Consecutive polygamy (as many husbands or wives as you like but only one at a time) is now an accepted norm in contemporary society. Hardly surprising, since the social, legal, moral and financial restraints holding marriages together for a lifetime have been steadily eroded in a relativist age where anything goes. What is surprising is that divorce and remarriage are becoming as common inside the church as outside, even among Christian leaders and especially in the Evangelical stream. Believers have been outspoken about such issues as abortion and homosexuality though their Lord Jesus said nothing about either. He did say quite a lot about the subject of this book but there is either a reluctance to take his teaching at face value or an eagerness to enlarge his ‘exception’ until it becomes the rule. This volume primarily appeals to those for whom the Bible is the final authority in all matters of belief and behaviour, especially those who preach to, teach and counsel others. The author believes that the church should be leading the world uphill rather than following the world downhill. David Pawson has a worldwide teaching ministry, particularly for church leaders. He is known to many through Christian broadcasting and is the author of numerous books.
Are you dividing up the pots and pans, or is he stealing your best china that was tucked away in boxes in the garage? Whether you were married to the slob of suckers, or the king of control freaks, you will live vicariously in Joni Newmans humorous depictions of her victories and conquests while she helps you to achieve self-esteem, and leads you back to peace once again. ------------------ This book is written with the Jilted Wife in mind--you and me. This is a self-help/how to/better-not-do-that/ book, which takes a fresh approach to the subject of divorce through humor. It is intended to show you that the light at the end of the tunnel isnt the train speeding down the tracks in your direction! As a woman, a victim, an outcast, and the object of his evasive attitude and abusive temperament, I am a tad prejudice. If you are a woman who has been stung by her mans betrayal of lifes promises, and are no longer the Queen Bee in his honeycomb, (or do you wish it was his catacomb?) this book will help you through the intense and debilitating smut of a divorce. I will tell you my story, and you can log your own story right beside mine. Well proceed down this bumpy avenue of life that is often gridlocked with his obstructions. Then, well trot uphill onto an elevated crest we never imagined we could reach, in light of a divorce. This book will help you find purpose in life, laugh at the idiocy of his thinking, and put your confused feelings in perspective. Finally, you will learn how to validate your worth--not as his jilted wife--but as being your secure and confidential self. If you think youll never be able to tolerate your divorce, think again. No one taught you how to breathe, or spit, or ovulate, but you managed to perform these activities without training in boot camp! Well go through this together. Ill explore my hurt feelings, and you will recognize them. And through it all, well discard the maniac who disassembled our lives, while we beam with confidence at the pure joy of independence. Well nurture our souls and hearts by building a much better life for ourselves and our families. Well graduate from the whipped-wimp image of ourselves that he molded to suit himself. As we bring in the junior Red Cross to glue our clay-mation Gumby character back to her original formation, well give a new meaning to mutual bonds. Well explore all the avenues on which you may travel, but none will lead you to a dead-end. Also, Ill add a touch of humor. Its difficult, I know, but it is better to laugh at the truth that sometimes seems surreal. At the conclusion of most chapters, I will give you perceptive perspectives, therapy thoughts, little life lessons, and jokes. Ill also include some husband-bashing, which should make you feel a lot better. All those innuendoes, insults, and intrusive aspersions that we have unjustly suffered, will now be explored, swallowed, and eventually put to death. Well make our heartaches turn into his headaches. Well watch our dreams grow without him putting up obstacles and hurdles, for which we used to apologize and ultimately regurgitate. Youll share with me my thoughts, criticisms, opinions, and plots for revenge. And I know youll come up with a few of your own. Well explore, compare, and examine our divorce through alternative viewpoints: The Three Trimesters of Divorce, and the Five Stages of Grief. Ill even tell you my Secret for Happiness! And in the end, well be much better off without that speed bump we once called a husband. DID HE SAY DIVORCE? D-D-Divorce. Okay, so I stuttered a little at the D word. Who wouldnt stutter if they had the rug pulled out from them, especially if that rug came off the top of his bald head? So, here you are, tripping over that D word too. You may be left with financial burdens, emotional abandonment, and no more supplies of Haagen-Dazs ice cream. How
Seventy now-adult children of divorce give their candid and often heart-wrenching answers to eight questions (arranged in eight chapters, by question), including: What were the main effects of your parents' divorce on your life? What do you say to those who claim that "children are resilient" and "children are happy when their parents are happy"? What would you like to tell your parents then and now? What do you want adults in our culture to know about divorce? What role has your faith played in your healing? Their simple and poignant responses are difficult to read and yet not without hope. Most of the contributors--women and men, young and old, single and married--have never spoken of the pain and consequences of their parents' divorce until now. They have often never been asked, and they believe that no one really wants to know. Despite vastly different circumstances and details, the similarities in their testimonies are striking; as the reader will discover, the death of a child's family impacts the human heart in universal ways.
Welcome to The Relationship Guide For Optimists. F. Scott Fitzgerald said, "There are no second acts in American lives." He was a literary genius, but a relationship dummy. Or pessimist, anyway. Of course there are second acts in our lives. And nineteenth and 100th acts, too. If you're an optimist, that is. If you optimistically reject that a few words-say, til death do us part-eliminate forever any chance to begin anew. Or that bad decisions, or ones that despite good intentions and efforts turn out poorly, are final. No, optimists think unfortunate, even horrible, situations are natural, inevitable challenges in a well-lived life. Many-most-serious relationships don't last a lifetime. They just don't. But when that happens, here we don't mourn or seethe. Optimistically, we say, well ok, time for a reality check. Recommit and dig in for another attempt at rebirthing the relationship? Maybe. But, maybe not. Perhaps it's time to gently, thoughtfully, caringly put things in order. And take loving care of others. Then go back to that hopeful you, start fresh, search for happiness again. That's what optimists do, right? Fall down but get back up, brush off and keep moving ahead? Sound like you? Or a person you'd like to be, or be again? Then this guide's for you, optimist.
Through a careful exploration of the background literature of the Old Testament, the ancient Near East and ancient Judaism, Instone-Brewer constructs a biblical picture of divorce and remarriage that is directly relevant to modern relationships.
You Can Love God and Still Get a Divorce. And get this, God will still love you. Really. Are you in a destructive marriage? One of emotional, physical, or verbal abuse? Infidelity? Neglect? If yes, you know you need to escape, but you're probably worried about going against God's will. I have good news for you. You might need to divorce to save your life and sanity. And God is right beside you. In "The Life-Saving Divorce" You'll Learn: - How to know if you should stay or if you should go.- The four key Bible verses that support divorce for infidelity, neglect, and physical and/or emotional abuse. - Twenty-seven myths about divorce that aren't true for many Christians. - Why a divorce is likely the absolute best thing for your children. - How to deal with friends and family who disapprove of divorce. - How to find safe friends and churches after a divorce. Can you find happiness after leaving your destructive marriage? Absolutely yes! You can get your life back and flourish more than you thought possible. Are you ready? Then let's go. It's time to be free. This book includes multiple first-person interviews. Explains psychological abuse, gaslighting, the abuse cycle, Christian divorce and remarriage, children and divorce, domestic violence, parental alienation, mental abuse, and biblical reasons for divorce. Includes diagrams such as the Duluth Wheel of Power and Control (the Duluth Model) and the Abuse Cycle, as well as graphs based on Paul Amato's 2003 study analyzing Judith Wallerstein's book, The Unexpected Legacy of Divorce. Includes quotes by Leslie Vernick, Lundy Bancroft, Shannon Thomas, David Instone-Brewer, Natalie Hoffman, LifeWay Research, Kathleen Reay, Gottman Institute, Glenda Riley, Martin Luther, John Calvin, Steven Stosny, Michal Gilad, Leonie Westenberg, Nancy Nason-Clark, Julie Owens, Marg Mowczko, Justin Holcomb, Barna Group, Justin Lehmiller, Alan Hawkins, Brian Willoughby, William Doherty, Brad Wright, Bradford Wilcox, Sheila Gregoire, E Mavis Hetherington, John Kelly, Betsey Stevenson, Justin Wolfers, Norm Wright, Virginia Rutter, Judith Herman, and Bessel van der Kolk. Recommended reading list includes: Henry Cloud, John Townsend Boundaries books, Richard Warshack books.
Divorce and remarriage are major pastoral issues facing every church. Yet when we turn to Scripture for guidance, we often hear conflicting messages about its teachings. David Instone-Brewer shows how the New Testament provides faithful, realistic and wise guidance of crucial importance and practical help for the church today.
Buddhism has been applied to everything from parenting to golf, but until now no one has offered Buddhist principles as a healing path through divorce. In Storms Can't Hurt the Sky, Gabriel Cohen bravely delves into his personal experience-along with insights from Buddhist masters, parables, humor, social science studies, and interviews with other divorces-to provide a practical and very helpful guide to surviving the pain of any break-up. Focusing on the emotions most common in the dissolution of a relationship-anger, resentment, loss, and grief -- Storms Can't Hurt the Sky shows how thinking about these feelings in surprisingly different ways can lead to a radically better experience. This compulsively readable book offers sound advice and much-needed empathy for anyone dealing with a break-up.
What could be good about a bad marriage? The good news is, you can get beyond that old marriage and its destructive habits, and build a brand-new one with the same spouse. And you can do it in just 90 days, even if only one spouse is committed to change. Thousands of couples in marriages that are on the brink will never enter a therapist's office, and for others it's too late by the time they do agree to come. But for more than 20 years, David Clarke has seen marriages turn around in just 12 weeks. Here he takes his 90-day plan and presents it using humor, Scripture, and personal stories to help couples turn difficult marriages into great ones. Whether the issue is communication, the kids, negative attitudes, or even serious sin, Clarke's personalized approach will put readers on the road to a great marriage.
