“Our national conscience is being seared to the point where we’re not shocked when we hear such things,” says Dave Carder in his book Torn Asunder: Recovering from an Extramarital Affair.Carder, D., and Jaenicke, D. (2008). Torn Asunder: Recovering From an Extramarital Affair. (pp. 24-25) Chicago, IL: Moody. What he’s referring to is the commonality of affairs in our over-sexualized culture. As a society we’ve become desensitized to the destruction brought about by the multitude of issues wreaking havoc on the family.
The good news is that the church can come alongside these families who are on the verge of divorce with real, tangible hope. That’s why Focus on the Family is excited about the results we’re seeing from our Hope Restored Marriage Intensive Counseling program.
One couple who attended an intensive had the following to say;
“When the initial shock of his plans for divorce had worn off, God had me research marriage intensives and I stumbled across Focus on the Family’s Hope Restored program. This was after 3 local counselors refused to see us for counseling because they believed we were too far gone. God and the Hope Restored program has not only saved my marriage, but also has helped save my husband’s soul.”A testimonial from a Hope Restored Participant
What a tremendous story of God working in the lives of two people who were deemed by others to be “too far gone.” Maybe as you read this you can think of a few couples in your congregation who may be experiencing the same thing. Maybe you as a leader are being weighed down by choices you’ve made or choices that have been made in your own marriage.
Whether in your own marriage or that of a couple in your church, you’re not alone. A couple may feel like they are too far apart. They’ve already filed for divorce and the breakdown of their family seems almost inevitable. Before closing that door, they owe it to themselves and their kids to take one more step in a direction that can change the course of their marriage and their life.
