Part I: What is Forgiveness Anyway? Part II: The Journey of a Lifetime
When discussing forgiveness of marital betrayal, other words that often spring to mind include impossible, unfair, and undeserved. Some of you may have even cringed at the mention of forgiveness. I definitely understand that. I think this...
New here? Check out Episode 1!
Today we share what is probably known as the most popular and well-loved hymn of our time, "Amazing Grace." Simply put, grace is God's unmerited, unearned favor. GRACE could also be an acronym for God's Riches At Christ's Expense. It's Him doing for us what we could never do for ourselves. What makes grace so amazing is that as fallen, sinful people, God still loves us unconditionally. Whether you...
I can remember how heavy my brow would get, yet not realize how angry and scary I looked storming through the house... more than likely unpleasant to just be around, let alone speak to. I can imagine my whole family just mirroring how unhappy I was. And that they did.
I was too busy in my misery to even notice that my kids were sliding into a downward spiral along with me. Where was their nurturing mom now? And when I was my loving self and happy, fun, and laughing mom, it was short lived and I was almost unrecognizable, or I was not fooling...
Here is a quick audio version of the song: The Angry GIFTS Song
Today we will present a fun one-minute original song to help pull back the curtain of anger to uncover the primary emotions beneath. Using the GIFTS acronym from the EMS Curriculum, we're able to practice self-awareness, self-expression, and self-management. Ephesians 4:26a instructs us to, "Be angry but do not sin." Anger, as with...
Healing from infidelity requires expert care in every facet of both personal and marital restoration. However, a nebulous area of healing can be found in addressing childhood wounds like neglect, abuse, and abandonment. Without an understanding of what wounds and pain we've experienced as children, we can find that the timeline for us is not only confusing, but also longer and more erratic. When we tap into the help of true trauma experts who have been through their own timeline of infidelity and...
Today, eight years after disclosure and discovery (D-Day), in celebration of completing ten episodes, totalling over 10,000 views - Rodney and Angela present to us a raw, uncut, unplugged, and unleashed ‘Songs for the Soul’ experience! From start to finish, there’s no telling what will happen between these two. God’s grace has taken them from lamenting to laughter, and from turmoil to triumph. He has given them beauty for...
Have you ever had your unfaithful spouse blame you for their infidelity or addiction? Perhaps they've rattled off statements like "if you would have done your job, I wouldn't have had to go find love elsewhere?" Or, "if you didn't neglect me, I wouldn't have had to go somewhere else for attention, love, and sex." It's a coping mechanism the unfaithful uses to justify their actions, and one of the main problems with this thinking is that we, the unfaithful, think it's absolute truth. What's more...
Today, I came across a picture that was posted on our group's GroupMe wall a while back. A depiction of hope, a moment captured by a camera, a view of grace, healing, and growth, revealing a glimmer of rescue and new life. You've probably seen something like it, or the one I'm referring to, where determined little white flowers are growing out of a crack in an otherwise lifeless slab of concrete sidewalk.
At the time this was shared with me, and when I wrote this journal entry, feelings of hope finally started to emerge, much like the ray of light and the new life,...
Many of the old hymns have a special place in our hearts. Today's song, "It Is Well," is no exception to that. The lyrics were penned by Horatio Spafford after tragedy suddenly struck his family. As you hear the story recounted along with the melodious tunes, may your burden be lifted and your load lighter. The trauma and weight of infidelity doesn't have to continue to suffocate you. As we sing over you, we're praying for supernatural peace - even in the...
Finding survivors of either their own infidelity or their spouse's, who are also willing to publicly talk about their story, is no easy task. From the public shame, to the fear of being known for such painful life choices, to the uneasiness of telling your story in public, it's just not easy. Today you'll get to know Stephanie, a fearless survivor of her husband's infidelity, addiction, and child out of wedlock. As we talk, you'll hear a down to earth, "I'm not superwoman; I'm just someone who did the...
Being loved is a hard concept to grasp when our dreams lie shattered around us, and the God whom we thought loved us, has let them shatter.
Vaneetha Risner
If the title of this blog gave the impression that I have the answer to this question, I want to let you know up front that I don't. I am still in the trenches and I wrestle with this often. I wondered if someone else might too, so I decided to talk about...
Here is a quick audio version of the song: A Husband's Prayer
As husbands, we have the unique privilege of covering our wives in prayer. Whether they are the hurt spouse, the unfaithful one, or even both - they need someone fighting for the good of their heart, soul, and mind. And make no mistake about it, all wives need prayer, including yours. Today we offer up a prayer in song petitioning God for their blessing and healing. We also pray for God...
Trying to heal from your partner's affair, or your own, can seem like an impossible task. But what about when there is a child from an affair? What if they are a sex addict? What if you don't feel like you even love your partner now? While all hard-hitting, complicated questions, I am happy to tell you there are answers. Oftentimes, we believe people who have actually healed from seemingly impossible pain and trauma are better answers than mere words. Today you'll meet heroes of ours at affairrecovery...
November 2021
On a road trip across Texas over Thanksgiving I was listening to the song Come Alive (Dry Bones) by Lauren Daigle, which reminded me of one of my favorite stories in the Bible. Some of you may know the story of Ezekiel and the valley of dry bones...
For me, road trips are notorious for bringing up old thoughts, on the long stretch of quiet highway miles. Some good thoughts - worth dwelling on - that give me time of praise with God; some not so good - where God will bring things to light that need to be given up and surrendered, and thus healed.
...
Here's a quick link to the audio version of the song: "When You Are Triggered"
For today's episode, we will sing a song we wrote to help with triggers. Because triggers can be so volatile; we understand it may or may not work for everyone in every situation. But even if not, the message of the song is still so very potent because it includes lessons we learn from the EMS curriculum.
Following the earthquake of...
Transforming our betrayal and relationship trauma is no easy task. It can feel impossible to keep our heads above water at times, not to mention the fact that life happening around you never stops to make your healing easier. Quite frankly, we don't always feel like doing the hard work of recovery, and we'd rather just shut down and hide from everyone and everything. Today, Samuel shares four game-changing solutions to provide a framework to healing our own betrayal and relationship trauma. In a world...
Beloved reader,
I wanted to continue my story and provide an update on our lives since the last blog entry, which was written about 3.5 years after D-day.
It's now been another 6 months (so 4 years after D-day) and so many thoughts of praise are coming to my mind I'm not sure where to begin. Though there is so much suffering around right now with the pandemic, I can't help but be thankful for God's provision during this time. Quarantine time (Spring 2020) - was well, chaotic and loud and crazy, and proved very hard to work; however, it...
Life is a battlefield, and we are at war against an enemy that seeks to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). But Christ came so that we may have life and have it more abundantly! Today we sing about our weapons of warfare - Christ, through Community and Counseling. We call them the "3 Cs." That's how we continue to win the battle, the battle that has already been won in the heavenly realm through Christ, our deliverer. Through Community, as His army. Through...
When a couple feels stuck, both parties are exhausted, frustrated, and often wondering if there is any hope that things will ever get better. It's as if even mere communication about everyday life can be triggering, and any conversation ends up with a fight about tone, intent, and who hurt who more. The good news is, while this type of paralysis is normal, couples and individuals don't have to remain stuck. There are proven tools that can help one or both spouses care for themselves and their partner...
God knows that the mended heart will be much more stunning and substantially stronger than the unscathed soul.
Sharon Jaynes, author
I have never put much stock in New Year’s resolutions, and have even rolled my eyes at people claiming “words” for the upcoming year. It seemed artificial to me. However, now that I find myself in a reality that I really want to change, it seems perhaps assigning a word may provide a targeted reminder of...
Our message in this episode is really best stated in Lamentations 3:22-24. It says:
"Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
'The Lord is my portion,' says my soul, 'Therefore I hope in Him!'"
We simply want to sing over you today and...
How we repattern our lives after infidelity can make or break the relationship, in both the short and the long term. Without a plan to develop new habits, new patterns and new routines, the relationship can feel stuck, overwhelmed with drudgery, and filled with disappointment. The goal after an affair or addiction is never getting back to what the couple had, but discovering something new - new energy and new patterns that the relationship is going to need to survive and yes, even flourish, moving...
Recently, I started to view my infidelity through the lens of entitlement. Coming to the WHY of my affair has taken a lot of reflection that seemed right at the time, as I uncovered layer after layer of my numerous character flaws. Nothing ever sat well with me as to truly why I did what I did, though until one morning a thought hit me like a ton of bricks. I realized that I cheated on my husband not because I was broken, but because I felt I had the right to. I felt entitled to it.
When I told my therapist about my revelation, she was hesitant to accept it. And I get why. In my...
New here? Check out Episode 1 for our debut and introduction!
When we began our healing journey, when all the wounds were fresh and all bets were off, we had no clue how we would make it out of the deep pit of despair we found ourselves sinking into. But somehow, God used Christ, through community and counseling, to lift us up and out and make a way for healing, hope, and health.
1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV says:
"No temptation has...
Caring for ourselves after we've either betrayed our spouse, or been betrayed, is essential. However, due to the sheer panic and trauma of it all, we often will put ourselves last and look after the well-being of our partner, IF they will allow us to. While it may seem counterintuitive, for long-term healing, both individually and in our relationship, caring for ourselves must be a top priority. It's normal to think our lives will never be the same again after trauma of this magnitude. While our...
Hello,
I wish we weren't meeting this way. I am sorry and I want to (spiritually) meet you right where you are.
I want to encourage you today. I want to tell you who I was before my affair and I want to tell you who I am now. The person I am today, the one writing you this letter, was revealed to me during the darkest time of my life, through lots of prayer, daily trials and deep healing through healthy relationships.
I am writing this at the request of one of the amazing women in my AR group, who shaped many of my prayers and thoughts and...
I remember reading Psalm 51 on D-Day, before I disclosed to my wife what I knew would break her heart into a million pieces that I couldn't repair. I read, "The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God." In this episode, I share a song that reflects my process of brokenness, and the spiritual open heart surgery that it would take to repair the damage resulting from my infidelity. At the time, I didn't...
After an affair, we can feel left for dead. It's like we're lepers, and the outside world seemingly refuses to be associated with us. It can happen to the unfaithful, but oddly enough, it can happen to the betrayed as well. Outside observers have no idea what to say to us, so rather than try, they typically will leave us alone out of discomfort, or be instructed to leave us alone by clergy, leadership or even family members. The truth is, those whose lives have been shattered by infidelity need more support after disclosure...
Part 1 Part 2
It is both difficult and precarious to measure growth related to something so deeply painful and personal. Even acknowledging progress produces a reflexive twinge, like somehow that diminishes the devastation I experienced. That is definitely not the case, but I think, at least for me, making sure I don't forget how bad it was is a defense mechanism to ensure I don't get hurt this way again. Also, growth is not linear and sometimes is...
New Here? Check out Episode 1!
I've always been known by my smile. Well, after D-Day we weren't sure when, or even if, I would ever smile again. So, it was fitting that the verse of hope that God gave me was from Proverbs 31:25 "she shall rejoice in time to come" - another translation says "she laughs without fear of the future." In this episode, I'll share a devotion I wrote about how everything is falling apart, "but God..." filling in the blanks of my uncertainty with God's...
Alumna, Grateful Wayward. Strong believer in small group recovery and the power of sharing our faith, experience, strength, and hope in community. Miracles happen.
Alumnus, betrayed. Be a voice of encouragement for those in pain and navigating emotional trauma. The journey to healing can seem impossible, but don’t ever give up as there is a light at the end of that tunnel. Please show yourself compassion, grace, and love.
Alumna, betrayed. Healing from loss of betrayal, marriage, spouse, and the life I thought I had…to discover hope for new beginnings. As a Grief Recovery Specialist, I am passionate about helping others find hope again.
Alumna, betrayed. After enduring Betrayal Trauma, Karen developed a passion for assisting other betrayed partners in their journey to grieve, find hope, and rebuild their lives following such a life-shattering event.
Alumna. Proud to walk with you through the drama and trauma caused by infidelity.
Alumna, Betrayed. A compassionate traveling companion who walks alongside those seeking hope, health, and harmony through betrayal trauma.
Alumna. Wayward. Using the experience and learnings from my own healing to inspire and encourage others on their journey post-infidelity.
Wayward codependent. Empowering others to find hope and healing in their own recovery and restoration journey. Passionate about the ripple effects of healing from infidelity on the younger generations.
Alumni. Rodney and Angela. Channeling hope and healing through music after experiencing God's healing power from the tsunami of infidelity.
Alumna, navigating recovery from both sides of infidelity. Bringing hope to those enduring their darkest moments.
Alumna. Betrayed. Seeking to inspire hope in those recovering from the devastating effects of infidelity or addiction.
Alumnus. Wayward. Encouraging those walking the road of addiction recovery by sharing his own journey of healing and restoration.
Alumna, Betrayed. Seeking God's grace to find meaning and purpose in the pain. Hoping to share my life raft with others drowning in the despair of infidelity.
Alumnus, Wayward. Providing hope, encouragement and infidelity-specific insight to anyone in recovery from betrayal.
Alumna. Betrayed. Sharing her testimony of God's miraculous healing from betrayal trauma to inspire hope in others.
Alumna. Wayward. Sharing hope with others struggling from the shame and destruction of their bad choices. Restoring the broken pieces by the healing power of God’s unfailing love.
Alumna. Wayward. Striving to become a woman of integrity. Together, we can find light in the darkness of infidelity.
Alumna. Betrayed. Striving to recover and thrive after betrayal. I believe gratitude is the antidote to grief. If I can help you in your healing, therein lies my own.
Alumna. Member, EMS Weekend Retreat Team. Hope and healing are possible for anyone willing to work through the pain.
Alumnus. Betrayed. Trying to find his way back.
Alumna. Wayward. A broken and undeserving mess who is learning what real love looks like.
Alumna. Betrayed. Determined to be positive as I navigate the quagmire of recovery.
Alumna. Betrayed. A soul restored. Encouraging others to keep walking because there is a way through. Author of Keep Walking: 40 Days to Hope and Freedom After Betrayal
Alumna. Betrayed. Grateful for God's love and grace. Recognizing that with God as my priority, I will be okay no matter what.
Alumnus. Betrayed. No matter how long it takes or how hard it is, my wife is always worth it!
Alumna. Betrayed. Learning to love recklessly while I cross the monkey bars of recovery. "You have to let go at some point in order to move forward." - C.S. Lewis
Alumna. Betrayed. Walking in obedience to God's direction and experiencing a richer life and Renewed marriage.
Alumnus. Wayward. Living life differently, enjoying my wife and family, and grateful for God’s love.
Alumna. Betrayed. Experiencing God's love after divorce. Celebrating the healing of myself and my identity.
Alumna. Betrayed. Continuing to fight for my marriage and my children.
Alumnus. Wayward. Living proof that seeking truth offers both incredible pain and amazing freedom.
Stay informed. Hope-Now will occasionally inform you of changes to the site and new features!
