Shattered plans, His perfect plans

"I hate divorce," says the LORD God of Israel, "and I hate a man's covering himself with violence as well as with his garment," says the LORD Almighty. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith.

Malachi 2:16

God does not hate us or punish us when we divorce. We are not outcasts, wrong and evil women. Those of us who suffer divorce are wounded and Christ weeps for us. Our pain is why He hates divorce. But He always loves us, and desires to restore us.
One of our sisters is wounded now and we pray for her...



Dear One,

It is so tempting to feel alone in our pain and turmoil. To hear the voices ringing like Job, "My days have passed, my plans are shattered, and so are the desires of my heart." (Job 17:11) And it is easy to think our lives our over when we are in places like you are now.

I remember feeling that way not that long ago, when I sat on my bed watching my beautiful 18 year old daughter brushing her hair, and she said to me "Mommy, do you love me?....I'm pregnant." And I recall the Sunday I brought her to church and she sat in the car and looked at me and said, with her hand on her very swollen tummy, "Mommy, I don't want to go into church pregnant."

But she did go in that day. And although there is no program for pregnant teens at our church, she felt loved and nurtured, never condemned or judged. Her testimony is that we loved her.

All of us, as we sit at the table for Bible study on Wednesday mornings, and even as we separately sit here at our PCs, have a burden. Some are widows. Some are sick. Some have unsaved husbands. Some have rebellious kids. Some have sick kids. Some are lonely, not sure where they fit in. Some have recently lost beloved parents. Some have had extremely painful and damaging childhoods. And some of us have experienced the heartbreak of divorce.

We love each other. Hold each other up in prayer. Allow each other the time and space to be sad, angry, grieve and grow.

Dear one, the Lord has plans for you! Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. YOU!! May you feel His great love as we love and pray for you. May your testimony be as my daughter's, that you feel His love as we love you.

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

John 13:34-35