Denise Hildreth Jones - Flying Solo: A Journey of Divorce, Healing and a Very Present God

PRAISE FOR

FLYING SOLO

In Flying Solo, Denise walks us through an honest and intimate account of the pain she experienced during her first year of walking through a divorce. She covers real heart issues such as learning to let go, getting through grief and disappointment, and allowing God to fill that secret place in our hearts that only He can fill. Although this book was written to bring hope and healing to those who have been through a divorce, I recommend it to anyone who wants to experience an intimate relationship with a loving God through every season of life.

Nancy Alcorn

Founder and President of Mercy Ministries

Flying Solo provides a companion for those going through the painful breakup of a marriage because Denise is willing to share the raw intimate pain of her first year of walking through divorce. Read it, do the homework assignments, dig in and make the most of your journey. Then buy a copy and give it to a friend, or use it in a study. It will open doors of honesty with others who have traveled this path.

Ken Edwards, MDiv, MA

Counselor, Coach and Consultant

It has been a privilege to look in on Denises unfolding story. She lives as she writes, with authentic enthusiasm, exploring the collection of the moments we call life. Flying Solo is an invitation to peer into a love exchangea soul environment between a woman and the One who loves.

Jamie George

Pastor of The Journey, Franklin, Tennessee

It is so easy when going through the emotional ups and downs that accompany the terrible process of divorce to feel alone and helpless. By sharing her personal reflections and her conversations with God in Flying Solo, Denise offers incredible comfort for those recovering from divorce and a hope for a joyous future. This book offers validation for the feelings we all encounter and a path of self-discovery that is uplifting, encouraging and inspiring.

Jenny sanford

Former First Lady of South Carolina
Author of Staying True

There are few things that compare to the anguish of divorce. It is by definition a solitary and devastating trauma, especially for believers who honor love and the covenant of marriage. This book is a companion for those facing divorce, written by a woman who can testify that although weeping may endure for a night, joy comes in the morning. As you read this book, may God fill your heart with that same peace and hope He gave to Denise, which she now offers to you.

Dan Scott

Senior Pastor of Christ Church, Nashville, Tennessee
Author of Naked and Not Ashamed

In this beautiful book, Denise Hildreth Jones has given us a gift by allowing us to walk with her through the most intimate, painful, and faith-building moments of her life. In doing so, she reminds each one of us that God is most powerfully present even when He seems to be most apparently absent.

Pete Wilson

Pastor of Cross Point Community Church, Nashville, Tennessee
Author of Plan B: What Do You Do When God Doesnt Show Up the Way You

Thought He Would

2010 Denise Hildreth.
Published in association with the literary agency of Daniel Literary Group, Nashville, Tennessee.

Published by Bethany House Publishers
11400 Hampshire Avenue South
Bloomington, Minnesota 55438
www.bethanyhouse.com

Bethany House Publishers is a division of
Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
www.bakerpublishinggroup.com

Bethany House Publishers edition published 2014

ISBN 978-1-4412-6646-0

Previously published by Regal Books

Ebook edition originally created 2013

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meansfor example, electronic, photocopy, recordingwithout the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

All Scripture quotations are taken from the following:

AMPScripture taken from THE AMPLIFIED BIBLE, Old Testament copyright 1965, 1987 by the Zondervan Corporation. The Amplified New Testament copyright 1958, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

THE MESSAGE Scripture taken from THE MESSAGE. Copyright by Eugene H. Peterson, 1993, 1994, 1995. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

NASB Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

NIV Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version . Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

NKJV Scripture taken from the New King James Version . Copyright 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

NLT Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation , copyright 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

This book is dedicated to my heavenly Father, who allowed me a privileged season to fly solo with Him.

Grief has no etiquette. It is slobbery and mean. Obtrusive and inopportune. Smothering and rude. And it had taken up residence in every cell of my body. As I sat in the unfamiliar church that morning, it would offer me no wavering ounce of mercy. The divorce papers that would end my 13 years of marriage had just been delivered. Every part of familiar was gone. Today would be no different.

I had chosen to attend church that morning with my brother and sister-in-law. No one would know me there, and I would be given yet a little more time to absorb my grief in anonymity. The ability to process the weight of this extreme loss would be much easier with fewer questions and personal sanctuary. So, not telling anyone other than my immediate family and closest friends at that moment was the best gift I had given myself. Thus, the unfamiliar church.

The musicians began to play; the praise and worship music filtered through the dimly lit, makeshift sanctuary of padded chairs and tin roof. Candles flickered from every crevice and corner of the old factory, and wooden beams arched throughout the building. A young man sat on the stage that morning in front of a canvas, his paintbrush in hand; a spotlight lit the canvas as he stroked it with color.

Throughout the entire worship service, and throughout the message that morning, the artist worshiped. I watched each stroke through the blur of my own tears that had stained my face cold. At some point I thought the image was discernable, but I quickly refuted the possibility with, No, theres no way. It cant be that.

But as the final strokes were rendered, I realized it was that. It really was a man slipping a wedding ring on a womans finger. It felt like a fist to the gut. The air was sucked from the room. The pain was bitter and mocking. My mind swelled with anger. There have been very few times in my life that Ive felt truly angry with God, but this was one. And my anger spewed. Youve got to be kidding me! my mind screamed.

Heaven gave me my moment. God graciously allowed me the rage of my soul. And when I was through, He spoke to my heart,