From Tragedy to Triumph

I was in a marriage that looked fine from the outside, but behind closed doors, I was suffering in silence. It was emotionally and mentally abusive. I lost myself trying to hold something together that was tearing me apart. As a man, admitting I was hurting felt like weakness—but the real strength came when I decided to walk away.

Leaving wasn’t the end of the pain—it was just the beginning of a long road to healing. The truth is, I’ve carried pain for a long time. Even before my marriage, I was battling trauma—trauma from being bullied as a kid, from being overlooked, silenced, and misunderstood. I learned early on to hide my feelings, to bottle things up, and to wear a mask just to survive. But all that weight builds up—and eventually, it spills over.

I started writing as a way to release it. Quietly, at first. In notebooks, on scraps of paper, in late-night texts to myself. Writing became my safe space. My therapy. My voice when I felt voiceless.

After the divorce, that pen became my lifeline. The pages didn’t judge me. They didn’t tell me to “man up” or keep it in. They let me pour out the pain, the questions, the rage, and even the hope. Writing helped me sort through the storm inside me.

It helped me name what I was feeling and gave me the strength to keep moving. Then came more loss. I lost my home. I lost my job. And recently, my car was totaled in a rear-end accident. That car represented freedom and progress—and just like that, it was gone.

But here's the truth: I’ve been through worse—and I’m still standing. Even in my lowest moments, God has never left my side. In the silence, He was listening. In the heartbreak, He was healing. In the losses, He was teaching me to let go of what I thought I needed and trust Him for what’s next.

Now, I’m not where I want to be yet—but I’m not where I used to be either. I’m rebuilding my life piece by piece, word by word. The enemy tried to break me—but all he did was wake up a warrior. This is my testimony: I’ve been through the fire, but I didn’t burn. I’m still here. And I’m still rising.

If you’re in the middle of your own storm, I want you to know—there’s purpose in your pain.

You’re not alone. Keep going. “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” — Psalm 34:18 (NIV)

Spoken Word Artist
Loran Henderson~