I met and married a Christian guy in college in California. Both of us were broken - I knew for sure Christ was the way to healing and he seemed to think so too. His family had immigrated from Czechoslovakia and we returned there and made our life together in Prague. When we did, he left faith behind and from the third year of our 17 year marriage he no longer would go to church, or consider God as a aspect of his life.
Things became less and less tenable as he filled his life with work and as our family grew, separated himself further and further from me and our boys. We later moved to Brazil where he ran a bank. I finally felt God's leading to put him out and follow James Dobson's advice regarding how to deal with an abuser: they will not change if the status quo remains.
I was really scared of him - he didn't hit us, but he was either angry or absent. I realized there was nothing I could do to improve the situation. When 3 weeks later we were robbed at gun point in our home and I realized I felt less afraid of Marcelo the armed robber than I did of my husband, I felt like God put it into perspective.
It has been a tumultuous 3 years, but finally my 3 boys (13,9, 6) and I are settled in a house I bought and renovated last year, close to my parents'. My husband chose to leave Brazil for a job in Moscow and never had any intention of inviting us, though he would have prefered I settle in Prague which would have been closer for when he felt like visiting.
Now we are close to family and for the the first time since my marriage I am looking for opportunities to grow myself, use my gifts to bless others, and I hope to build a career incorporating my love of public speaking.
