God Saw Me: A 7-Day Prayer Journey for the Woman Who Has Been Deeply Hurt

God saw it. Every tear you cried pretending you were fine.

A seven-day prayer journey for the woman a man has deeply hurt, whether the hurt is fresh or twenty years old.

I smile in public and cry where no one sees.

I’ve said “I release it” a hundred times, and it still hurts.

I carried more than I knew, for far too long. And I wonder if God even noticed what he did to me.

You are not invisible. The first person in the Bible to name God was a hurt woman in the desert.

Healing doesn’t start with being strong

Many women have been told to forgive and forget, to keep the peace, or simply to move on. So the hurt goes underground. You keep carrying loads that were never yours, and you start to feel behind, as if it is too late for you. This little guide doesn’t ask you to hurry. It starts with being seen.

Seven days, seven prayers you may already pray

God Saw Me gives a full day to each of seven short prayers many women already pray, from “God saw me” to “God is restoring me.” Each day takes about fifteen minutes: a verse to read slowly, a short reflection, a prayer to say out loud if it is safe to, one small act of care for yourself, and one question to write about.

It is gentle and honest. It will never tell you to stay in danger, and it makes no promises God didn’t make.

Inside, you’ll discover…

• Your safety first: free helplines for the US, UK, Ireland, Africa, India and more, and a word about keeping your phone private
• Day 1, God Saw Me: why Hagar’s name for God, Thou God seest me, was spoken by a hurt woman in the desert
• Day 2, God Hears Me: for the woman who stopped speaking about what happened, and why Hagar’s son was named “God hears”
• Day 3, I Carried More Than I Knew: naming the loads that were never yours
• Day 4, I Release It: what releasing really means, and why forgiveness is not the same as going back
• Day 5, God Is Working in the Quiet: when nothing seems to be happening
• Day 6, I Trust His Timing: for the woman who feels behind, as if it’s too late
• Day 7, God Is Restoring Me: one thing you loved, done again
• The “What I Carried” worksheet, to set one load down this week
• Three short composite stories of women beginning to heal

What’s included

• The 42-page guide: 7 days, one declaration each
• 7 prayers, 7 journaling prompts, 7 small acts of care
• The “What I Carried” worksheet, to set one load down
• 3 short composite stories of women beginning to heal
• Free helplines for the US, UK, Ireland, Africa, India and more
• A clear word: forgiveness is not the same as going back

Format: PDF download · 6×9 in · large 14-point type · Scripture quoted word for word from the King James Version · yours to print.

This guide is for you if…

• A husband, former husband, father or man in the church has deeply hurt you
• You pray “God saw me” and “I release it,” and want to go deeper
• You were told that forgiving means forgetting, excusing or going back
• You feel behind, and wonder if it’s too late for you
• You want gentle words to pray out loud, fifteen minutes a day
• You want healing that never asks you to stay in danger

This guide is not for you yet if…

You are in danger right now. Please reach out first. You don’t need to download anything to get help:

Your safety first: National Domestic Violence Hotline (US): call 1-800-799-7233, text START to 88788, or visit thehotline.org. 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (call or text 988). 911 in an emergency. Outside the US: findahelpline.com. Abuse is not God's design for marriage, and no one is required to stay in danger.

A note from the author

Dear sister,

This guide gives a full day to each of the seven short prayers so many of you already pray, from “God saw me” to “God is restoring me.” Those words are not small. They are prayers.

It is written for women, gently and honestly. It will never tell you to stay in danger, and it won’t promise that the man who hurt you will be punished in ways you can watch. What it offers is truer: the God who saw a hurting woman in the desert sees you.

To any man reading this: your pain matters too, and God sees you just as truly.

The Exiled Storyteller

About your email

You’ll be asked for your email so Payhip can send it to you, and we’ll follow up with a few gentle emails about healing. You can unsubscribe at any time. If someone who hurts you can read your email, please use an address only you can open. If the file doesn’t arrive or won’t open, write to us and we’ll make it right.

Questions you may have

Who is it for?

Any woman a man has deeply hurt: a husband, a former husband, a father, a boyfriend or a man in the church. Some readers are still married; some left long ago.

Does it tell me to forgive him and go back?

No. Day 4 explains that releasing a hurt and forgiving are not the same as going back, excusing or trusting again.

How long does it take?

About fifteen minutes a day for seven days. If a day stirs up too much, stop and come back tomorrow.

Can I print it?

Yes. It is a PDF you can read on a phone, tablet or computer, or print at home. You’re welcome to share it with a friend who needs it.

Is this counseling?

No. It is a short devotional guide, not counseling, medical or legal advice. A Christian counselor or a safe pastor can help you go deeper than any book.

Download God Saw Me.