The Grace Filled Divorce

Divorce is one of those experiences that everyone believes will happen to someone else. So what do you do when it happens to you? As a Christian believer, how can you walk through the valley of divorce and emerge better and not bitter? Christians who check their faith at the courtroom door as they seek to "win" their divorce cases leave their families, communities, churches and, most tragically, their children permanently wounded. In The Grace-Filled Divorce, Dr. Melody Bacon shares a very different perspective on how to approach divorce-one that is an opportunity for personal growth and spiritual formation. Open yourself up to God's grace. Allow it to flow into and through you, so that the confusion and pain you are experiencing can be transformed into a deeper relationship with God, yourself, and others. This book will assist readers in learning How to embrace grief, in order to let go of old ideas, assumptions and perspectives How to recognize and change relationship patterns that contributed to the divorce How to create a workable relationship with an ex-spouse How to use ancient Christian spiritual practices to more fully experience the presence of God How to partner with God to redeem the divorce experience, so that His love may be more fully revealed. Melody Bacon holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology, with an emphasis in depth psychology, from Pacifica Graduate Institute and an M.A. in U.S. history from Cal State Northridge. In their private practice, Melody and her husband Ron (a marriage and family therapist), work with couples and individuals facing relationship challenges. They also conduct workshops for pre-engaged couples: Before You Pop the Question, and married couples: Happily Married After. Dr. Bacon is also a teacher and administrator for the Chicago School of Professional Psychology in Southern California where she chairs the Marital and Family Therapy program. She is passionate about blending the insights of psychology with spiritual formation practices and has been inspired by writings of Calvin Miller, John Eldridge and Alan Jones, among others. Her training in Jungian analytic psychology has given her tremendous respect for the ways in which God reveals himself, particularly through dreams. She endeavors to stay at least one step ahead of her clients in learning the lessons that God has to teach. Periodically, she and her husband test the limits of their marriage and spiritual commitment on the golf course.

What's Grace Got to Do with It?The missing ingredient in most marriages ins't love, it's grace. Love inclines us to get married, but we need grace to keep that love healthy, strong and committed. More than simply "nice," grace is that game-changing ingredient that enables us to treat each other the way God treats us-even when we don't deserve it.In Grace Filled Marriage Kimmel explores questions such as:How can you show grace when all your spouse seems to do right now is frustrate you?How can grace ramp up the frequency and temperature of your sex life?How do you show grave without being taken advantage of?How can God help you make grace the default mode in your marriage?Whether your marriage is just beginning, seems healthy, or is struggling on life support, a deeper understanding of the power of grace will help it not just survive, but thrive.

How to survive the life, death, and rebirth of marriage. Forgiveness removes any walls between you and God. Forgiveness is vertical as well as horizontal. —Myles Munroe (excerpt from Single, Married, Separated, and Life After Divorce) God Understands Divorce is a comprehensive compilation of real-life marriage situations that explain how quickly relationships can deteriorate, how to bring life back to terminally ill marriages—and how to let go. Whether you are divorced or thinking about it, you will discover:· How and why God understands divorce.· How to cope and become refreshed and respected.· A variety of real-life scenarios designed to change your perspective.· An interactive, friendly conversation to help revive the best part of you.· The eight steps to reconciliation. Critical marital issues discussed include: Infidelity and Impotence; Drug and Alcohol Abuse; Personal Growth; Finances and Parenting; Personal Happiness; Intolerance, Physical and Emotional Abuse; Incompatibility. God Understands Divorce brings you full circle—back into the loving arms of a loving God.

Surveys show that only 10% of all marriages are truly happy. The simple truth is the absence of grace leaves a gaping hole in the husband-wife relationship. An instant classic, Grace Filled Marriage shows grace to be the missing piece-and the only place to start building a happy marriage.

Now an official resource of the nationwide DivorceCare ministry, this new edition of When the Vow Breaks offers practical advice to Christians regarding the top five felt needs and issues that result from facing divorce: kids, finances, anger, depression, and loneliness. In this sensitive and thorough guide, author/attorney Joseph Warren Kniskern recounts the emotions of his own failed marriage and shares a comprehensive study on what the Bible says about marriage and divorce. More important, he shows how God continues to work in people’s lives to provide hope and encouragement in the aftermath of divorce. Kniskern also provides important insights about how to seek reconciliation, secure proper marriage counseling, find a good attorney, and negotiate settlements and custody issues.

Illumination Book Award WinnerUplifting, practical and inspiring this award-winning divorce recovery book helps you with real-life issues and takes you on a journey that can change your life for the better. Selected as an exemplary Christian self-help book by the Illumination Book Awards, Peace after Divorce walks you through a process that helps you cope with and heal from divorce. Learn Ways To: Move beyond the pain of separation and divorce; Deal with loneliness and divorce grief; Win the battle with your thoughts, Choose healing actions; Cope more effectively with your ex or soon-to-be ex; Help children cope with separation and divorce; Enjoy life after divorce as a single adult; and more.Don't Become One of the Walking Wounded! Click to Order Your Copy Now. For individual or group use. Christian divorce recovery curriculum and leader materials are available through After Divorce Ministries.

"When you walked down the aisle and said, 'I do, ' did you ever think you'd be saying, 'I don't'? During a difficult divorce, author Lori Anderson set out on a quest for healing. Having witnessed too many victims of divorce, who were stuck in a rut and living only half a life, she sought something better for herself. In Divorce with Grace, Anderson shares her experience and hard won insights, guiding you through the steps of GRACE she discovered. This book with inspire you to live full out, and ultimately see the light after divorce. She provides exercises and healing techniques to expedite your healing process, conscious choices to 'become better, not bitter', helpful advice and self-care techniques that assist you during the emotionally charged divorce process ... so you can get on with your amazing life. Readers will come away with grace for themselves, grace for the situation, and even grace for your ex. You'll gain clarity on what you truly want in this new phase of your life. Through the GRACE journey, divorce can be an exciting, exploratory time that catapults you to a richer, juicier life"--Back cover.

Stepparenting Is Hard…but It Can Also Be Richly Rewarding Stepparenting can sometimes feel like an overwhelming and thankless challenge. Loving and caring for children who aren’t biologically yours means having to earn trust, establish authority, and often put your own needs aside in favor of your stepchild’s well-being or a birth parent’s wishes. But here’s the good news: With some expert guidance and God’s help, you can have tremendous influence in your stepchild’s life and grow in your faith along the way. Seasoned stepmom Laurie Polich Short understands and empathizes with the difficult job you face. Drawing on extensive research, biblical teaching, and her own real-life experience (including an insightful chapter cowritten with her stepson, Jordan), Laurie provides practical and spiritual advice to help you fully embrace and succeed in your role as stepparent. Whether you are about to become a stepparent or are further along on your journey, this compassionate and insightful resource offers the hope, help, and encouragement you’ve been looking for.

Sometimes, grace gets messy. Caleb Kaltenbach was raised by LGBT parents, marched in gay pride parades as a youngster, and experienced firsthand the hatred and bitterness of some Christians toward his family. But then Caleb surprised everyone, including himself, by becoming a Christian…and a pastor. Very few issues in Christianity are as divisive as the acceptance of the LGBT community in the church. As a pastor and as a person with beloved family members living a gay lifestyle, Caleb had to face this issue with courage and grace. Messy Grace shows us that Jesus’s command to “love your neighbor as yourself” doesn’t have an exception clause for a gay “neighbor”—or for that matter, any other “neighbor” we might find it hard to relate to. Jesus was able to love these people and yet still hold on to his beliefs. So can you. Even when it’s messy. “Messy Grace is an important contribution to the conversation about sexual identity for churches and leaders. Caleb's story is surprising and unique, and he weaves it together compellingly. He states his views clearly, leaves room for disagreement, and champions love no matter where you are in this conversation.” —Jud Wilhite, Sr. Pastor, Central Christian Church

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.