Other than their anniversary dates, Valentine’s Day is probably the hardest and most painful holiday of the entire year for women who have been betrayed.
It is a huge reminder that they do not have sweetheart marriages.
Instead, their marriages are filled with deceit and betrayal. Valentine banquets and mushy cards are merely a painful reminder of what has been lost in the marriage relationship.
But we have groups and counseling available for women who face marriages of betrayal. GateWay is a place of safety and hope where women find encouragement to keep moving forward.
One GateWay woman describes it this way:
“In the past, I believed falsely that everyone else’s marriages were maybe not perfect, but secure enough that they were able to celebrate this holiday with excitement and anticipation.
“This is the first Valentine’s Day for me, in 20 years, that I am not angry. This is a huge PRAISE GOD and I believe, a reflection of what God has done in my healing process in the last three years. There is hope that I can experience Valentine’s Day and not have it be a painful reminder of what I don’t have.
“I still don’t want to attend a Valentine’s banquet at church, but neither am I depressed because my marriage doesn’t fit into the Valentine sweetheart mold.
“I want to give this same hope to other ladies. The healing journey is very painful and hard to walk through. I pray other women will persevere through the painful recovery process so that they can see the hope that God is showing to me.
“My circumstances haven’t changed, only my perspective.”
We praise God for the healthy perspective this woman displays and for her courage to pursue hope – even on Valentine’s Day.
©2013 GateWay of Hope Ministries