I am the Queen 4 Courage.
January 6th 2022 exhausted from the physical, mental & most of all emotional abuse I decided that I don’t want to live anymore. I spent 37 years of my life loving and catering to a man who was very abusive and Cruel I decided I had a choice to make and for the 1st time I chose ME.
I took one bag that had only the most important items to me and I walked out the door leaving everything behind me. It was that night that I begged God and my mother who is in heaven to take me to her. I woke up the next morning alive and then it happened.
God spoke to me, he reminded me what a precious gift it was to be alive and how lucky I was despite all that I went through, he gave me the gift of Courage to pay forward to others that aren’t as fortunate or as strong as I was. I swallowed my pride and came out with the gift ready for anyone that is ready to find their Courage to
No Longer be a victim.
The Vision of Courage Resorts
by the Founder
Courage is a Foundation that will provide, a safe living environment. dining, medical, mental help, legal help and a peaceful environment for victims to heal and time to decide what they see themselves doing in the future to become the best that they can be and pay it forward with the Courage Opportunity Zone Program and become good citizens in their communities
Join us in doing the right thing for our world
A beginning of your new life, the courage you need 4 your Journey
Courage
Resorts & SPA
Let Courage guests be your new friends and family, they understand they've been there
While you rest and getting the rest you need our courage staff & residence are here for you and all you need.
Experience the life you can have in comfort and safety
Courage to have a good nights sleep, no one will hurt you here.
Sharing family meals, good healthy conversation & happy family style dinners.
Healthy Home Cooked meals made by our residence, staff & culinary students
Learn healthy relationships with picnics & outdoor share your stories with people who understand.
Celebrate important events with your new friends & family while also including your old ones.
Doctors & counselors are always on staff and here to help you work through your problems and traumas
Group meeting are a must, please share & if you're not ready well, at least listen
Marriages & relationship counseling is available for those couples wanting a second chance to do it right or start out right from the get go
Family counseling is very important for children that have lived in abused households.
Mind Body & Soul exercise is just as important & great stress relief
Legal help is one of the things most victims have a hard time getting and most of the time the reason they loose everything.
NOT WITH COURAGE
If you need to go through the court system, you won't be alone
Courage to begin again
Family learning activities
Workshops & Career classes
Childcare is provided, while you're rebuilding your life your children are cared for in a safe loving envirement
Education is an important part of a childs recovery
Kids sports & activities will be provided
Education & afterschool programs
Career & Job opportunities for our Courage survivors in the Courage System and our Partners
And when you're ready for new home options, build out your home while building your life
Welcome to the rest of your beautiful life!
The Best Way To Thank Us is By :
Paying It Forward
You are NO LONGER VICTIMS !
Become part of the solution, do the right thing by donating
ABOUT MY JOURNEY
I was 13 years old, with 13-year-old dreams and wants. I had just yesterday put away my dolls and each one of them had a great life. They got married had children lived in houses and they were all neighbors that's the life my dolls lead. As I put each one that I had personally named away, the Barbie and Ken who always lived the good life with each other. They were all put in the boxes and away they went along with my collection for my children's children.
My Husband at the time was 19 years old I was 13 years old when I first met the love of my life. He was Ken and I was Barbie and the life we were going to lead was incredible. I loved the fact he was a man and wanted to always protect me, I was just a child and he knew better.
That is when he went places that were mine. My private places that he said were his and he told me this was good, and it was supposed to be good for both of us. Is that what I was to feel? Is this what happens when you grow up? Nothing ever again was mine just mine. It was over the deed was done, I wondered if I was even there? My body as well as my thoughts were no longer mine but his.
How can you tell anyone Yesterday I loved him and today my love was the blood that was spilled last night. I must have been there? I must have said something to make him think it was ok, I do know what was done, he called it love, so I called it love. This is what love is. We married and I was always good at decorating I had a flair for colors and what would blend and what was the opposing color, so I went with it. I went to college for interior decorating. I got my first customer, and, in a blink, I became good I mean good. From me it became we, from we, we became a team. Moving ladders making it work. I thought everything I did was not good enough until he saw it and moved the pillow or chair. Then he did it. It was blue no, its green ok its green. I did this and we did it . Even thou I did all the work; I was always just his helper. It came out of my brain, but he owned it. He owned it. He owned my brain. When did that happen? I guess I was never good enough. I could not love him enough. I could not make love to him right. I could not ever be enough.
When going out to parties or events I got dressed, and he had me on his arm and paraded me as if we were couple of the year. I was good enough till we came home. Then everything I said or did that he thought was wrong was repeated to me over and over. There was no longer Diane, where did she go?
My husband when he thought I didn't love him enough, would use my Fathers suicide to trigger my fears and threaten me with that. without laying a hand on me just using works to scare me into the state of mind he wanted me in. Head games all the time and he always knew what was right.
One of many times, he hung a dummy from our attic for me to come home to find. My heart dropped; I fell to my knees. No blood in my veins and no thoughts in my head, my brain went to another place , could not accept what was happening. " My dad now my husband? Was I that bad? Was I such a thoughtless rotten person? What was wrong with me. When I found out it was a joke. Was I Mad? " No, I hung on to him as if my life depended on it. I guess it did at the time. So, more time went on.
I found the courage to leave him, After spending over 32 years with him. I am getting better. Finding the courage to save myself lead me to be the founder of Courage. May you all who need courage remember we are one tap or call away. We are here and have been there. Find the courage this is not a dress rehearsal this is your one life to be you.
Love you all
join us by becoming part of the Solution
Queen4Courage.
- Diane, The Queen of Courage