← Therapy and Theology
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Welcome to season 10 of Therapy and Theology. This season feels deeply personal to me. We're tackling the topic of an unwanted divorce, which if you're familiar with my story at all, you know it's something that I've walked through. I wish that the word divorce was not attached to my life, but it is. I wish that I did not have experiential wisdom to offer in this area, but I do. For years I've received gut wrenching DMs on my social media, questions at conferences Q&As, and I've had a lot of personal conversations with those of you who have also experienced an unwanted divorce and it breaks my heart. Experiencing an unwanted divorce is so deeply complex, confusing and heart wrenching. It's not just a decision someone makes one day, it's a vortex of any indescribable pain, shame and devastation wrapped in a tangle of questions that may never be answered and a heap of judgment from those who truly don't understand. So we've heard your questions and we're going to talk about this heartbreaking topic in season 10 of therapy and Theology. Also, I want you to know that Dr. Joel Mutamale, Jim Kress and I co authored a book that will release this November called Surviving an Unwanted A Biblical Practical Guide to Letting Go While Holding Yourself Together. The word unwanted is very important because in no way do I want to glorify divorce or devalue the beautiful institution of marriage established by God. Please know I am not pro divorce. I am pro healthy marriages and I am pro helping others who desperately need the support and information or when they find themselves in a devastating place. I can't stand the thought of people not having access to the biblical wisdom and the therapeutic insights that they need to navigate one of the hardest things they will ever face. Dr. Joel is who I turned to when I wrestled through the angst and fears around divorce. From a Biblical standpoint, he is a highly educated theologian who knows how to speak tenderly and truthfully to others. Jim Kress is a licensed professional counselor who specializes in betrayal trauma and is hands down one of the most important people God used in profound ways to help me not only survive my unwanted divorce, but to actually heal from it. There are three significant audiences that I see benefiting from this season and also our book Surviving an Unwanted Divorce. Number one, a woman who has saved or is currently suffering through an unwanted divorce. She's wrestling with questions about her worth, her identity, and how God could see all of this happening and not spare her and her kids from this devastation. We won't be able to give her every specific answer she needs, but we will be able to give her a solid start in the right direction to gain the emotional fortitude and the biblical confidence she needs to move forward. And please know we understand that sometimes it's the man who's had their life turned upside down because of an unwanted divorce. So this information may be very helpful if that's you. Number two Friends and family of someone facing an unwanted divorce. This can be Bible study leaders, pastors, counselors, friends and family who are helping others walk through the unthinkable pain and you need a resource like this three Christians who have long been confused about what the Bible says about divorce. This is such an understandable place to be in because divorce can feel like such a confusing subject. There are many blanket statements made that are unhelpful, hurtful, or misinformed, such as God hates divorce or the only biblical grounds for divorce is sexual infidelity. While I understand the desire to protect the sacredness of marriage and honor God's intent for marriage, we must also know, as my friend Leslie Bernick says, that there's a difference between a difficult marriage and a destructive marriage. Wherever you find yourself, I invite you to join me with all the questions you may have. I recognize that the topics we cover on this podcast can be heavy and honestly, I wish we didn't have to cover topics like divorce. But I do believe the work we do through this show is really important as we help listeners everywhere work through what they're walking through. Like this listener who recently left a review on Apple Podcasts. She said, this season of my life has very much been a pruning season and I'm still going through it. Personal counsel, my church, and this podcast have all been part of my healing from the death of my marriage after 21 years. I love this reminder that God is actively at work through this podcast. These kinds of stories are only possible because of the generosity of our incredible sponsors and those of you who support Proverbs 31 ministries through your financial gifts. I also want to say a special thank you to our partner for this season, Convoy of hope. For over 30 years, Convoy of Hope has helped vulnerable communities around the world and and empowering women and girls is a key part of that mission. We can't wait for you to learn more about the work this incredible organization is doing as you listen to this season of therapy and theology. Lastly, there are two things I want to ask of you. Number one, use the link below to enter your email address so that you can be notified as soon as a new therapy and theology episode is available. We'll meet you in your inbox, so just subscribe and stay connected. Number 2 Share this trailer with a friend or family member and tell them that you want to prayerfully watch and discuss the season together. I can't wait for you to join me and my friends Dr. Joel Mutamali and counselor Jim Kress starting next week, and we'll see you then.