How Do You See Yourself?

Highlights From the Godllywood Self-Help Conference

On March 29th, the Godllywood Self-Help Women’s Conference took place. Marcia Pires, author of Da Ferida à Cicatriz (From Wound to Scar), led the meeting at the Temple of Solomon alongside writer Cristiane Cardoso. The conference was shared worldwide.

This Is Also Abuse

Marcia shared that her childhood was marked by rejection and her adolescence by abuse. As an adult, she endured an abusive relationship that caused her further wounds and disappointments. She explained that when we talk about abuse, we often think of sexual assault or domestic violence; however, other forms of abuse may not seem as severe but can be equally destructive. These include comparisons and insinuations meant to attack a woman’s self-esteem.

Such abuses shape the lives of many women by distorting their self-image. “You make choices and decisions based on how you see yourself. If you see yourself as a broken person, what decisions will you make? You will feel like you have no rights and will settle for crumbs,”  she said.

How Do You See Yourself?

Marcia encouraged each woman at the meeting to reflect on her self-perception. Despite having built a successful career, she admitted to seeing herself as “weak, resigned to suffering, and constantly in pain; like a rag that people could use however they wanted.”

Marcia’s past dictated her present, and she noted that many women allow their past suffering to dominate their lives. “You live every day with your thoughts in the past—focusing on your husband’s betrayal, the injustices you’ve suffered, the contempt from your family, and the abuse. Consequently, you find no peace, and you relive that trauma daily, making it increasingly painful and difficult to cope with,”  she explained.

How God Sees You

Marcia pointed out that many women blame God for their suffering. However, she emphasized that the pain is not His fault; it often stems from the harmful actions of others or from poor personal choices made by us, such as allowing resentment to take control.

Her suffering began to diminish when she realized that, rather than being indifferent, God is, in reality, a caring Father who wants to take action in our lives, as is described in Isaiah 49.15:

Can a woman forget her nursing child, And not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, Yet I will not forget you.

However, for God to take action, those who suffer must desire to draw closer to Him. Marcia recounted how she sought a relationship with Him, “God made me understand that while I suffered, He also suffered with me. He did not create us to be doormats for life’s circumstances, traumas, and injustices. He created us to be His daughters. Only He can bring meaning to our lives and heal us.”

So, consider this: Do the abuses you have suffered define how you see yourself? If so, try to view yourself as God sees you. Transform your open wounds into simple scars.

Godllywood Self-Help

The Godllywood Self-Help conference is created by women, for women. To learn more about Godllywood and its upcoming Self-Help Conference, visit its official Instagram page: @godllywoodusacaribe