Healing From Divorce: Part 3 of 3

By Hope After BetrayalDivorce, Uncategorized

Divorce Part 3

The Calm After the Storm The way God has continued to craft my life after my separation and divorce still blows my mind. As I shared in previous posts, He has brought me a new job, a whole new group of friends, and so much more. I am reminded over and over that God causes everything to work together for …

Healing From Divorce: Part 2 of 3

By Hope After BetrayalDivorce, Uncategorized

Leaving The day we decided my husband would move out was January 25th—the day after my son’s birthday. As I sat there with my three-month-old baby, he seemed so eager to pack his things and leave. At that point, I felt as though I was only floating through the day. I was not sure if it was just my lack …

Healing From Divorce: Part 1 of 3

By Hope After BetrayalDivorce, Relationships, Uncategorized

THE SHOCKWAVE “I had an affair.” That statement literally felt like the equivalent of falling off of a 10-story building. It did not help that while I was being told this, I was driving on HWY 14 with my 5-month-old son in the backseat. The world seemed to stand still. I felt like I was having an out of body …

An Exercise In Aligning Perspectives

By Hope After Betrayalcurrent year, Relationships, Uncategorized

“I sat there stunned, scrolling through his browsing history as image after image showed a slew of underdressed athletes in suggestive poses for the camera. The familiar feelings of betrayal struck a chord in my heart as it seemed yet again, he was choosing to look for self-gratification in places other than his wife. The troubling fact was, he had …

Formal Disclosure

By Hope After BetrayalEncouragement, Relationships, Uncategorized

By Heather Davis The process of a formal therapeutic disclosure consists of the betrayer sharing the full reality of their acting out, guided and supported by their therapist, with the one who has been betrayed, who also is being supported and guided by a therapist. It is an essential step in recovery and healing from the effects of sexual addiction …

Guest Blog: We Survived Infidelity

Annie Demaracurrent year, Encouragement, Grief, Relationships

Guest Blog by Hilarie Barry Facing Infidelity “I lay at the bottom of a dark pit, trembling, frightened, alone. I’m lost.  What happened?  Where’s Joe?  Joe! My eyes flashed open and it all came rushing back, first the memories, then the knot in my stomach.  It wasn’t a dream.  My life had become a nightmare. It was Christmas 2013 when …

Guest Blog: Rescued from the Cave of Betrayal

Annie DemaraGrief, Relationships, Uncategorized

Cave of Betrayal “Lord, may my husband be quick to agree with You in his sin.” The words were not my own, but those of a “pray for your husband guide” that I had been following. The timing of this prayer was not a coincidence. Just a couple of hours after that sentence left my lips, I found myself fully …

Celebrating Independence Day

Meg WilsonArchive, Encouragement, General

When it comes to Independence Day, most people think of celebrating with picnics and fireworks. Whereas I grew up in a military family, and this day has a deeper meaning for me. When I was young, my father was away for almost a year serving in Vietnam as an Air Force Navigator. My grandfather earned a purple heart during WWII …

Guest Blogger Becky: Quarantine and Betrayal

Annie Demaracurrent year, Encouragement, Grief

“My world has been turned upside down.  Nothing is what it was a few days ago. The future is unknown and the uncertainties seem to multiply by the day.  While some things of life must go on, preparing meals, work, and exercise, there are moments of pause within the day.  Those moments when it will suddenly hit me…what just happened?  …

The Darkness Before the Dawn

Annie DemaraEncouragement

In The Midst of the Pandemic… As news outlets inundate us with Coronavirus information and infection updates, it is hard to escape the reality of our world’s current situation.   As a result, it is easy to experience fear and wonder about the uncertainty of our own personal situation.   Will there be sufficient income to sustain me and my family?  How …

Missed Opportunities

Meg WilsonArchive, current year, Spiritual Life

As I continue to seek healing and stay in the Lord’s refining process, I have learned not to avoid the fires of conflict. Refining conversations are rarely fun, but they can accelerate growth with life-changing effects. The people in my life who have risked much to be honest and transparent are the relationships I value most. The healing process is …

Are You Blessed?

Meg WilsonArchive, current year

I was recently in a restaurant when I overheard part of a conversation between three women. I couldn’t tell if they were Christ followers or not, but they were mocking the online posts of a mutual acquaintance who repeatedly said how “blessed” she was. Though their gossip saddened me, I understood their negative reaction to the overused term blessed. When …

Truth About Suffering Avoidance

Meg WilsonArchive, current year, Spiritual Life

My newest Son-in-love is from the Netherlands, and I love that he brings a broader perspective to our family discussions. He said something that made me think. He was talking about his plans and said matter-of-factly that he was choosing his suffering. At first, I was confused, but then he explained, that this broken world offers a full buffet of …

Guest Blogger: Stefanie Marek

Meg WilsonArchive, current year

A precious woman reached out to me and took the risk of sharing her heart and her art with me. I was so touched by her beautiful and poignant words I had to share them with you. So this blog is written by Stephanie Marek.  You saw me through a broken lens. Its surface clouded and cracked. Vital pieces missing. …

The Hope of Advent

Meg WilsonArchive, current year

Every year, it seems the time goes by faster and faster. Another season of gifts, activities, and opportunity. It’s easy for me to get lost in all of this flurry and miss sight of the promise and reflection of advent. Many light candles each week in December as they reflect and remember the long expectations of faithful believers for the …