Divine Reversal
Divine Reversal
With vulnerability and transparency, Susan Joy Simkins shares her island girl’s journey through surviving domestic violence and sexual and pastoral abuse.
For every person who has felt that their pain is too deep, their shame is too great, or their brokenness is too complete, Divine Reversal is living proof that your story isn’t over. Healing and restoration are possible through Jesus.
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What if the worst parts of your story became the very places God showed His power the most? Divine Reversal is the raw, redemptive memoir of Dr. Susan Joy Simkins, who survived childhood trauma, sexual and spiritual abuse, single motherhood, and poverty—and went on to become a Ph.D., a professor, an award- winning author, and a woman restored by the love of God. With deep vulnerability and unwavering hope, Susan invites readers into her journey from devastation to restoration, revealing how God doesn’t just help us cope. He transforms. For anyone who has ever felt too wounded to be whole again, Divine Reversal offers a powerful message: your pain doesn’t have to have the final word.
DIVINE REVERSAL BY SUSAN JOY SIMKINS
Susan Joy Simkins grew up in a Caribbean paradise—and constant terror. At fourteen, she escaped an alcoholic, schizophrenic ex-con father for the seeming sanctuary of the Indiana Bible belt—only to fall prey to a new abuser, the pastor she’d trusted as a surrogate father figure. When his betrayal left her pregnant, shamed, and blaming herself, Susan retreated to the one refuge that had never failed her—academics.
But balancing single parenthood with graduate school, a PhD, and an upwardly successful university career exacerbated the underlying fear and self-blame. Only when she encountered the loving, kind, and merciful Heavenly Father was Susan empowered to break the chains of silence, shame, and fear. Devastation became restoration. Shame became dignity. Unhealthy relationships became a God-orchestrated “happy ever after.”
Such a divine reversal is available to all who accept God’s offer of radical transformation. Susan courageously shares her own journey so that others enduring abuse, lost in the deception of shame, and in need of hope may know that pain doesn’t have to have the final word. Ashes can be transformed into beauty, brokenness made whole, and depression swallowed up by joy. May all come to experience and rejoice in their own God-sized Divine Reversal.
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR READERS
These discussion questions are designed to help book clubs, small groups, and individual readers read Divine Reversal with personal resonance and lived application. They invite reflection on key moments, themes, and turning points. Whether your group prefers thoughtful conversation or courageous truth-telling, these questions are meant to open space for connection, insight, and transformation.
Reviews & Endorsements
“I cried when reading this book because it resonated so deeply with me. Susan’s story will set so many free from shame and guilt to grace and hope. Her testimony is a living testament to the resurrection power available in Christ. I am forever changed after reading this book. You will be too.”
“As a trauma therapist and Director of the Child Sexual Abuse Institute of Ohio for over four decades, I have counseled hundreds of survivors and heard countless stories of suffering. But seldom have I been so impacted by one person’s journey. I have read specific portions of Divine Reversal out loud to clients knowing that what Susan had gone through and how she had come through it would minister to them...and minister it did...deeply and powerfully. Divine Reversal offers a way out for those emotionally crippled by abuse to stand on their own two feet again. It offers hope for victims to see themselves through God’s eyes, not their own--or their offender’s. Most of all, it is a story of not being silenced by fear or shame any longer and getting one’s voice back. And what a powerful voice it is! To God be the glory.”
“Divine Reversal had my heart from start to finish. It offers a front-row seat into how God moves lives from the deepest darkness to the warming rays of sunlight. No matter how broken your life may be, Susan’s story is living proof that the love and power of Christ can turn your mourning into dancing and ashes into beauty. An absolute inspiration! A must-read!”
“Susan outlines a story of God's power, grace, and love that will bring hope and affirmation to so many. As the story unfolds, you'll find your heart aching for Susan, cheering her on, and finally rejoicing with her as she is able to fully accept and extend God's forgiveness and all that He has for her. For anyone struggling with strongholds in their life, this is a must read.”
“What transparency and vulnerability! A must-read to ignite in you a desire for Father God to completely heal your heart. What an ending to come from the depths of depravity, pain, and abuse and to experience such a divine reversal! A movie should be made from this story.”
“It has been my privilege to personally witness Susan’s life transformed by nothing more than the healing touch of Jesus. At times, her story will make you want to cover your eyes and cry but as it evolves, her words will build your faith and equip you to move from brokenness to wholeness through Christ.”
“This is a story of redemption. What evil sought to destroy and drown in hopelessness was reborn in determination, tremendous growth, and achievement. God not only loved Susan more than she could imagine but her daughter as well. Yes, a tragic beginning, but what an amazing ending!”
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