Brokenness and New Beginnings

Francis P. DeLellis

Description

Brokenness and New Beginnings provides hope, fast, to those going through the chaos of separation and divorce.

Francis P. DeLellis shares the story of his spiritual battle for survival against the devil. A survivor of separation and divorce, the author opens his heart and all the pain it held for the world to see, with the hope of helping others understand what to expect as they journey through their marital crisis. The author explains how his willingness to call on our Lord for help initiated a period of new beginnings in his life. His sometimes-brutal honesty comes without apology. “If I can help even one person recognize how the devil may try to ruin their life and empower them to overcome this challenge, then delivering my simple message and enduring all I went through will have been worthwhile.”

Sujets

• Religion
• Christianisme
• Vie de famille
• Relations familiales
• Spiritual Growth
• Christian Living
• Philosophie et théologie
• Separation
• Relationship
• Marriage
• Hope
• Crisis
• Divorce

Informations

• Publié par: WestBow Press
• Date de parution: 27 juin 2023
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781664297906
• Langue: English

Extrait

BROKENNESS and NEW BEGINNINGS
 
A Story of Hope for Those Facing Separation and Divorce
 
 
 
 
 
 
FRANCIS P. DELELLIS
 
 
 
 
 


 
Copyright © 2023 Francis P. DeLellis.
 
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
 
This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.
 
 
WestBow Press
A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan
1663 Liberty Drive
Bloomington, IN 47403
www.westbowpress.com
844-714-3454
 
Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
 
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.
 
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
 
ISBN: 978-1-6642-9788-3 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-6642-9790-6 (e)
 
Library of Congress Control Number: 2023907051
 
 
 
WestBow Press rev. date: 6/20/2023
Contents
Epigraph
Introduction
Preface
 
1 Soul Shock
2 Managing Day to Day
3 Finding Peace
4 Forgiveness
5 New Beginnings
6 Relationship Transformations
7 Moving On
8 Fight Fair
9 Where from Here?
 
Acknowledgments
Epigraph
Psalms 30:2
New International Version
2 Lord my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me.
Introduction
Life can change in an instant. Happiness becomes sadness. Hope becomes hopelessness. Joy becomes pain, and for some, ’til-death-do-us-part becomes separation and divorce. Where does one turn when they are in the midst of marital crisis and decline? How does one overcome the evil of fear, uncertainty, and doubt as it consumes every aspect of daily life?
When I experienced marital crisis, I didn’t know what the future had in store for me. My faith was weak. My work life was in shambles. I scrambled for any glimmer of hope I could find. I didn’t know where to turn to get help, and the embarrassment of the possibility of divorce caused me to create a façade of happiness, which only prevented those with a willingness to help realize I needed them to do so.
Brokenness and New Beginnings provides a message of hope to anyone who feels like their life is crumbling in front of their eyes. It is steady ground upon which to stand so they may begin the process of healing the wounds caused by separation and the possibility of divorce.
Preface
I am not a doctor or a psychiatrist. I am not a psychologist or a sociologist. I am not a theologian or a religious educator. I am not a professional writer or a master storyteller. I am simply a humbled man who has survived separation and divorce, and I write to you today to offer you a story of hope—my story.
I was sitting at my kitchen table. My once-bustling home was now an empty house, and I was very much alone. I did not want to be alone, but I was, and I was miserable. I was less than a month into my separation and trying to adapt to my new reality. I was filled with gut-wrenching emotions and pain. I could barely eat or sleep. I was struck by the realization that I was not the only one in the world who was hurting from separation and divorce or the possibility of that reality. I decided at that moment that I would write about my experience with the hope of one day helping others. I didn’t even know if I’d survive my own ordeal, but I vowed I’d share my story. I didn’t begin writing until two years later, but I remember that day as if it were yesterday. I sat in utter disbelief of my reality. My existence seemed surreal.
I ended up in my position after a whirlwind of activity. I was happy one day, and literally the next, my wife and I were in crisis. After a week of me wondering what was wrong, my wife stated she wanted to separate. Approximately a month after that dreadful day, on September 22, she had the separation agreement drafted, and it was ready for our signatures. On September 27, she moved out of our home. Two days later, our children began their new life of switching between their parents’ respective houses. The chaotic frenzy of activity left me feeling dazed by the ambush.
My ex-wife and I remain civil toward each other. That was a decision we made early in our separation for the sake of our children. I was brokenhearted by my situation, but I was blessed with the realization that fighting through the divorce process would only harm our children. The grief I experienced through the process was unbearable, and for a few months I was actually in denial that my marriage would fail. Unfortunately, divorce would be my eventual reality.
This story is of my journey. I hope you read it and, if you can relate to it, that you are able to find solace in the fact that you too can make it through to the other side. I want to walk with you through your journey, but the only way I know how to do that is to share my story and experiences with you. Regardless of the outcome you face, I assure you our Lord Jesus Christ has wonderful things in store for you. You may not understand this right now, but I assure you it can be your reality too. I encourage you to draw from my experience and my strength. I want you to believe your life, with all its pain and uncertainty, can change for the better. It is my sincere hope that my experience and the insight I share here somehow helps you get through this challenging time in your life. I hope, by sharing my experience, you will discover insights of your own. If you do, then I will consider all that I went through to be worth it in the end.