Breathe: Finding Freedom to Thrive in Relationships After Childhood Sexual Abuse

As a pastor, neither "Hush" nor "Breathe" manage to stay on my shelf for long. These books have been passed on from one congregation member to another, from one family to another, one friend to another, and even from a student to a teacher in a public school. Just as "The Shack" has opened doors for people to talk about faith and God more easily, "Breathe" opens doors for people to not only talk about sexual abuse openly (an amazing feat in itself), but helps them understand the communal nature of healing and their role in that "circle of inspiration". "Breathe" is neither a memoir nor a self-help/how-to-heal book. While Nicole writes unapologetically from a Christian perspective, "Breathe" is fully relevant for even those who do not believe in God.

I meet Nicole over two years ago when she came to speak at the university I went to. She inspired me to continue the healing after my own sexual abuse in my life. Her new book Breathe is Amazing. How she approaches relationships and how the book is for book the survivor and the person walking with them. This book has shown me how God continues to heal my life in the area of relationships and how that sex can be beautiful but only in a marriage. You have to have a healthy relationship with your self before you can have a relationship with another man. Her book is encouraging and gets to the issues that affect survivors.

Breathe is an incredible book I will recommend to many people! This book is so refreshing to read. It offers hope and Nicole's style of writing makes it so easy to get hooked. She paints the picture for those going through life after being traumatized and she really gets the emotions and pain through abuse but she never leaves it there. She gives us the motivation to find the freedom that she talks about in Christ. Even if you haven't been abused, we all seem to know someone walking this journey and this book helps us understand the deep rooted hurt and confusion and how to walk with a friend going through it alone. The Bible stories in this book help us to identify with a loving God and gives us the real image of Jesus and His desire to walk this journey of healing with us. God is the source of fresh air to breathe and freedom from feeling trapped. The real life stories of victims all over the country help us relate and remind us of how abuse can affect every aspect of our lives. The format of this book makes for an easy read and one to inspire and encourage you along the way.

This book is the perfect companion to Nicole's first book - Hush. Breathe continues the positive encouragement of healing for the sexually abused, but also lends practical and godly advice for those in the survivor's circle of inspiration. Nicole answers the questions of how to truly love, support and come alongside those on the journey of healing. The use of Biblical character studies in each chapter grounds the book on God's foundation of truth and continually points healing to the redeeming work of our Savior. This is a must read!

After meeting Nicole a year ago and reading her book, Hush, I quickly learned that her passion for serving those who have endured the pain of childhood sexual abuse drives the insightful actions to break the silence. Now in Breathe, she gives a challenge to two types of people: those who have been abused and those who will join their circle of inspiration. If you have been privileged to hear someone's secret this book shows you a Biblical and practical way to be the kind of person they need. Nicole loves the Lord above all else therefore he words of wisdom are fully engaged in truth! I believe this is a must read for anyone who has a heart to listen and love those victims who have been through such a time as this...