God, The Devil and Divorce: A Transformative Journey out of Emotional and Spiritual Abuse

God, The Devil and Divorce: A Transformative Journey out of Emotional and Spiritual Abuse

God, The Devil, and Divorce tells the story of a Christian woman's marriage and divorce recovery from her "crazymaking" spouse; and how she learned to trust God along the way. How could Linda M. Kurth's marriage that once seemed so right become so wrong? Put-downs, shaming, and distancing grow into habitual emotional abuse. Counseling provides glimmers of hope, only for that hope to fade. She is shocked when her latest Christian counselor tells her, "If you divorce, Satan wins." Linda receives a dichotomy of reactions from other Christians for her ultimate decision to leave her marriage. Betrayal and heartache bring her to her knees, but she clings to the belief that God loves her more than He loved her marriage. That belief sustains her as she builds a life of abundant joy. An inspirational read for Christians going through divorce and recovery. Linda's personal testimony of faith and integrity, despite going through divorce twice, will give hope to devout Christian women and men who have despaired of finding a good mate. Anyone who has been deceived by a charming, selfish spouse who represents themselves as godly but are chronically abusive, unfaithful, interferent, or addicted will find comfort in Linda's journey. Her journal entries reveal God's hand of care and protection in her life, helping her see what was happening, helping her escape destructive situations, giving her clarity as she second-guesses her decision, helping her establish boundaries, and eventually guiding her to a loving husband who truly loves the Lord and has good character. She explains the biblical basis behind her decision and encourages others not to give up on finding a loving partner. —Gretchen Baskerville, author, The Life-Saving Divorce A memoir [that] recounts a difficult marriage and a woman's subsequent empowerment through faith ... Kurth delves deep into the emotional state of her household, creating an admirable portrait of how toxic atmospheres have real mental and physical consequences ... Intriguing is the author's post-divorce evolution on the Christian dating scene. Surrounded by other "beautiful, intelligent women of God" affected by bad marriages, Kurth embraced a range of conservative and liberal schools of Christian thought that will surely speak to readers also questioning what they really want. While a distressing marriage takes center stage, this account offers refreshing takes on stating over. - Kirkus Reviews Upon making the difficult decision to divorce my husband of twenty-five years, I was condemned by some Christians and their churches and supported by others. This experience prompted me to begin my blog, "Help and Healing for Divorced Christians" where I give helpful advice and encourage churches to fully embrace divorced people while I simultaneously worked on writing God, the Devil, and Divorce . Fortunately, my husband of eighteen years, gave me much encouragement and support during this process. During that time, I've also published three "quick reads" eBooks and updated my romance, Home of the Heart . In the memoir, I tell how the original writing of the romance came about. The quick read Welcome to the Land of Enchantment: A Short Memoir of a Young Marriage , tells of marrying at the age of twenty and moving to Albuquerque. Ballroom Dancing and Other Life Lessons covers some aspects of my life that may be instructive to my readers. Finding Joy in Being Single after Divorce explores the difference in mindset between being alone and single and gives suggestions on how to embrace singlehood. I began my career writing for children and plan to return to it one of these days. My proudest achievement was the publication of Keiko's Story: A Killer Whale Goes Home . It's the real-life story of the orca star of the movie, Free Willy . Seeing him delivered to his home waters was a thrill I shall never forget. I like to say I "write from my heart" on subjects dearest to me. "If you divorce, Satan wins!" Linda M. Kurth's newest counselor tells her. Linda M. Kurth seems to have found happiness with her second husband, a self-proclaimed "Jesus Freak". However, as time goes on, she discovers that he is not the man she thought he was. After more than 20 years of marriage, she's shaken when her pastor/counselor suggests her husband is a "crazymaker". This news opens her eyes to the emotional abuse that has been going on for years. After a heartbreaking move, she brings up the subject of divorce with a new counselor. "If you divorce, Satan wins!" the counselor tells her. Linda questions this statement and intensifies her quest to understand God's will. She ultimately determines He loves her more than the institution of marriage. Trusting Him, she risks an uncertain future by deciding to divorce. God, The Devil, and Divorce tells the story of a Christian woman's marriage and divorce recovery from her "crazymaking" spouse and how she learned to trust God along the way. Linda M. Kurth maintains a b