February 2, 2025 — Episode #57

Jerry and Becky Drace begin a new multi-week series on divorce, opening with current statistics and the emotional aftermath of a marriage ending.

They cite research showing 43% of first marriages end in divorce, along with far higher failure rates for second and third marriages, and unpack Malachi 2:16’s statement that God “hates divorce” — clarifying that this does not mean God hates divorced people. Drawing on decades of conversations from their marriage conferences, they share anonymous quotes from people who have gone through divorce, including one woman’s description of feeling “like a jigsaw puzzle thrown on the floor.” The episode covers two of what they call the “negative changes” of divorce — family adjustments (like custody and relocation) and financial adjustments (like sudden single-income budgeting and unpaid child support) — and begins to introduce future and physical adjustments as well.

Topics discussed:

• Current statistics on first, second, and third marriage divorce rates
• Malachi 2:16 and the meaning of “God hates divorce”
• Emotional “jigsaw puzzle” imagery for life after divorce
• Family adjustments: custody, relocation, and children
• Financial adjustments: debt, alimony, and child support
• The role of commitment in preventing marital breakdown
• Becky’s book “The Bright Side of Blue”

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