marriage

Have you lost your HAPPY?

/ Dora Hiers
Wedding Day
Everybody’s happy, right?

“Why should they stay together if they’re not happy?”

This, from my twenty-three year old college graduate after a rash of friends announced that their parents were divorcing after twenty plus years of marriage.

“Happy…” I repeated, letting the word penetrate. 

As if a divorce would bring the “happy” 
back into their lives. 

I shuddered, remembering the trauma and devastation left behind from my divorce. Almost three decades later, the emotional scars still linger.

Obviously, we don’t always have a choice when it comes to divorce. The other person may choose it for us. Just like we don’t have a choice when cancer strikes or when we lose a loved one to suicide. 


But do we have a choice when it comes to being happy?

What do you think? Next week we’ll continue this discussion along with ways to get your HAPPY back.

…weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. 
Psalm 30:5b NIV


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Still wallowing in the past?

/ Dora Hiers / 4 Comments




I was in my early twenties when my previous marriage failed. 

After living by the rules and being a “good girl” my entire life, I rebelled.
Against marriage. Rules. Men.
Life in general.
I drifted far from God, angry with Him for allowing my marriage to fall apart.
It wasn’t until I met my true soul mate five years later that I realized God hadn’t left me.
I’d abandoned Him.


The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.
He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever;

he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him;

as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. (Psalms 103:8-12 NIV)

Aren’t you glad that God doesn’t hold grudges?

That He doesn’t list conditions for forgiveness or withhold His love
until we meet certain requirements?

Even before we ask, He’s removed our sins so far away
that we’ll never meet up with them again.

Forgiveness. Amazing Grace.
It’s unconditional. No strings attached.
You haven’t done anything that He can’t or won’t forgive.

He says He will. Isn’t that enough?

I’ve surrendered my past to God. Have you? 
Where are you in your journey?

DEVOTION by Marianne Evans – My Review

/ Dora Hiers / 7 Comments
About the Book:

From This Day Forward
Christian Music agent Kellen Rossiter has everything he ever wanted: A-list clients from coast to coast, a loving wife who honors and respects him, and a faith life that’s never wavered—until now.

Juliet Rossiter has the perfect life: a rewarding schedule serving the underprivileged, a husband who loves her as Christ loved the church, and a blessed future as a mother—at least that’s what she thinks.

For Better or Worse
But what happens when their rock-solid marriage begins to crumble under the weight of an unexpected and powerful temptation? How does love survive when its foundation is shaken?

‘Til Death Do Us Part
When human frailty and the allure of sin deal a harsh blow to their relationship, it will take more than love to mend the shattered trust and heartbreak. It will take a lifetime of devotion. 

My Review:
From all outward indications, Kellen and Juliet appeared to have the perfect marriage. Both Christians, they share the same values and long to complete their family with children. A successful music agent, Kellen falls into a pattern of skipping worship services, choosing instead to worship at home. Juliet, active in church and various outreach opportunities, loves her husband and her life. When Kellen signs a rising star, he struggles with desire and temptation for a woman other than his wife for the first time in his marriage. 

What a powerful reminder that no marriage is immune to temptation and that we engage in spiritual warfare for our families on a daily basis. It’s so easy to let life get in the way, to allow relationships to take a back-burner to jobs and responsibilities, and to slip into convenient routines. Kellen and Juliet battled realistic emotions, with plenty of angst and heavy drama you’d expect for a story line centered around temptation and broken trust. This is a story of re-commitment, renewal, and devotion to God and each other. It’s also a gem of a romance. If you’re looking for a book to squeeze in a couple hours on a lazy Sunday afternoon, Devotion probably isn’t the book you should reach for. Don’t expect to read it in one sitting, and be sure to have a box of tissues handy. Great job tackling such a tough topic, Ms. Evans!

Purchase Link: White Rose Publishing Pre-order Special Offer. Choose either a special 30% discounted pre-order price, or pre-order at the regular retail price and receive a $10.00 eBook gift certificate to use store-wide*. Every eligible pre-order will be automatically entered into a drawing to win either a Kindle or Nook. (See Pelican Book Group site for details.) Available 10/15/12
 
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from BTS in exchange for a fair and honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.