Daily Scripture Reading: Psalm 124; Genesis 8:1-19; Romans 6:1-11

Matthew 6:33 has always been one of my favorite verses. I believed that if I sought God first all my needs would be meet. I still believe that my needs will be meet, but according to God’s will not mine.

DIVORCE. The word that I never thought would be associated with my name. Thirteen years have passed since that word entered my life. I thought my life was great. I was just completing my first year of teaching, Morgan had graduated from high school, and we were at a church that we loved where my ex-husband was the pulpit minister. Then darkness filled my world. My ex-husband was unhappy with the church, was not handling Morgan’s graduation well, and was not happy with the amount of time that being a new teacher took for me. He became depressed and allowed the darkness to overtake his life. He did not seek God’s guidance or a counselor. Instead he turned to the dark world of the internet and after visiting several chat rooms; he meet a woman from California. He went to California to meet this woman and had an affair. I found out and confronted him. He stated that he had made a mistake and wanted to work things out. I agreed. That began the darkest time in my life. He continued to communicate with this woman and so finally we separated. I stayed in Kosciusko because of my job and sank deeper into despair. I spoke to several minister/counselors, but still was allowing the darkness to consume my life. God began to send the light to me through the friendship of a group of women that were there for me at any time of the day or night. I was struggling with the idea of divorce and the darkness was telling me that God was not pleased with my decision to divorce. I reunited with my ex-husband and moved to Jackson. I discovered that he was communicating with other women and finally allowed the light to show me that God was speaking to me to show me that divorce was right. I moved to Ocean Springs to be near my sister and her family.

I was now a divorced woman. How could God use me? I had always worked with the youth. Surely God could not use a divorced woman to work with youth or anyway in the church. The darkness was telling me that my service to God was over and the church would not allow me to have an active part in the work. I listened to the darkness and became a pew sitting Christian. The darkness was celebrating because this active, working God loving servant was gone. God was not finished with me yet. The youth minister where I was attending church left and the light told me to volunteer to help with the youth during the transition. I spoke to the elders and thus began eight years of working with youth. The light was breaking through the darkness. Could God use me in other ways? He shouted yes! Several friends from work discovered that their spouses were having affairs. God used me to encourage and be an ear for these women.

The light broke through the darkness and showed me that God could and would use a divorced woman. My message to anyone struggling is that God is there and will never leave you. God will take your sinful, dark-filled past and turn it into a bright light for Him. Do not be ashamed of your past because great light is waiting to cast out darkness and use your story to bring peace and comfort to many. I continue to seek God first and he continues to use me to His glory and supply all my needs.

“My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth”. Psalm 121:2