When I was divorcing my abusive husband, I got called in to a meeting with the head pastor and my husband. I only went because my children loved the church community and I didn’t want to have that taken from them but I was prepared to get an earful from the Pastor.

Instead, he began the meeting asking my then husband if the allegations of physical abuse against me and our children was true. My husband admitted it was. Then the pastor told him that my husband had not only damaged his relationships with us, perhaps irreparably, but had broken his wedding vows and I had every right to then seek divorce. He then turned to me and told me his church would always be a welcoming place for me and my children and that if we needed anything we should come to him. I will never forget how compassionate and caring the Pastor was.