Breaking and Mending: Divorce and Gods Grace [Perfect Paperback]

Mary Lou Redding (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 1999

"In struggling to make sense of her own painful divorce, The Upper Room's managing editor Mary Lou Redding, looked to the Bible where she found guidance and hope. Her intimate book weaves her personal story with those from scripture to help other Christians who are facing divorce to find God's grace in the midst of pain. Breaking & Mending looks at the spiritual issues of divorce rather than the sociological ones, and allows the scriptures to illuminate and heal those who are facing this difficult transition."

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Mary Lou Redding is Editorial Director of The Upper Room daily devotional guide. She grew up in Central Florida and now lives in Tennessee. She holds a BA in English Literature from Oral Roberts University and an MA in Rhetoric and Writing from the University of Tulsa. Redding is the author of numerous magazine articles and books and is a former president of the Associated Church Press. Mary Lou teaches at numerous writers' workshops in the United States and abroad, speaks at events, and leads retreats.

Product Details

• Perfect Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Upper Room (December 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0835808556
• ISBN-13: 978-0835808552
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,351,627 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A real book about divorce from a Christian perspective!, May 31, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Breaking and Mending: Divorce and Gods Grace (Perfect Paperback)

This book is real. It deals with divorce and the church, and it deals very honestly with the Bible and with the personal experience. Redding looks not only at her divorce, but her marriage. She addresses spiritual issues that the church seems to have preferred to ignore. She writes from a thorough knowledge of the Bible as well as her own experience.

The subtitle (Divorce and God's Grace) offers much insight into the author's perspective. Redding is convinced that God loves human beings and that love extends beyond and through the tragedies of our institutions and relationships. She emphasizes God's grace and love above all. Redding deals with forgiveness and family, healing and broken dreams.

This is a book unlike any other divorce book on the market because Redding deals honestly and seriously with divorce (unlike so many books from a religious perspective that simply say "don't do it") and she offers a biblical foundation for her story. This is a book every pastor should read and have available for those who seek counsel.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a blessing!, January 29, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Breaking and Mending: Divorce and Gods Grace (Perfect Paperback)

I picked this book up in the summber of 2000. I read this immediately after reading two other books that had a profound affect on me. Still unsure as to what the outcome was going to be in my marriage, after I finished this book, I felt relieved to know that I would not go to hell if I chose divorce.

I learned that God does allow u-turns in life.

My marriage has been very, very painful. I have endured years of verbal abuse and crazy making. I stayed in my relationship believing that I would be committing an unpardonable sin if I divorced. I no longer believe that...although I must admit, it's a day to day struggle.

I, like many wives out there, counseled till I was blue in the face (I'm still in counseling) while my husband did a few sessions and now believes he is well and healed.

Yesterday, I saw his heart through more abuse and now realize he is not going to change and that it's time for me to move forward with my life.

Because of this book, I know that God knows I have tried everything humanly possible to save my marriage, but now it's time to accept the grace that God is offering me in divorce. I know it breaks HIS heart, it breaks my heart too and it will break the children's hearts as well. However, it would break my heart to have my children endure the pain of accepting a relationship like this or become abusive as well when they marry.

I have my issues and I am not perfect, but I am doing what I can through counseling and reading, to work on myself so that I can be a good example to my children. As I move forward to become the person God created me to be (after years of feeling like a nobody, a zero, and brainless), I know HE is not waiting behind a cloud to smite me (as some pastors and elders all but say) because God loves me, I am wonderfully made by Him and He has plans for me...great plans!

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Real Life, April 7, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Breaking and Mending: Divorce and Gods Grace (Perfect Paperback)

I really like this book because I felt that the author conveyed honesty and a real picture of married life and relationships (also after being single again). A lot of people do pretend in public that everything is okay when that is not always the case. This leaves a false impression on others on what a marriage is like. I think all marriages have problems that couples work on but this is the only book I have read that addressed the problem of one spouse not being in love with the other. I think this is a common problem when people marry for many other reasons such as pregnancy before marriage, money, and whatever else you can think of. The author did not try to gloss over problems and pretend that counseling and prayer solved her problems. She communicated everything that she tried to make the marriage work and how she honestly felt at the results of those efforts. I felt the author was honest in conveying her struggles as a christian and not wanting to disappoint God. The book is more about healing and God's grace after deciding to get divorce as opposed to God's commandments on divorce.