Lysa TerKeurst, the president of the non-profit Christian ministry called Proverbs 31 Ministries, has taken to Facebook on Friday to share that her marriage to husband Art has ended after a 29-year union. The 52 year old Christian author remarked that it was time to "accept reality." TerKeurst is no stranger to opening up about her past marital problems and the couple's multiple counseling efforts to keep the marriage intact.
"Over the past several years, I have fought really hard to not just save my marriage, but to survive the devastation of what consistent deception of one spouse does to the other," TerKeurst wrote on her Facebook page. "It's brutal and heart crushing to constantly fear the hurtful choices of someone you love."
TerKeurst added that she "had to learn the hard way there's a big difference between mistakes (which we all make) and chosen patterns of behavior that dishonor God and the biblical covenant of marriage."
The Christian author concluded that the "wisest and hardest choice" she had to make was to finally "stop fighting" to save the 29 year marriage. In 2019, TerKeurst shared to CBN's "The 700 Club" that God had worked to restore her broken marriage, which sparked the two to renew their vows. She called it a "complicated and delicate" union, but said that "redemption" and "reconciliation," which "don't necessarily come together and hold hands," were key in keeping the marriage intact.
In 2018, the Christian Post reported that Art Terkeurst renewed their vows a year after they announced they would be separating over Art's infidelity and substance abuse. At the time, Art remarked of his wife, "The way that you have loved me with grace and forgiveness gives me an undeniable understanding and perspective of how much God loves me."
Marriage problems were not the only thing to plague TerKeurst in the last few years, as she also had to battle breast cancer and colon cancer. But despite her hardships, the Christian author said she never lost sight of her faith in God.
TerKeurst shared her gratitude for the "healing redemption" God provided "through the power of forgiveness," which saved her from a lot of "bitterness and resentment." She added, "With time, prayer, and lots of counseling, my heart is healing."
The Christian author reflected that it's not always the restoration of a relationship that is the answer to one's prayers. TerKeurst remarked that sometimes, God "rescues us out of relationships" and that despite her not understanding why her circumstances are the way they are, she is "standing firm" in her faith in God and trusting Him "with every step."
TerKeurst is best known for her work at Proverbs 31 Ministries, a non-denominational, non-profit Christian ministry that was founded in 1994 by Jennifer McHugh, but traces its roots to 1992 as a monthly newsletter. She is also responsible for the New York Times best-selling books "It's Not Supposed to Be This Way," released in 2018; "Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely," which was released in 2016; and "Forgiving What You Can't Forget," released in 2020.
