Broken Hallelujah
I had no plans on ever getting divorced. Who does? But life doesn’t always go as we plan.
I cried and I mourned and I went numb – typical responses to the grieving process. But during the process of the divorce, I never felt so loved – not only by a family and church that showered me with care, but by a God who loved me unconditionally and promised good things for me in the future.
Christians aren’t “supposed” to get a divorce. But after I joined the millions who belong to this undesirable club, I wanted a source for Christian growth specifically targeted toward my new demographic. There are hundreds of titles on how to grow as a godly woman or a godly wife, and I wasn’t looking for a devotional book or a book to get me through the divorce. It’s been a struggle finding titles to help me grow in my faith despite my card-carrying membership as a divorcee. So, I wrote my own to help other women in the same position.
“Broken Hallelujah” teaches that divorcees, especially women, don’t have to be filled with guilt and shame. Condemnation hinders us from a full relationship with God, and the Gospel releases us from condemnation. But when we are able to praise God for who he is and what he’s done no matter who we are or what we’ve done, that is the definition of a broken hallelujah. I’m going to praise God no matter how broken I am or how wounded I feel.
What started out as a Bible study for myself and fellow divorcees in my church has turned into a book. It’s my biggest undertaking to date, and one I couldn’t even begin to conceive of without the power of the Holy Spirit pushing me forward.
This book is loosely organized around the chorus of “Broken Hallelujah” a song by the Christian Contemporary group The Afters. It is separated into six chapters which cycle through the grieving and healing process. The first chapter deals with the questions “how and why am I broken?” The second chapter details the purpose of pain and how we can begin to process our sorrow. Chapter 3 instructs us to submit our will so that God’s plan can be made complete, while Chapter 4 teaches us to call out to God with confidence after our submission. The fifth chapter reminds us of God’s holiness through the power of his name, and the sixth and final chapter instructs us to forgo temporal happiness and embrace eternal joy.
The book has yet to be published. Stay tuned for more information or send me an e-mail if you have any questions!