u/NannaDue

Hi, I really need advice and pastoral guidance because I feel heartbroken, confused, and overwhelmed.

I’ve been married for many years to a man who has never been Christian and still is not. I later came to faith myself. He also participates in witchcraft/occult things, which has become very distressing to me spiritually after becoming a believer. Before we married, we already had a child together. During the relationship he left me while I was pregnant, which hurt deeply and has affected me ever since. Throughout the relationship he has often been selfish, emotionally difficult, a poor communicator, emotionally unstable at times, and I often feel emotionally abandoned and lonely in the marriage. His family has also treated me badly for years, and I have rarely felt protected or supported by him in relation to them.

At the same time, he is not an evil person. He can be kind, funny, and he provides for us financially. I do think he mostly has good intentions. That is part of why this is so confusing and painful for me. But despite those good sides, I often feel that he does not truly respect me deeply as a person, emotionally or spiritually.

I have compassion for the fact that he didn't enter into this marriage that thinking I would become a follower of Christ, but that's the course my life has taken, and it is the greatest blessing of my life. I have since turned from my life of sin and desire a traditional household, as a stay at home mother - which he initially agreed with and supported but recently I had a miscarriage after we had been trying for another child, and now... Cue the twist of fate... Let me explain; Years after marriage we talked about trying for another child, and at one point he agreed to try. But now, after many years, he has said definitively that he does not want any more children and that the decision is final. This has broken my heart deeply, not only because of the child issue itself, but because it feels like another expression of the lack of unity, sacrifice, and mutual understanding that has existed throughout much of the marriage. We have had a difficult situation with our house, which has taken a great toll on both of our mental healths the past two years. It's coming to a halt, and I finally thought we would have time to breathe and enjoy our family life, but at this point he thinks he needs more freedom in his life. He fervently consults with occultism like Tarot readings to help him process his perceived lack of personal freedom.

I am trying to understand this situation both spiritually and practically. I don’t know what is right anymore. I feel torn between wanting to honor marriage and feeling crushed, spiritually lonely, emotionally exhausted, and unsure whether this relationship is healthy or sustainable long term. I have been a student for four years and almost done with my studies. If I left the marriage, I would be left financially in debt and destitute, since he has been the willing breadwinner for a decade.

I would really appreciate honest Christian guidance on this whole situation, including the spiritual aspects, the occult involvement, the marriage itself, and whether separation, counseling, or deeper discernment should be considered.

Hi, I really need advice and pastoral guidance because I feel heartbroken, confused, and overwhelmed.

I’ve been married for many years to a man who has never been Christian and still is not. I later came to faith myself. He also participates in witchcraft/occult things, which has become very distressing to me spiritually after becoming a believer. Before we married, we already had a child together. During the relationship he left me while I was pregnant, which hurt deeply and has affected me ever since. Throughout the relationship he has often been selfish, emotionally difficult, a poor communicator, emotionally unstable at times, and I often feel emotionally abandoned and lonely in the marriage. His family has also treated me badly for years, and I have rarely felt protected or supported by him in relation to them.

At the same time, he is not an evil person. He can be kind, funny, and he provides for us financially. I do think he mostly has good intentions. That is part of why this is so confusing and painful for me. But despite those good sides, I often feel that he does not truly respect me deeply as a person, emotionally or spiritually.

I have compassion for the fact that he didn't enter into this marriage that thinking I would become a follower of Christ, but that's the course my life has taken, and it is the greatest blessing of my life. I have since turned from my life of sin and desire a traditional household, as a stay at home mother - which he initially agreed with and supported but recently I had a miscarriage after we had been trying for another child, and now... Cue the twist of fate... Let me explain; Years after marriage we talked about trying for another child, and at one point he agreed to try. But now, after many years, he has said definitively that he does not want any more children and that the decision is final. This has broken my heart deeply, not only because of the child issue itself, but because it feels like another expression of the lack of unity, sacrifice, and mutual understanding that has existed throughout much of the marriage. We have had a difficult situation with our house, which has taken a great toll on both of our mental healths the past two years. It's coming to a halt, and I finally thought we would have time to breathe and enjoy our family life, but at this point he thinks he needs more freedom in his life. He fervently consults with occultism like Tarot readings to help him process his perceived lack of personal freedom.

I am trying to understand this situation both spiritually and practically. I don’t know what is right anymore. I feel torn between wanting to honor marriage and feeling crushed, spiritually lonely, emotionally exhausted, and unsure whether this relationship is healthy or sustainable long term. I have been a student for four years and almost done with my studies. If I left the marriage, I would be left financially in debt and destitute, since he has been the willing breadwinner for a decade.

I would really appreciate honest Christian guidance on this whole situation, including the spiritual aspects, the occult involvement, the marriage itself, and whether separation, counseling, or deeper discernment should be considered.

Hi, I really need advice and pastoral guidance because I feel heartbroken, confused, and overwhelmed.

I’ve been married for many years to a man who has never been Christian and still is not. I later came to faith myself. He also participates in witchcraft/occult things, which has become very distressing to me spiritually after becoming a believer. Before we married, we already had a child together. During the relationship he left me while I was pregnant, which hurt deeply and has affected me ever since. Throughout the relationship he has often been selfish, emotionally difficult, a poor communicator, emotionally unstable at times, and I often feel emotionally abandoned and lonely in the marriage. His family has also treated me badly for years, and I have rarely felt protected or supported by him in relation to them.

At the same time, he is not an evil person. He can be kind, funny, and he provides for us financially. I do think he mostly has good intentions. That is part of why this is so confusing and painful for me. But despite those good sides, I often feel that he does not truly respect me deeply as a person, emotionally or spiritually.

I have compassion for the fact that he didn't enter into this marriage that thinking I would become a follower of Christ, but that's the course my life has taken, and it is the greatest blessing of my life. I have since turned from my life of sin and desire a traditional household, as a stay at home mother - which he initially agreed with and supported but recently I had a miscarriage after we had been trying for another child, and now... Cue the twist of fate... Let me explain; Years after marriage we talked about trying for another child, and at one point he agreed to try. But now, after many years, he has said definitively that he does not want any more children and that the decision is final. This has broken my heart deeply, not only because of the child issue itself, but because it feels like another expression of the lack of unity, sacrifice, and mutual understanding that has existed throughout much of the marriage. We have had a difficult situation with our house, which has taken a great toll on both of our mental healths the past two years. It's coming to a halt, and I finally thought we would have time to breathe and enjoy our family life, but at this point he thinks he needs more freedom in his life. He fervently consults with occultism like Tarot readings to help him process his perceived lack of personal freedom.

I am trying to understand this situation both spiritually and practically. I don’t know what is right anymore. I feel torn between wanting to honor marriage and feeling crushed, spiritually lonely, emotionally exhausted, and unsure whether this relationship is healthy or sustainable long term. I have been a student for four years and almost done with my studies. If I left the marriage, I would be left financially in debt and destitute, since he has been the willing breadwinner for a decade.

I would really appreciate honest Christian guidance on this whole situation, including the spiritual aspects, the occult involvement, the marriage itself, and whether separation, counseling, or deeper discernment should be considered.

Hi, I really need advice and pastoral guidance because I feel heartbroken, confused, and overwhelmed.

I’ve been married for many years to a man who has never been Christian and still is not. I later came to faith myself. He also participates in witchcraft/occult things, which has become very distressing to me spiritually after becoming a believer. Before we married, we already had a child together. During the relationship he left me while I was pregnant, which hurt deeply and has affected me ever since. Throughout the relationship he has often been selfish, emotionally difficult, a poor communicator, emotionally unstable at times, and I often feel emotionally abandoned and lonely in the marriage. His family has also treated me badly for years, and I have rarely felt protected or supported by him in relation to them.

At the same time, he is not an evil person. He can be kind, funny, and he provides for us financially. I do think he mostly has good intentions. That is part of why this is so confusing and painful for me. But despite those good sides, I often feel that he does not truly respect me deeply as a person, emotionally or spiritually.

I have compassion for the fact that he didn't enter into this marriage that thinking I would become a follower of Christ, but that's the course my life has taken, and it is the greatest blessing of my life. I have since turned from my life of sin and desire a traditional household, as a stay at home mother - which he initially agreed with and supported but recently I had a miscarriage after we had been trying for another child, and now... Cue the twist of fate... Let me explain; Years after marriage we talked about trying for another child, and at one point he agreed to try. But now, after many years, he has said definitively that he does not want any more children and that the decision is final. This has broken my heart deeply, not only because of the child issue itself, but because it feels like another expression of the lack of unity, sacrifice, and mutual understanding that has existed throughout much of the marriage. We have had a difficult situation with our house, which has taken a great toll on both of our mental healths the past two years. It's coming to a halt, and I finally thought we would have time to breathe and enjoy our family life, but at this point he thinks he needs more freedom in his life. He fervently consults with occultism like Tarot readings to help him process his perceived lack of personal freedom.

I am trying to understand this situation both spiritually and practically. I don’t know what is right anymore. I feel torn between wanting to honor marriage and feeling crushed, spiritually lonely, emotionally exhausted, and unsure whether this relationship is healthy or sustainable long term. I have been a student for four years and almost done with my studies. If I left the marriage, I would be left financially in debt and destitute, since he has been the willing breadwinner for a decade.

I would really appreciate honest Christian guidance on this whole situation, including the spiritual aspects, the occult involvement, the marriage itself, and whether separation, counseling, or deeper discernment should be considered.