When my marriage unexpectedly ended, the immediate aftermath was a very stressful and emotional time. Friendships changed, as some friends were unsure how to navigate the new reality. There were a few close friends and some folks from church who leaned in, but nonetheless it was lonely—when my kids weren't with me, there were many quiet hours where I was alone with my thoughts.
Eventually, I decided I needed to use some of those quieter times in a productive way and get out of the house. Back in my university days, I used to go swing dancing (it was a thing in Vancouver in the late 90s). Did swing dancing still exist, I wondered? A little googling confirmed that it did, and I signed up for a few weeks of lessons, given that it had been over 20 years since I'd last danced.
I didn't know it at the time, but that choice was actually God leading me. Over the coming weeks, I got to know a number of people in the lessons. They were first timers, and I was relearning steps from decades ago. As the weeks progressed, and we got to know each other better, we talked more during the breaks. Eventually one of them asked me why I had picked up dancing again after such a long time. I paused but decided to tell something of my story. Suddenly, looks were flying around the group and smiles were breaking out.
What I didn't know was that this group of kind strangers had become friends during a DivorceCare group. I had never heard of DivorceCare, but it was pretty clear that God was working his plan by putting me into the path of these people. They too had experienced the pain of separation and divorce, and they had found community and healing through this program. A new session of DivorceCare was starting in just a few weeks, and they urged me to sign up.
I am very grateful that I did! As Pastor Paul often says, we are not meant to go through difficult times alone. DivorceCare was a lifeline for me, and I remain so thankful for the resources and community that it provided at that difficult time. I am also very thankful that SDBC is starting a DivorceCare ministry—having received so much from it, I am excited to share it with others.
DivorceCare is an unashamedly Christian program that runs over thirteen weeks in a format somewhat similar to Alpha. There is a video topic for each given week that is presented using experts (counsellors, pastors, theologians, and so on) as well as the experiences of regular people who have gone through separation and divorce. After the video, there is a discussion time led by leaders—leaders who have personally walked the path of divorce. During the week, there are additional resources available for participants. This is a wonderful opportunity for SDBC to care for those in our church and community, and I hope that you'll join us in praying for this ministry and consider inviting those in your sphere that would benefit from attending these sessions. We will also be hosting DivorceCare for Kids at the same time.
The class will start on Thursday, September 10th at 6:30PM and run until December 3rd. To register for this class, click the button below. Kids can be registered by sending an email to our DivorceCare team.
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