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I am in the midst of getting a divorce. I was an Evangelical Christian, but then lost my faith in God about one year and a half ago as my husband seemed like two different people and hurt me.

I have been talking with Coptic Christians for a while and have visited churches. As my faith is regained, I wonder about these things. Will I be accepted into the Church, seeing as I am broken and will be divorced? I am not yet thirty years old. Will I have to stay single for the rest of my life because of a bad choice I made when I did not know any better? I really feel this is my path, but some of the consequences of my failure scare me.

You may forget many things in life, but never forget "God is Love." He uses every means to reach us though often we push Him away. Your dissolving marriage maybe the channel He is now using to reach you again. Of course, if there is a way that you can save your marriage and bring your husband to the knowledge of the Lord, this is the optimal solution.

"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28).

It is through the grace of God that we are called and accepted into His Church, not at all by any sense of our worthiness, of which none have any. Since your marriage was not officiated in the Coptic Orthodox Church, your separation and divorce will have to be documented and finalized through the court system and your previous religious institution. Once that is confirmed, there is no reason for you to remain single. Nonetheless, there are precautions for having a spiritually chaste future. Begin by selecting a spiritual father to whom you may confess on a regular basis and receive guidance regarding all matters in your life.

St. John Chrysostom invites us all—the sinners who need healing, saying, "Enter into the Church and wash away your sins. For there is a hospital for sinners and not a court of law." May the Lord accept your repentance, heal your broken heart, and set you firmly on the path of salvation.