My journey through separation and divorce was like nothing else I have ever experienced. The pain was so sharp that some days I almost felt like I couldn't breath. The sense of loss was profound and with that came devastating waves of loneliness, depression, sadness and even anger. It was a horrific tornado of intense, biting emotion.

One of the significant things that God used in my life during that time to shore me up was Divorce Care. When I approached my first meeting, I didn't know what to expect and I suppose I even felt some shame in having to attend a meeting with people experiencing the "D-word". After all, how could I be one of "them" now?! After that first meeting, though, I knew that I was with people that understood exactly what I was going through. They were experiencing the same havoc in their own lives and it was a safe place to share those feelings. What I also appreciated was that it wasn't a pity party.

The materials that DivorceCare provided were solid and sensible in that they were biblical and sought reconciliation first. They forced me to examine my own heart. Each week a different topic was covered, each of which I found spoke well to my situation and what I was experiencing. The leaders were sensitive, realistic and genuinely loving. Because I found it so helpful, I decided I would go through the 13-week program until I no longer felt the need. My last time through (the third), I could recall my initial feelings with a sense of praise to God for walking me through the desert. If you find yourself in that same heartache, I encourage you to seriously consider DivorceCare. Even if you feel you're beyond it in your situation, I know there are many things that would still make it worth your time.