Tag: books

Unhealed Wounds

It seems like it has been an eternity since I felt the pain of divorce. I can only thank God for His healing grace that has allowed me to move forward in this walk we call life without it.

Many of you are just now experiencing the pain of separation or divorce for the first time. My heart is heavy for you. I have been there, twice…. and would not wish the pain you are feeling on anyone.

There are so many different kinds of wounds that cause the pain you are feeling right now. Pain from abandonment, abuse, neglect, loss, and anxiety just to name a few. What can you do?

I can tell you what NOT to do…..

Please, no matter how fresh your wounds are, get healing. Do not ignore them.

An unhealed wound will lead to an infected soul and a future filled with regret, bitterness, and pain that will linger as long as you are unwilling to deal with them.

Sometimes the wounds are self-inflicted, but I believe most of the readers of this blog have been wounded by a spouse, ex, or even a friend. How you received the wound is not as important as getting the wound the attention it needs to heal.

The world will tell you to run to so many things including a friend, family, an addiction, a counselor, or even back to the one who wounded you. Some of these are totally destructive and some may help in the short term.

Let me present to you the only one who can heal a broken heart — JESUS!!!

He can also heal your soul which no human, substance, or belief system can do. No matter how good those things may make you feel, they do not heal the wounds that could end up being with you the rest of your life without His healing power.

Pain is what tells us there is a wound. If you are feeling pain, you have a wound that needs healing.

Is your pain emotional? Is your pain physical? Is your pain spiritual? Is your pain mental?

Jeremiah 30:17 English Standard Version

17 For I will restore health to you, and your wounds I will heal, declares the Lord …

Jesus is able to heal every wound you have, no matter where it is and how deep it hurts.

Pastors, doctors, friends, family, groups, and others may be able to help in some ways. By all means, if a Christian counselor can help you make sense of the pain and a group can help you have others going through the same pain help you see that healing is possible, use them.

Where those leave off, you need something more: the One who created you and knows how to heal you.

Only the Lord can heal what remains like a broken heart and a wounded soul.

Psalm 147:3 English Standard Version

3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

So many people settle more moving on without dealing with the real wounds in their soul. They grab a drink, a new relationship, or hold of a new “religion” that promises the world when all these do is mask the pain and lead them down a road of self-seeking relief.

If you need a brain surgeon to heal you remove a tumor on your brain, how can you think you could repair your own soul? A cardiologist may be able to fix a damaged physical heart, but he can’t fix your emotional or spiritual heart.

Only your Creator is the One who can completely heal the wounds of betrayal, abandonment, and abuse. No human, especially you, are equipped with the grace, peace, and love that those wounds need to fully recover and made new.

Take a few minutes and quiet yourself. Ask the Lord to meet you where you are. He knows you are hurting and in pain.

He knows what you need. Give him time to speak to you. If you have never done this before, just turn off all distractions. Close your eyes and ask Him to speak to you. If you are quiet and just focus on Him, within a few minutes You may sense Him giving you exactly what you need: Time with Him.

Be honest. Tell God every hurt, what caused the pain, and what you need. Ask Him to reveal every hidden hurt and part of you that is wounded. Give everyone of them to Him. He wants to hear from you.

Psalm 22:24 English Standard Version

24 For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted,
and he has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him.

God wants to be there for you. It is up to you if you want Him to be there.

He gave us free will, to decide how we want to live. Choose every moment and every day to live with Him.

Of course, He can use people in our sphere to be His hands and feet in many situations to give us a hug, a kind word, or a healing encouragement. Ask Him to give you those people to be there for you and give God the glory for those Godly relationships helping you on your path to healing.

He is sufficient for you. He created you. He loves you with an everlasting love. Choose to embrace His open arms ready to embrace you!!

2 Corinthians 12:9 English Standard Version

9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Be Blessed !!

YouVersion Bible App Reading Plans:
(over 325,000 downloads to date)
31 Days: http://bit.ly/2DNy6E6
7 Days: http://bit.ly/2DTHQwD
5 Days: https://bit.ly/3uxvntS

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Milestone !!!

Just wanted to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart!!

From those who have encouraged me to follow God into His calling to all of those that trusted me to speak into their lives via the Reading Plans, THANK YOU!!

Feel free to continue to share these Godly, free resources to those dealing with the effects of divorce and separation. You never know the lives you may change because of this simple act of kindness.

Reading Plans:
31 Days: http://bit.ly/2DNy6E6
7 Days: http://bit.ly/2DTHQwD

Book: http://amzn.to/2ctwjHp

Be blessed!!

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A Divorce to Healing Testimony: Scott

From Scott, in his own words.

Thank you, Scott!!!

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Been reading your devotionals on YouVersion. No truer words than these…
—-
This is the time you need to move on from destructive thoughts and behaviors. It is the time to move past accusations, pain, and fear.. It is time to move into a greater relationship with God and to move into all He still has for you.
—-
The one thing God has pressed upon me since I found out about her affair and when she moved out, was simply this… I must forgive her for ME to heal. It was something I knew, above all else, that I HAD to do!  It took me many prayers, screaming at God, crying out to Him, “God, I can’t do this!  I know I need to, but I can’t. And truthfully, I don’t want to!  But I know I need to.  I need You to help me do this!”
Through this, He changed my heart.  I was given the opportunity to forgive her face-to-face. I did.  She ignored me, changed the subject. But I discovered that it wasn’t about her response… it was about mine. And by being obedient that day when He told me, “Do it now.  Forgive her”  I was set free of so much that was weighing me down.
But then, God taught me something new!  He told me, as I quickly found out, that Forgiveness is NOT a one-and-done… it’s a daily process. I learned to stop saying simple prayers for her and start praying blessings over her!  I struggled with this, but now pray for her job, car, increase, protection, and still most importantly, her healing and return to God.  Even if it is not with me, I pray that I can see her healed and whole.
Thank you for being obedient to God in your ministry.  Thank you for helping others like me.  I have a friend going through a nasty divorce that I have asked to read your devotionals, as well.  Thank you.
BE blessed!
Scott
One thing I have continued to pray is that if I must go through this, that God would allow me to use it to help someone else. I never even imagined that I could do so before I got through this!  But He has called me to reach out to a few people, and I’ve been able to strengthen and encourage them… not because of me or what I did, but because of what God has done in and through me.
I know this won’t be easy to get through, but I know that in forgiveness I have found peace… even though it still hurts.
I literally feel like an amputee sometimes, like I’m missing part of me. I mean I am actually.  But through forgiveness (and prayer) come healing. You cannot have one without the other.  God has been so amazing through this. Thank you again!
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Click HERE for “Divorce to Healing; Survive and Thrive” and share with those that would appreciate the help it provides.
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The Reflection

reflection

The new year always lends itself to reflection. Thinking of the past. Good and bad. Accomplishments and missed expectations. Successes and failures.

This year has been a sincere blessing for me in many ways, while also revealing my short comings.

Divorce to Healing has seen tremendous growth in exposure, readership, and engagement. It has also made me wonder where we fell short helping people.

On April 12th, the Divorce to Healing Reading Plan on the YouVersion Bible App was released. In less than 8 months, over 13,300 people engaged by downloading a free copy to a phone or other device. And thus began a seed of healing.

As of Dec 31st, over 4,800 people had completed all 31 days of the Reading Plan. And thus began the next steps in continued healing.

On August 31st, a paperback version of the Reading Plan with additional resources was released on Amazon. 16 copies were sold, 3 of which I bought and sent to my family. And even more people took a step towards wholeness.

On this blog, over 3000 views from over 1000 different people in 49 different countries were seeking wisdom, encouragement, and understanding to help them make sense of this thing we call divorce.

And yet, I wonder……

Did they all know that they have been prayed for daily? Have they allowed God to do the healing work in their hearts, minds, and souls that bring the only kind of peace that satisfies? Will they continue to reach out to their family, friends, counselors, pastors, and others for the help they still need? Have we helped in any small way?

Who is that next person that God wants to touch today? What is holding some people back? How can I be of greater service to my fellow man, struggling through the same pain and hurt I experienced?

As we continue down this path together, I want to thank you for letting God do His perfect work in you. I will be here with you and want you to know, you are not alone. There are many people that desire exactly what you do — healing & wholeness.

Matthew 19:26
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
We are here for you.
Be blessed!!
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Amazing News!!!

Thank to all you you in the Divorce to Healing community!! I am blown away by how many of you have downloaded and completed the YouVersion Reading Plan. Thank you for giving God room to heal you and bring you closer to wholeness.

Feel free to share your comments below.

If you have not yet gone through the reading plan and want to, here is the link: http://www.bible.com/reading-plans/2440-divorce-to-healing-31-wholeness

If you want to connect via Facebook, join us:                                                       http://www.facebook.com/divorcetohealing

If you would like a copy of the book, it is available on Amazon:           http://www.amazon.com/Divorce-Healing-31-Days-Wholeness/dp/1530366364

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Revelations

ig-1

This is an excerpt of the book just released called “Divorce to Healing: 31 Days of Healing and Wholeness” and it was an amazing revelation for me.

You will figure out that you will learn things through your divorce that you mat have heard, but never really understood until now. These revelations can be so eye-opening that it will change your life forever.

As parents, you get the revelation that having kids is TOTALLY different that being around them or babysitting for a friend. You are never ready for it and it is an ongoing learning process that never stops.

As a father and husband, I learn things almost every day about my wife, our children, and their lives that can only be understood after going through them. Looking back, I start to truly understand them as the individuals God made them to be and how my life must adapt daily to make them the wife, son, daughter, and family He has blessed me to be a part of on this earth.

In the excerpt above, i talk about the simple fact that you can be surrounded by people, but feel so alone. The reason that you feel like that is because you are not connected to them the way you need to be connected to them.

You may have great relationships with many people, but if you are not feeling truly connected in a mutually beneficial life-giving relationship, you are not in the kind of relationship that fulfills what your spirit needs.

Take time to be more transparent, more open to those that you trust. Invite them into your world in a deeper way. You will find that the real life in a relationship that changes you and brings forth healing and wholeness is waiting for you to connect on a new level, one that can trust again.

Take a few minutes to consider all the revelations you have come to learn about yourself and those around you, especially since any tragic event. Some will make you angry, some will make you depressed. Yet again, many will show you that there are things you needed to work on in your life in order to become a better person in many areas of your life.

This is not to make it seem like all the problems are/were with you. It is just getting you to see that there is more potential and growth because of what happened. Don’t waste this chance to see all that will cause you to become more than you have ever been.

It is there. You just need to recognize it, learn from it, and growth through it. You can do it.

What revelations good and/or bad have made you a better person. I would love to here your thoughts.

Be blessed!!

A free devotional called “Divorce to Healing: 31 Days of Healing and Wholeness” is available to all my readers here.

You can order you own copy of the book, “Divorce to Healing: 31 Days of Healing and Wholeness” from Amazon here.

 

 

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The Book is HERE!!

Book Proof

You can now get your own copy of “Divorce to Healing: 31 Days of Healing and Wholeness“!!

Grab yours at Amazon here!!

Thanks everyone for all the kind words and encouragement that helped me to strive and bring forth what God has been wanting me to do for so long.

If you would like to check it out for free, head over to the YouVersion Bible App and see if you would like it. A majority of the book’s content is the same (31 Days), except for the introduction which has my story as well as a list of additional resources I recommend.

Remember, this makes a great resource that you can also give to a friend or family member that may need some encouragement as well.

As of this post at the beginning of Sept 2016, I will be holding a contest on both Twitter and Facebook, if you would like to win a free copy. Head over and join our community there.

Be blessed!!

 

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