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2010 Resolution: Rebuild My Life After Divorce

Summary: The pains of divorce and separation are real, but they don't have to last. For many, making a New Year's resolution to attend a DivorceCare group has been the key to healing.

Contact: Samuel Hodges, Executive Producer, Church Initiative, 800-395-5755, ext 247, shodges@churchinitiative.org

WAKE FOREST, NC, Dec. 9 /Christian Newswire/ -- For people facing the pain of divorce or separation, the New Year is a good time to commit to the healing process. A marital breakup can be devastating for the individuals going through it, as it affects emotions, self-esteem, children, finances and daily energy levels. With so much personal upheaval, most people going through divorce are unsure of how to find complete healing from the hurt, and hope for the future.

Many experience a breakthrough in this process by attending a DivorceCare divorce recovery support group. More than 12,000 churches across the country and around the world are equipped to offer DivorceCare programs.

Steve Grissom, founder and president of DivorceCare, believes the start of a New Year is a great time to put a plan in place to find healing: "A key step in healing is anticipating a brighter future, instead of focusing on the hurts of the past. Joining a DivorceCare group is a proactive step in that direction."

The groups are made up of people who understand the depth of emotions, the questions "Why?" and the desperation often faced by those in a divorce or separation. Because they have this understanding, they won't judge the decisions, emotions or actions of those who come.

"I came into the program with fear of rejection and was welcomed with open arms," said Heidi, a participant in Warren, MI. "People totally understood what I was going through."

These biblically based support groups are designed to be led by trained, mature facilitators who've experienced divorce or separation. They can help answer questions posed by group participants and point people to practical and spiritual help to aid the healing process.

A typical group meeting begins with a magazine-style video seminar featuring insights from top experts on divorce and recovery subjects, and profiles of people who've experienced healing after a divorce or separation. Featured experts include H. Norman Wright, Dr. Jim Talley, Dr. Tony Evans and Dr. Linda Mintle. After viewing the video, DivorceCare group members participate in a moderated small group time to discuss concepts learned on the video and to share personal struggles and victories (although some people choose not to share). Each person then receives a workbook with a short, daily devotional study and journaling section for reflection during the week.

Through DivorceCare, participants will learn to:

• Identify and cope with tough emotions, such as anger, loneliness and depression

• Manage their new financial situation

• Make wise choices regarding their children (if applicable)

• Carefully manage new relationships

• Find out more about forgiveness and reconciliation

• Lean on God for acceptance, comfort and healing

"I came to the group broken, and left with a restored faith in God," said Dawn, a DivorceCare participant from Tacoma, WA. "I felt as if I was no longer alone in what was one of the deepest and darkest times of my life."

The thought of taking that first step into a DivorceCare group can seem scary, and people often come up with all kinds of excuses not to go in. But these groups are filled with people who've felt exactly the same, and who did take that first step. They will be there to make newcomers feel welcome and comfortable.

"The first night I came to a DivorceCare group, I didn't know a single person there," shared Mike, who attended a group in Raleigh, NC. "I wasn't sure what to anticipate. We watched the videos, had a time of fellowship and had a discussion time. For people hesitating to attend a group, I would encourage them to relate it to getting up to go to work--some days you don't feel like it, but you know what's best for you."

To find a DivorceCare divorce recovery support group, visit www.divorcecare.org/findagroup and enter a zip code, city/state or country for a list of groups near you. Or call 800-489-7778 for assistance in locating a group.