Pastor Josias grew up in an abusive home in Mali. “I don’t know why, but my dad was very mean—especially to me,” Josias remembers. “[He] hit me like an enemy.”

At the age of 12, Josias fled his home. When he returned a few years later, Josias discovered that his father had died, leaving him in the care of an older brother. Sadly, this older brother soon died from cancer, leaving Josias, his mother, and younger brothers vulnerable and unprotected. Instead of caring for the fatherless family, Josias’s uncles treated them harshly. “They took away all our dad’s belongings, and we had to leave our village,” Josias says.

In his new village, Josias heard the gospel and became a Christian. After a few years, he got married and became the pastor of a small church. But his turbulent childhood still haunted him. “[I was] so hurt because of all I had experienced,” he says. Josias soon became trapped in the same pattern of abuse—only this time, he was the one hurting others. “I was a very tough pastor towards my church members,” Josias admits. And, just like his father before him, Josias treated his wife and children badly. “My wife could no longer bear it and ran away to hide somewhere for a long time,” Josias says.

Devastated and alone, Pastor Josias was invited to attend a local Trauma Healing group.

As he participated in the Bible-based training, Josias realized that his childhood pain was leading him to inflict pain on others. “I understood the source of my problem,” he shares. He learned how to take his pain to the cross of Jesus and find forgiveness—and healing. “This training made me change radically and positively,” Josias says.

When he completed the Trauma Healing program, Josias asked his wife for forgiveness. And at the next church service, Pastor Josias stood in front of his congregation with tears in his eyes and asked them for forgiveness, too. “The congregation cried with me…. it was so moving!” Josias shares.

Thanks to this Trauma Healing training, Pastor Josias could finally uncover the wounds of his heart, bring his burdens to Jesus, and experience true healing and restored relationships. Today, he says that he is experiencing joy again, adding, “My wife, children, and myself are happy… all glory to our Lord!”

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Just like Pastor Josias, you can find healing and restoration in God’s Word. Find free Bible-based trauma healing resources to use and share at TraumaHealingBasics.org. Or, register for a Healing Group to experience this transformative ministry for yourself.