LOST AND FOUND
A Courageous Fight for Peace
By Jamieya B-Johnson
“Wounded people wound others.”
This is a phrase that comes up in different forms, including the issue of domestic violence. Abusers rely on fear and the reluctance of their victims to take action against the abuse, thus perpetuating it. In sharing their stories and shining a light on the behavior, former victims break the cycle and regain power, and in particular, spiritual power. Such is the inspiring and compelling memoir of Jamieya B-Johnson, Lost and Found: A Courageous Fight for Peace.
Through poetry and journaling, B-Johnson shares her story, starting with her father’s death. In her search for love to fill the void he left, she experienced the pain and the physical/emotional abuse at the hands of men such as her ex-husband, wounded souls who in turn wounded her.
Step by step, B-Johnson shares her growth from her spiritual journey, from the fearful, insecure woman with low self-esteem to become the amazing woman God meant her to be. By no means was this process an easy one—it required her to face certain truths, learn from her mistakes, recognize her inner strength and faith in order to face her fears head on as her relationship with God steadily evolved.
Each topic of her memoir reflects the different points in her ongoing journey such as “One Way Out,” “Moment of Truth,” “On the Battlefield,” “Peace in Pieces,” “Letting Go,” and “Gaining Sight,” to name a few. As she grew in God and gained wisdom and understanding of God’s plan for her, B-Johnson found the peace in God and claimed a victory over fear and shame. In her words, “There is only one person who has the power to kill your joy, and that person is you. When we get knocked down after a battle, the best thing to do is get back up and continue to fight. The battle belongs to God, but the fight for peace is in our hands.” To remind us of the importance of our state of mind, she adds, “Focus on peace, rest in God, and find the place that keeps you with a new mental attitude every day.”
Lost and Found: A Courageous Fight for Peace is available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Outskirts Press.
Thank you, Jamieya, for sharing your story and the transformative power of love, faith, and trust in God.
W.D. Foster-Graham
W.D. Foster-Graham is a native son of Minneapolis, Minnesota. He received a B.A. in psychology from Luther College, and he was an original member of the multi-Grammy-Award-winning ensemble, Sounds of Blackness. He has also been recognized by the International Society of Poets as one of its “Best New Poets of 2003,” is a guest writer for journalist/author/entertainer Wyatt O’Brian Evans.
