For twelve and a half years I gave my life
To my husband to be his wife
It wasn't long after the I do's were said
That the cut downs and headgames I began to dread

I was told that I was sick
And that counseling would do the trick
Counseling proved him wrong,
But I came out more strong!

Because emotional abuse no longer affected me,
Physcial abuse it would just have to be.
To a minister I would plea,
The only problem that he could tell was me,

I was not the submissive wife,
If I was, I would have a better life
No job could I keep.
I would lose them at the hand of that creep.

No money to leave, no where to go
Oh my heart was hurting so
Two wonderful children had we
He said "if I left what kind of mother would I be

I was told my priorities were never right
To take my kids I would have a fight
Friends said leave right now is what you must do
But they haven't walked a mile in my shoe.

Eventually a restraining order I took out
Oh God, I never throught I'd have to take this route.
The abuse didn't stop there
Phone calls and pleadings were more than I could bear

One night he went too far
He stalked me with a rental car
While walking into a grocery store
He put the gas pedal to the floor.

The trauma that was coming I could not see
Because it was from behind that he struck me
To make sure he ended my life
From his side he removed his knife.

Survival was my goal
I wasn't going to allow him to rob my soul
God allowed me to survive that terrible night To fight for another victims right.