Once I was a wife. A wife and a missionary. For years, I identified myself as these things. Then one day that identity was gone, and I suddenly needed to answer the question: Who am I? Three years ago, I became a separated woman. I was a broken person in charge of mothering four little children. In the early days, while I sat in church, I imagined that there was a large stamp inked on my forehead that read, USELESS TO GOD. Later, after my divorce was final, a new imaginary stamp was added, “DIVORCED.” At church or whenever I mingled with others in the Body of Christ, I imagined that when they looked at me, that’s what they saw. But even worse, I imagined that when God looked at me, He saw those large red letters on my forehead too. Don’t be misled, during those early months and years after my separation, return to the US, and divorce; I was shown much grace and abundant love by the Body of Christ. It was me. I alone had condemned myself. For the last three years, I … [Read more...]