At age 14, I was driven by a blazing faith in Jesus, yet seriously conflicted by my circumstances. I was being sexually abused by the youth minister in my Southern Baptist church just west of Birmingham, and was certain it was my fault. He had groomed me for months, but in the 80's, not many people recognized such behaviors. He told me that I was smart, clever and more mature than most kids.
One night at church camp, as the campfire crumbled into embers, he sent everyone else back to the cabins and then playfully tied me to a tetherball pole. With misplaced authority, he told me that God was calling me to help him in his ministry and asked if I would answer God's call. Still tied to the pole but eager to serve God, I said yes. He promptly kissed me.
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