There's no denying that divorce leads to immense pain and destruction. And in a time period where approximately 40 to 50-percent of the American married population is ending in divorce, this culture is becoming complacent and comfortable to such a heart-wrenching occurrence. Navigating through the reality of a broken home is hands-down a tough and hardening experience, but through the outcome that resulted within my family's lives, has created a warm-hearted emotion in the midst of such a tragedy.

I can't stress enough the significance of finding Christ within your life, but when a family unit as a whole seeks God, the outcome is tremendous. It's incredible to look back and see the brokenness and pain that bled throughout the lives of my family as we watched, experienced and took cover through the storm that reeked havoc because of the divorce. I would cry every night and day praying that God would stop the pain and somehow fix what was broken. I don't believe I have ever prayed with more intensity or with more passion than I did during the time of my parents' divorce, because all I wanted was to wake up every morning seeing both my parents and my sister, happy and together. I simply just wanted my family back.

There was no way for me to understand at the time, but God had other plans to answer my prayers. I firmly believe that God does not take pleasure in watching us drown within our sins or hurt deeply because of the actions within this broken world. God desires to bring hope in the midst of hopelessness. He desires to bring good in the midst of sin and he desires to bring love in the midst of heartbreak. And for my family, that's exactly what God did.

As I sought comfort and solution through Christ and His word, I personally have found that I never lost a family, I simply lost the dynamic of what my family had once looked like. Although my desire was to have my family whole again, God saw the opportunity to not simply restore what was broken, but bring an even greater love and an even greater meaning to the word family. My small family had lost what once was special, but I ultimately gained two more families, of whom I never want to let go. God gave me step parents who love me and care for me. He gave me their families who, without a second thought, opened their hearts and homes, making me feel like I belong. God allowed me to see the happiness of my parents' new found love, which reveals to me the true healing powers of Jesus Christ. Divorce is without a doubt an immeasurably painful experience which no one should have to go through. But I can not say it enough, that with God in your corner, He will make a way for beauty to flourish in the end. It may not happen overnight, but God has a plan and we must hold steadfast to trusting in God's love and His never-changing word.

I think often about the idea if my parents never got a divorce and I wonder how different things would be and how great it would be to be with my parents and sister like normal again. But the reality is that, I have fallen in love with the family that God has brought into my life. I'm more blessed and happy to wake up each day knowing that family doesn't simply come from blood, but it comes through Christ; it comes through those special people that regardless of the situation, choose to love you because that's the true dynamic of family and I wouldn't want my family to be any less than what it is now.