CedarBridge Academy students will be encouraged to aim high today by a former victim of spousal abuse.

University professor Rose Joshua, on the Island to speak to community and church groups about the life lessons encapsulated in her book, 'Single Mother of Five', says that with God's help all struggles can be overcome.

Dr. Joshua had to escape a physically abusive husband in 1997 and, with five very young children, started her life anew.

"I'm trying to use my story to encourage people going through difficult situations to let them know they can overcome them," she said.

"God, step by step, has taken me through various difficulties." The book contains strategies for success in overcoming life's challenges, she added. But it was applicable to all, not just single mothers.

"Many people have given up because of disappointments such as a business failure or a relationship break-up. And they are so broken that the humpty dumpty pieces cannot be put together again," she said as she launched into an explanation of one of the strategies in the book.

"But they can pick themselves up by the power of God and slowly put themselves back together."

With Dr. Joseph's "personal pick up" programme the individual identifies areas in which they think they have failed, their goals and "all the excuses we come up with for not doing them, and coming up with a plan to bridge that gap".

Dr. Joshua was working as a software engineer when her marriage broke up because of an abusive husband.

Today the mother of five teaches software engineering at the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada, and after a period of severe depression, has managed to complete the book she started in 1997.

"Many people didn't know because I shut it all in ? I was trying to protect my ex," she said. "But in the end I actually had the threat of death, and I practically ran away to a women's shelter."

She took with her her five babies ranging in age from four months to five years.

"Slowly I got myself together, but it was a phase in my life when I was very frightened."

Dr. Joshua has been brought to the Island by Crystal Clear Visions, a recently formed non profit organisations to empower women to clearly see their vision and purpose in life.

Her book also contains strategies for parenting and partnering with schools.

Besides CedarBridge Academy, she will be addressing church groups, the Physical Abuse Centre and Teen Haven residents.

She will be signing her book at the Christian Bookstore and the Bookmart on Friday and Saturday morning respectively.

Asked what she will be telling CedarBridge Academy students at this morning's assembly, Dr. Joshua said she will be challenging them to "dare to dream".

"Dare to do big things for Bermuda, for God. They must not settle for Cs and Ds, they must strive for As because they can do it. They've got so much in them that if they can tap a little they will shock themselves. That's my message for everybody."