Darwin Hobbs and 200 other men appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show in 2010 to tell about their tragic history of sexual abuse. On the show, Hobbs shared his own molestation experience and asserted that sexual abuse “kills the spirit of a child.”
Today, Hobbs is thankful for his experience on the show, calling it “empowering.” He does not consider himself to be a victim anymore, but rather a survivor, and he attributes a big part of his recovery to his relationship with God.
“I embraced more of a survivor and a conqueror posture, and that’s because of my awareness of what the Word of God says about who I am,” Hobbs explained. “Not necessarily my own truth, but the truth of who He says I am and how I should live and how I should look at the facts of the past.”
Like the biblical Joseph, Darwin believes what was originally intended for evil has become a force for good:
“There’s a great deal of promise that’s come out of the pain, because if nothing else I’m able to share this story and share Jesus with people and let people know … that God’s love supersedes and permeates through all of the pain.”
God’s love for Hobbs has been manifest in recent positive developments in his life as well. Darwin and his wife, Tracey, began a weight loss journey a couple of years ago and have since lost more than 120 pounds each.
They welcomed their first baby, Bethany Lennox Grace, into the world last year.
“It’s funny. We’ll be 47 years old this year, and we’ve got a 1-year-old,” Hobbs says.
Hobbs also recently launched HeartArt Worship, a creative arts ministry and community that emphasizes both artistry and “the heart” of worship. He’s also recording a praise and worship album, tentatively titled Saturate, which will release through the ministry’s record label, HeartArt Music.
Ultimately, Hobbs is grateful for the opportunity to share his story, and encourages readers to seek wholeness in all aspects of their lives.
“I just feel like love conquers all, that God is love,” he says. “It conquers a multitude of sins, and it certainly covered the sin that was was committed (against) me.”
