Being A Single Young Divorced Parent (before I was a member of the church)

     Hi, I just wanted to share what's it's like to be a young single divorced parent at the age of twenty two. Yes, I know God is always on my side. That heavenly father loves me more than I know myself. I got married young, at nineteen figuring I knew everything that I could be a housewife ,and being taking care of that was so not the case it's not such a Cinderella story.   I still feel like I have lost the slipper that I was never swept away by my prince and possibly never will be. I was married in November pregnant by January

      It was a very hard that's for sure. My ex-husband wasn't exactly all together there. He was very emotionally abusive. When Scarlett turned five weeks old was when everything fell apart. He wasn't ready like I thought he was. Other than the abuse let me explain a little more. Not only did he leave at five weeks of age he decided to put a protection order against me for no reason, other than me on anxiety medicine for some things I was going through.   I didn't see my child for the whole month of October. How he could manage that I do not know. How a judge would let that happen I don't know. Why God would put me on this track I don't know. I was so lost and confused ,and very depressed. I couldn't go anywhere scared of running into him I didn't even go to church until our first court hearing.Then finally on Halloween go figure the judge decided to go to every other week switch offs. I would have Scarlett for a week then he would back and forth Switch offs at six in the afternoon. It was horrible it wasn't until July we got an Guardian Ad Litem, to figure out that I was a fit parent and that my ex husband was wrong for what he did. I got full custody finally after a year. That part was over with.

     The hardest part was to come being parent to Scarlett figuring out how to get a job and get into college. It was not until this year of April of 2014 that I was able to get a job that I love so much. I start college in September at Georgia Military College. I'm so glad that I'm a part of the church. I know for sure that Heavenly Father will not give us more than we can handle. My daughter is doing well and her dad gets her every visitation and pays child support. I'm very lucky. This situation has made me a stronger person all together. I want other married couples to know please don't ruin your divorce unless you have to especially if you have kids, Heavenly Father is there always please talk to your branch president and others in the church and get counseling. It's still hard being a single parent. It will be for the rest of Scarlett's life. It's her life we messed up. Not mine... not his... only hers in the end. I hope she can learn from me and Heavenly father more than anything and know it was not her fault at all. I'm trying to be a good parent the best I can be at twenty two. Thank God I have a wonderful family to support me ,or I wouldn't be able to do it at all. Well, this is it for now. -Sister Katie Guyton