McBecca... If you like to read... pick up the book Marriage Undercover.
This is a story written by the BH and FWW ... a couple (Bob and Audrey Meisner) who are celebrities of a sort... they are part of a Christian tv show "It's a New Day". I have no idea if this is a show run throughout the US or just here in Canada.
My point, though, is it is an excellent story of forgiveness, recovery, and most importantly, in your case, the rebuilding of their family around a baby boy born through her infidelity.
One quote from the book "He brought beauty out of the ashes, rejoicing out of sorrow, and laughter out of weeping. Most of all, He took that which the enemy sowed into our lives with malicious intent and turned it into the most precious gift we could ever imagine - our son Robert."
And one other from the book... for all of us...
"God designed us to depend on Him daily, and when we don't, our lives are out of kilter. The more we depend on God the better we come to know Him, and the better we know Him, the closer we draw to Him. The closer we draw to Him, the more we love Him. Dependence, knowledge, closeness, love... these are all relational words that help to define intimacy.
Satan counterfeits with false intimacy. How does it compare? Instead of dependence, there is co-dependency; instead of knowledge, deception; instead of closeness, superficial affection; and instead of love, lust.
God uses marriage as a picture of our relationship with Him. If I desire true intimacy with God, it is only natural to desire true intimacy with (my spouse) in our marriage. It's okay to want it all when it comes to marriage as long as I am willing to give it all! True intimacy in marriage suffers when a husband and wife become blind to the beautiful qualities of character, strength, and inner grace that once drew them together. How do they restore intimacy? By finding ways to make themselves irresistible to each other again! The most irresistible quality is a heart surrendered to God."
McBecca... so happy to hear how you are continuing to turn this situation and use God's grace for something wonderful. Your family is blessed to have someone like you who is willing to go through the pain of facing the truth and making your life and your family's lives better for it.
Shaden
