This is a continuation of a series every Friday where I will be highlighting the growth and healing of one of my readers, a new reader each week. These, my sweet ones, are their brave and vulnerable stories. Take heart…you are not alone. -Elisabeth
Your scars are someone else’s signs of hope.
I don’t know who wrote that, but it’s so true.
My scars are painful wounds that have healed. Finally.
Infidelity… But not my husband. It was me.
Wife…mother of 2 sons…serving in ministry…attending seminary.
I was safe, right? I was in the middle of God’s will. I thought I was immune. But I wasn’t.
The result was an unplanned pregnancy and 2 years later, a divorce. I couldn’t have fallen any farther away from God. I was broken.
Friends fell away and gossiped about me. My own family judged me. I felt so alone. But it was my fault, right?
I stayed away from God, mainly because of shame. He couldn’t use me anymore anyway. I was tainted. Went my own way for a while. There are some days when I wish I could get those 2 years back.
In 2015, 4 years after I fell, I finally turned around and there God was. He had been there the whole time. Loving me, letting me go as far as I wanted to until I made the decision to come back to Him.
Through a lot of prayer, some awesome friends and a compassionate therapist, I’ve experienced healing. The shame that weighed on me is gone. Jesus took that sin and paid the price long ago. I’ve been forgiven and it’s no longer my burden to bear.
The daughter that was born as a result of the affair is the greatest joy. A very real reminder that when God looks at us, He doesn’t see our sin at all. I could so easily look at her and see what I had done. Instead, I look at her through love. Which is exactly how God looks at us, though love. Love, forgiveness, and righteousness!
God has led women to me that have walked this road also. I have been so blessed to be able to encourage them and let them know there is hope.
God is the hope.
God is the restorer.
God is the redeemer.
God is the One who loves us so fully.
I’m seeing God restore my relationship with my sons, my relationship with my family and even restoring me in ministry.
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. -Romans 8:28 (ESV)
God uses it all. The good, the bad and the ugly can all be turned around and used for His glory and the good of His beloved. His beloved! That’s you and me!
-Nicole
If this sweet woman’s post resonated with your heart, please know that you are not alone. Here are a few resources for you:
If you would like to join one my private Facebook groups (difficult marriage, separated/divorced, single moms, remarried), please email me at elisabeth@elisabethklein.com.
If in a difficult marriage: Surviving in a Difficult Christian Marriage is available as a PDF/e-book: www.elisabethklein.com/books
If separated/divorced: Unraveling: Hanging onto Faith through the End of a Christian Marriage is available in paperback/e-book: http://tinyurl.com/phowp95
If a single mom: Moving on as a Christian Single Mom is available in paperback/e-book: www.elisabethklein.com/books
If you need a nudge in your healing, I would love to work with you! Join me for one of my mentoring courses.
If you’d like to receive my free resource “Is Your Healing Halted?”, sign up here.