Hills and Valleys A Journey through Healing after an Affair

Introduction:
Sweet Daughter of the Most High God, I am so humbled and blessed that you have decided to pick up this book. The fact that you are here now, reading and seeking healing means that you believe God can fix the brokenness in your heart. I want to start by encouraging you, before you even begin, that healing is possible. The dead corpse of your marriage can be resurrected and the shattered pieces of your heart can be made whole; made even stronger and more full of love and tenderness than they ever were before. Whatever it is that has brought you here today, whether it’s the need for healing in your wounded mind because of continual hateful thoughts or arguments, the repairing of your broken spirit after countless verbal attacks, the restoring of your courage after physical abuse or the rebuilding of your shattered heart after betrayal, infidelity or neglect, the God of the universe sees you and desires nothing more than to close up those wounds and give you a fresh new vibrancy.
I recognize that you may be battling intense anger at this very moment. Anger at God and anger at your spouse. That’s ok. The Almighty, creator of heaven, is big enough to handle your anger. I implore you though, keep at Him. Don’t give up on Him and don’t give up on this study. Keep going back. Keep beating on His chest—until He wraps His arms so tightly around you that your arms tire from the pounding and your hands collapse to your head in tears. Let the tears pour out until you feel the tender hand of your Maker stroking your hair and hear His gentle whispering in your ear. Listen as He sings over you and quiets you with His love (Zephaniah 3:17). Let the Holy Spirit make you ever more aware that it is the renewing of your mind through the Word of God that will set you free of the heartache, the negative thoughts, the un-forgiveness and the sorrow. Follow the advice of Paul in Philippians 4:8 and think on the things that are true, honorable, right and pure. Be on guard against your own deceptive heart and the lies of the enemy. It is far too easy to let our thoughts and emotions run away with us. But the word of God is our offensive weapon against false imaginations. Allowing our thoughts to run wild, unchecked is not obedience to the high calling of Jesus, rather, we recognize and receive the truth that “the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:4-5, ESV).
I am so honored to be on this journey with you, though I know it will be challenging. I know it will likely be painful; for both of us, but we are up for the challenge; by the grace of the Lord Jesus, you and I, are up for the challenge. Please remember that this study is called “Hills and Valleys” because healing is a process and you will have good moments and difficult moments, and probably moments, in which you feel like giving up. Regardless of whether it has been three days, three months or three years, you are on a journey and the healing doesn’t come over night. Keep looking to Jesus the author and perfecter of your faith (Hebrews 12:2), keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking. The door of God’s mercy will be opened to you (Matthew 6:33).