must become my only thought, my only concern, my only desire.” ~ Henri Nouwen             We must begin to realize and refocus on the fact that we are a community. Yes, we are individuals. Yet, we are individuals that make up a community. As such, we must find a way to live together and to love one another. Although I have the freedom to do whatever I desire, within the limits of the law, my freedom should not impact another person’s…

We are all familiar with the story of the Good Samaritan. We have probably heard this story from our youth up and have many different angles of the story. We know that this is a parable that Jesus introduces in response to the lawyer's question, "who is my neighbor?" The story of the Good Samaritan allows us to imagine ourselves as a person who will help someone who is down and out. However, let us imagine ourselves as the one lying in the ditch, beaten, battered, and left for dead. Imagine as we lay there that people pass by and refuse to assist us. Imagine being the person in the ditch, and what it would be like for someone to reach out a hand and help us out of that ditch. Imagine what that gesture of kindness and compassionate treatment from someone different from ourselves would be like in the time of our distress. Now use that same…

In this time of the COVID-19 pandemic, people are going through in different ways.  Some have gotten ill, but then recovered.  Others have gotten ill but couldn’t survive the illness.  There have been others who have lost jobs, family, friends, or their own sense of being. Some people became closer in the shutdown while others drifted further apart.  Others fell into such a depression that they couldn’t take it.  Self-destruction.  This destruction could be that they turned to drugs, alcohol, suicide, or something else that led to self-harm. There is a great amount of us that are going through a different pandemic.  Your pandemic, to you, is greater than corona. How Do You Get Through Your Pandemic? Your pandemic maybe an illness that you have been fighting for years.  You go to doctors.  No answers.  You go to specialists.  No answers.  You go get this treatment or that.  No answers. Maybe your pandemic is a family member that…

by Cynthia Thompson             October is Domestic Violence Awareness month. Also, October is Mental Health Awareness and Breast Cancer Awareness month. As we close October, let us focus on Intimate Partner Violence, which comes under Domestic Violence. By increasing awareness, the amount of violence may decrease. By shining the spotlight, intimate partner violence comes out of the darkness into the light.            In the United States, nearly twenty people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner. I am not my sister’s keeper; I am my sister. One in four women experiences severe intimate partner physical violence. I am not my sister’s keeper; I am my sister. One in ten women has been raped by an intimate partner. I am not my sister’s keeper; I am my sister. Many victims of intimate partner violence feel alone, feel isolated. Yet they are not alone. We stand together because of the sheer numbers of people who have suffered in…

FEAR PARALYZES by C L Thompson. Fear is a powerful four-letter word. The word fear is so powerful it can stop a person dead in their tracks. Fear can prevent a person from moving forward or accomplishing things they have always wanted to achieve.  Fear can even take a person's breath away. Yes, fear can cause a person to hyperventilate or become so anxious that they cannot breathe.            Oh, wait, maybe that is a phobia because fear is a normal healthy part of life. Fear serves as a warning signal to us of dangerous situations. Whereas, a phobia may turn the typical fear response into a situation that becomes paralyzing. Paralyzing to the point, a person cannot leave their home or drive over a bridge because of a fear turned phobia of water.            There are many things we want to do, but unhealthy fear stops us from even attempting. The fear of the unknown may prevent…

How to make normal out of abnormal? How to make a difference out of indifference? How to make sanity out of insanity? Desmond Tutu stated, “there is only one way to eat an elephant, a bite at a time.”  2020 brought in a storm of changes, losses, and disasters. Changes that people were unprepared for, changes that were unforeseen, and changes that were unexpected. 2020 seems overwhelming and out of control.             One way to make normal out of abnormal is to realize that we can only control that which we can control. Develop or return to an activity that brings enjoyment. Perhaps you have always wanted to cook more, try some online recipes to assist in developing culinary skills. Maybe you enjoy being a part of a book club, which is difficult because of stay at home restrictions. Try a video book club. Perhaps you enjoy crocheting or quilting; many stores offer online shopping and delivery of…

I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe, I simply cannot breathe. It is an inalienable right, the right to breathe. It is a natural body function to breathe without thought of where the next breath is coming from. Take your knee off my neck, my hands are cuff behind my back, my lips kiss the ground, whatever threat you perceived has dissipated, for I am incapacitated. Take your knee off my neck.Help! I am being attacked in Central Park by a black man because I do not want to follow the law and keep my dog leashed. I cannot breathe, take your knee off my neck. Honey, I am going for my jog never to return. I cannot breathe, take your knee off my neck.The names, George Floyd, Christopher Cooper, Ahmaud Arbery, are new but the scenarios are not. From the foundation of this country these scenarios have continuously played out. However, previously we were limited by our local…