I waited two years to interview Jeanette Hanscome, author of Suddenly Single Mom. Believe me, it was worth the wait! Experiencing divorce? Or, someone you know? Jeanette offers comfort and power in the authentic stuff she shares in our podcasts for Fireside Talk Radio. 

Jeanette writes for publishers like Focus on the Family, The Upper Room, Standard Publishing, Walk Thru the Bible, LifeWay, and Guideposts. We took this quick video recently as we plotted the ways she could encourage you! I hope you love this courageous leader as much as I do!

Is Divorce an Option?

People say, “Divorce is not an option.” Sadly, though divorce is an option, even in the church. In fact, sometimes divorce remains the last, best option. For followers of Jesus, we need to talk about divorce in an open way, preparing us to care for the wounded.

Fortunately, my friend Jeanette transformed her experience with divorce into a book. Oh, the tender, authentic way she writes in short chapters perfect for the reader overwhelmed by divorce! If you’re suddenly single or love someone going through divorce, you are going to thank me for passing along her message.

The Shock of Being Suddenly Single 

Here’s her wisdom. (Plus, she shared her story in a podcast here.)

Tips For the Suddenly Single

Kindly, Jeanette offered a bunch of great insight from her own experience with navigating a messy divorce. (She shared a bunch more, so click here to find more podcasts.) Here are a few of her thoughts—

#1 You can do this.

“We all have something in our lives that causes us to believe, ‘I can’t do this,’” Jeanette says, “For me, it was facing life as a single mom who had low vision. For others, it might be something else.” No matter the case, Jeanette offers plenty of practical advice. How do you ask for help? Why does recording the blessings God sends your way help? Fortunately, she answers these questions and a bunch more in our podcasts, so click above.

#2 Others should assume they don’t know the whole story.

For Jeanette, separation from her husband involved a one year process of “trying to work through some serious issues I purposely didn’t put in the book.” Of course, with young sons, she simply could not share every detail, a common experience for people going through divorce. 

Fortunately for Jeanette, her church stepped up with help, no questions asked. (For more about how the church should handle those who hurt, check out what Dana Goodrum had to say.)

#3 Sometimes the worst thing that could ever happen to us turns out to be the best thing.

“I had to hold on to the knowledge that God would use what I was going through. As a writer, everything in my life becomes material,” she laughs, “I kept that in my mind, God is going to use this for someone else.”

#4 Your life will be good again. 

“I never expected this, but I can honestly say that my life is not only good, it is actually better,” Jeanette says. Today, she is amazed at all the doors her life experiences have opened, including ministering to many who have struggled with divorce.

Kids are More Resilient Than We Think

“I was really afraid that my boys would feel maybe ostracized or that they maybe had something to be ashamed of because their parents were divorced,” Jeanette shares tenderly. Surprisingly for her, a turning point came when her youngest son won an award at his school. As she watched him interact with his friends, enjoying the moment, her heart lit up with gratitude.  

“I marveled at how messed up he wasn’t,” she laughs now about what turned out to be a healthy trend, adding, “Kids are resilient. We don’t give them enough credit. I’ve seen that our attitudes really do make a difference in the experience they have.”

Single and Strong

When Jeanette was a child, her parents heard a lot of negative predictions of what would happen to her, as a visually impaired youngster. For instance, people said she would never be able to make it through a public school. Or, she’d never go to college.

“God reminded me when I was young I was the first visually impaired student at pretty much every school I attended. I went to school at a time when they just didn’t know what to do with the visually impaired kids yet,” she chuckles. Instead of caving in to the negative predictions, she accomplished them all!

“I remember thinking, I bet surviving as a single mom never occurred to them!”  

Practical and Down to Earth

Well, you can see for yourself how practical and down to earth this dear lady is! Not to mention funny. I find her stuff encouraging on so many levels. (To find more terrific interviews about being your family’s champion, scroll back to our interviews with Sandra Beck or Darlene Marshal, here. Both women are impacting our world in a big way post-divorce, so they offer tested Biblical insight and experience. Plus, some great stories!) 

In addition to her own writing, Jeanette also offers coaching for fellow writers, along with many other services. If, like me, you can’t get enough of Jeanette’s writing, you can sign up for her blog, here, in the left hand column of her website.

Help for Homeschoolers

Speaking of friends who write great stuff, as many of you know, we’re pro-education at Camp Krafve–all forms of it! Plus, every now and then, I scan my friends websites for stuff I can get excited about. Boy, did I hit the jack pot this week! I’m not getting paid to advertise here, I just like Susan Stewart’s website.

Just in time for fall, I found Susan’s class on creating clear purpose for your homeschool! Wow! This is exactly what I needed to keep us on track when I homeschooled along the way. (Especially since I really like to have fun rather than study!) Called, Why Am I Doing This? Seven Steps to an Educational Philosophy, Susan nails all the important points step by step to focus and personalize your homeschool plan.

May I pray for you?

Dear Father, see our friends, Your children, who are struggling with divorce. Surround these friends with compassionate people who will minister kindly with practical help. Give sisters and brothers in the church wisdom and tenderness to understand there’s so much we don’t know. Protect any children affected by divorce and comfort their souls. Strengthen this family to come out of this crisis with courage and dignity. Give this dear one strength to be the family champion You designed! Thank you for my friend Jeanette, who wrote courageously and authentically about divorce as a blessing for all of us. And as our children and grandchildren return to their studies, thank You Lord for all the religious and educational liberty we enjoy in this country. We are grateful. In Jesus’s name. Amen.

We love to hear from you!

What has helped you in a crisis situation? When have you felt like your life was unraveling? How has a “no questions asked” policy provided privacy and compassion in your life?

Cathy Krafve, Columnist, Speaker, Blogger, Podcaster, and Christian Writer, invites your stories, ideas, and questions at CathyKrafve.com. Truth with a Texas Twang.