"You are not broken, you're becoming."--Back cover.

Abuse in any form is devastating, and stories of abuse are never easy to tell—and they are certainly never easy to live. Yet there are many avenues that people take to seek a deep, inner healing of the heart, mind, body, and spirit, and for Ruth Almada, telling her story would be part of her journey. Strength in Scars is one mother’s story of facing, defeating, and moving beyond the many accounts of abuse in her family. Author Ruth Almada shares a raw and authentic story about the realities of abuse that she and many others have faced—realties that many are far too ashamed to even talk about. Yet she boldly speaks her mind and brings hidden abuses to the surface, where she is able to bring hope to those suffering the same fate. Amid personal tragedy, and with God’s grace, she discovered a purpose that was so profound that it changed the course of her life—and no one is beyond the reach of God’s grace. It can be overwhelming and difficult to share your greatest and deepest, darkest pain completely to help another, especially when it exposes generational lines of shame and humiliation. Yet hope can come from these fires of pain, and enough is enough—especially when the answer is much easier than some choose to believe.

Through illustration and poetry, Seeds Planted in Concrete is Bianca Sparacino's raw testament to the beauty that is found within the contrasts of life. By writing truthfully about the intricacies of both love and loss, Sparacino's first collection of work is one that will speak to the very depths of those who read it, inspiring a will to love, and live. This collection is a manifesto of the journey every human being takes throughout their life; an assembly of words that celebrates the resilience of the human heart through stages of hurting, feeling, healing and loving.

Teen girl cuts to cope with memories of sexual abuse