Written By: Genna Sapia-Ruffin
Blogged By: De De Tillman
Source: Genna Sapia-Ruffin
Photo Credit: Genna Sapia-Ruffin
Posted: Friday August 18, 2017 @ 5:30 p.m PST
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Joy Jenna Sapia (pka Genna Sapia-Ruffin) is a baby boomer who was born in and went to school in Maryland. Her abusive and chaotic childhood was far from idyllic, but was nothing compared to what lay ahead for her in Detroit, Michigan. It may have been Baltimore where she was born and educated, but it was in Detroit that she was raised and schooled.
Born as Genevieve into a broken family in the ’40’s, she learned early to “roll with the punches”. Never taken to church as a child, she was taught nothing about The Father, The Son or the Holy Spirit. She never saw a Bible in the family home, and it didn’t occur to her to ask or wonder why.
In June of 1964 she met David Ruffin–“the love of her life”. For her, love equaled pain, so she didn’t recognize the early signs that should have warned her that he was an abuser too. Ultimately, one of the things that Genna’s relationship with David–an abused child himself—soon taught her was that two wounded people do not equal one healthy one!
Tragically, David died young in 1991; Genna managed to keep putting one foot in front of the other one, and the hard days inevitably turned into years. Meanwhile, gathering her strength and years of journals, she began to create that which would eventually become her autobiography entitled “A Memoir: David Ruffin—My Temptation”. After years of difficult work, it was finally published in early 2003. Then late in 2003, she miraculously began to be pulled out of the cult she’d been in for over thirty years and began to be pulled to the lap of Father God and to the feet of Jesus Christ! In 2004, she was re-born and dumped the mess of her life at the foot of Jesus’ cross.
With multiple nudges from the Holy Spirit, she then went on to publish in 2010, “Delivered From Temptation”, the sequel to her first book. She now has peace in knowing that her life, first as the abused and then as the survivor, was meant to be her platform with which to bring others to Jesus. Her experiences are being used by God to share words of encouragement to those in similar circumstances, and she is honored to be working for the Kingdom of God in this way. She feels led to public speaking and ministry in prisons, universities, churches, high schools and middle schools in hopes of saving someone from the death and destruction that poor choices can bring—and the joy in the Lord that good choices can bring!
A year after David’s death, she moved from Detroit and did some further traveling before settling down in a warm and more peaceful climate. Here she continues to write, and spends time learning about The Bible, Jesus and what it means to live as His follower. Website: http://www.gennaruffin.com
Her autobiography, “Delivered From Temptation (From Temptation to Salvation)”, is available on online book stores, including Amazon.com, where it was a #1 seller.
GENNA SAPIA-RUFFIN’S BOOK – “Delivered From Temptation–From Temptation to Salvation”
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I LOVE YOU GENNA AND DAVID JR – De De Tillman
You gi-irls! Thank you for being my friends! Much love still. I pray the Lord continue to bless you mightily in Jesus’ name.
DR DE I LOVE THE WAY YOU PROMOTED AND HAVE STOOD BY GENNA SHE IS A BLESSED CHILD AND I SEE HOW MUCH SHE AND DAVID JR MEAN TO YOU… YOU’VE “DONE HER PROUD”❤❤❤👑
Hi Judy, Thank you so much for the compliment and I have to agree that Genna and David Jr. Are a Blessing. I love Genna and David Jr because they are Real Gems ..Love De De Tillman
Hi Judy–Girl!! Great to see that you’re still out there watching my back for me, SWEET FRIEND!
And Dear One! De De Tillson, I so appreciate the love and respect you have always shown me over years. <3 <3 From one queen to another! And Happy Holidays, you two! You know, Jesus Is The Reason For the season! =D
LOL @ your honesty, De De–about who wrote the blog! Love you for that and so much more. I just want to thank you again for promoting it–and for your love & support of David Jr & myself over the years. May God bless you mightily. If any reader would like to buy a copy, it’s on Amazon. (”Delivered From Temptation”–written by Genna Sapia-Ruffin. That’s me. 😉 <3
Hi Genna, That’s the first thing I learned in College and that’s “Give Credit” I can’t take credit for something I didn’t do. The only I did was Blog your story, you wrote every single word of it. I love you back and more. David Jr. Is a blessing, he’s your gift from God. You are such a Beautiful Women inside and out. Love You Much. De De Tillman
Thanks, De De. And yes, David Jr IS a blessing to me and my Gift from God! I couldn’t even say that enough if I said it a million times! Can’t imagine how sad my life would be without him! And I’m VERY proud of him.
DeDe, you did a great blog about this book! I enjoyed reading the book each time I read it. 👀 Genna writes beautifully, and tells a very truthful story of her life with David Ruffin. For anyone interested in music or the lives of the singers of that time, look no more. Genna has a way with words, a way of telling a heart wrenching story, but still through it all has kept a sense of humor. Genna raised a bright successful son, David Ruffin Jr. who was blessed with his fathers vocal talents as well. Genna now helps victims of abuse, and has found peace. Thank you DeDe and Genna.
I Liz, Genna is a gifted writer and I think her book should be used in Domestic Violence Classes and Seminars. What so amazing is how sweet and down to earth Genna is. Her son David Jr has a heart of Gold and I love them both so much. Thanks for replying. Much Love and Hugs De De Tillman
Hi Liz, Genna is the one that did a great job. She wrote the blog, I just blogged it for her.. Love and Hugs De De
XOXOXOX, My dear Lizzie-Pooh.
Great story. Great Blog. Your description of Joy and her work is so well versed. This book should definately become a film.
Hi Stephanie, Thank you so much for such a sweet comment. That’s a great Idea about it becoming a film. Hugs De De
Hi again Stephanie, I reread your beautiful comment and Genna wrote the blog, I just blogged it out for her. She wrote this for herself. She’s extremely gifted