A marriage fractured by addiction finds restoration in Christ

With your help, couples facing crises are able to find God’s hope and help    

“This letter is long overdue, but very necessary. You were instrumental in changing my life. I highly doubt I would still be married — certainly not happily married — if I had not called one of your counsellors. Seven years ago, we were in a very dark time in our lives. My husband was unemployed and sinking very quickly into depression. As he went down this path, he struggled with many feelings of being powerless. In order to find that ‘power’ again, he turned to pornography.”

Sadly, we often get calls from wives – and husbands – who are heartbroken over the choices their spouse is making. For Janine*, this discovery of her husband’s pornography addiction almost caused her to walk out.

“I remember sitting at home, thinking that life would be much easier if he wasn’t around. It’s tough to admit, but it’s the truth. I was in pain. I was angry and I couldn’t remember why I had married this man. We also had a young son who I wanted to protect from all this. I felt like my husband didn’t care for us because if he did, the pornography wouldn’t be in his life. I didn’t know how I would make it through. Somewhere along the way I found a number for your counsellors and called.”

Thanks to your support, we’re able to be there for spouses like Janine, to offer hope in hopeless circumstances and practical steps to finding restoration.

“I remember feeling guilty for calling for advice and having nothing to give in return. Through my tears, I was able to explain my situation to the counsellor. I told him of how my husband seemed to be losing interest in everything but pornography and was barely hiding his addiction anymore. Even as I type this, all these years later, I am tearing up. After speaking with your counsellor, I started to pray for wisdom. That night I talked with my husband and we cried. He had a deep pain that needed healing and realized that I was serious when I said I would not live like this. He instantly knew that he had to go find help for his brokenness.”

Our staff gathers in prayer every morning, lifting up families across the country. Our counsellors are ready to help those in difficult situations. And our team is knowledgeable about which resource would be a blessing to those in need.

“After he left, I received a book in the mail from you. God used the author’s words to transform my mind. My husband and I were only separated for a month, but it was a time of deep healing and restoration for the two of us. God did something I couldn’t do on my own: He grew a love in my heart for my husband once again. God has had His hand in our lives and He changed us. I cannot thank you enough for the work you do at Focus on the Family Canada!”

If you’ve been impacted by this story and want to help even more families like this thrive, donate to Focus on the Family Canada today! 

*Name changed to protect privacy 

**Image shown above is a stock photo