If you have ever been in the process of helping a couple work through some marriage issues and have ever entertained the “what’s the use” feeling as things just don’t seem to change. Consider the following statistics that I read this morning from Focus on the Family’s website.
If there’s any doubt that divorce leaves deep, lasting scars, consider. In its current listing of US divorce statistics, the website for Divorce Magazine – with the motto, “help for generation ‘ex’ ” – reports that fatherless homes account for:
- 63 percent of youth suicides
- 90 percent of homeless/runaway children
- 85 percent of children with behavior problems
- 71 percent of high school dropouts
- 85 percent of youths in prison
- more than 50 percent of teen mothers.
Divorce affects a significant number of children, and those effects last a lifetime, following children into adulthood and coloring their parenting efforts.
So the next time you find yourself feeling emotionally drained working with the couple and their circumstance, remember that it is worth the struggle as the future of the children are tangibly effected by the outcome. Marriages are worth fighting for!
D.O.V.E.