Diana Winkler - Abusive Christian Marriage

Diana Winkler - Abusive Christian Marriage

As with any of my interviews, I’m talking with real people about their personal life, and the way they, as the individuals they are, experience trauma. Today I’m talking with Diana Winkler. She shares her story about suffering abuse at the hands of her Christian husband, having the courage to leave, get a divorce and what healing looks like for her. 

As I explored Diana’s journey with her it was for the purpose of trying to understand what she experienced, through her individual lens of looking and discerning the world she lives in and the God she’s struggling to discover.

Our relationship with Christ is personal, and our learning curves are at different paces. God is patient with us and so I have no judgement about where any one person is on their maturing process with Christ, I’m open to the fact that it can look different because we are fearfully and wonderfully made. The One who formed our inward parts; the One who knitted each of us together in each of our mother's wombs….speaks of such an intimacy that I trust Him with our struggle even when we make mistakes, even when we completely miss the mark.  

Just like any of our human relationships when we spend more time with each other there is more depth with which we know each other. The same can be said about God, we experience an ever increasing intimacy with anyone that we spend more time with. I say that to say this, some of us have a solid footing, a rich intimacy with God and others of us are still leaning. 

This conversation is not the Proverbs 31 woman….the woman we’re talking to needs healing…..so this conversation is for the Proverbs 13:12 woman ….. the one whose hope deferred has made her heart sick, she’s the one who would say she has no solid ground to put her feet on, no peaceful place to rest her heart.  I want her to know she’s not alone…that God sees her and that He sees the pain, the anguish of her shattered heart and He has something beautiful for her. I want her to know that God embraces her search for Him in the painful places….He welcomes her questions, her pain, and He hasn’t allowed anything that He does not plan to redeem. 

Are you in a Christian marriage that you know in your heart God does not approve of the abuse you’re experiencing? Keep this close to your heart, God has a plan of redemption for you. Theres extravagant grace in Gods covenant with us. He doesn’t turn His back on you. He meets you where you are and shepherd’s you through into healing.

Lived Loved and Thrive! @ALifeOfThrive.com

A story I chose to encourage your heart today: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz81dIfwf4Y

 

Transcript: https://www.happyscribe.com/transcriptions/49cb3400e11f43559ce1524835b96ec2/edit_v2

Connect with Diana Winkler:
Website: https://dswministries.org
Email: diana@dswministries.org
Social media links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DSW-Ministries-230135337033879
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DswMinistries
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxgIpWVQCmjqog0PMK4khDw/playlists
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dswministries/

My podcast: The Wounds OF The Faithful
https://dswministries.org/subscribe-to-podcast/

Bio:
Diana Winkler is a singer, songwriter, speaker and abuse advocate. She served as a missionary, planting churches for 13 years, while enduring abuse that was enabled by the church. 10 years ago, she started her ministry, DSW Ministries. She uses her music to help survivors in the church heal from domestic violence, abuse, and trauma. She is the host of The Wounds of the Faithful Podcast and is a certified facilitator for Mending the Soul small groups. Diana is passionate about helping victims discover that, not only can you survive, but you can be victorious!