Uploaded November 2025 | Updated September 2026, 9 hours ago
In this heartfelt video, I share my journey of disillusionment with Focus on the Family after being a loyal supporter for over 30 years.
I reveal the moment that made me question my trust: a face-to-face response from the president, Jim Daly, regarding abusive marriages. He didn't believe in divorce for domestic violence. (And still doesn't.) I realized Focus wasn't safe for abuse victims.
Contrary to the organization's teachings, I discuss how the Bible supports leaving destructive and abusive marriages. I also expose how Focus on the Family distorts research and facts about divorce and its effects on children, falsely portraying divorce as universally destructive to children with no exceptions.
This video aims to provide clarity and support to those grappling with the decision to leave a toxic marriage, emphasizing that doing so can be a necessary act of survival, supported by biblical teachings.
00:00 Introduction: A Personal Revelation
00:44 A Shocking Encounter with Jim Daly of Focus on the Family
02:03 Biblical Teachings on Abuse and Divorce
03:11 Uncovering the Truth: Focus on the Family's Misinformation
04:14 A Call to Reevaluate Trust and Faith
05:09 Conclusion: Seeking Truth and Safety
For more:
—Focus on the Family doesn’t condone divorce for abuse:
Video: youtu.be/FrrQUOOfZ6E?si=mE60uq1Cy-WCo6ua
Blog post: lifesavingdivorce.com/fotfabuse
—Divorce as God’s Protection for Old Testament Wives: Video: youtu.be/z2bAfawE-ZM?si=_W361iuICqmajzt5
—Biblical passages on Divorce for Abuse: lifesavingdivorce.com/abuse-in-bible
—Examples of FOTF’s bad research on children and divorce: lifesavingdivorce.com/fotfdivorce1 AND
lifesavingdivorce.com/fotfbisignano
Video: youtu.be/L_2eNtv1Qqs?si=4t4RcJlYgglXxCD7
ABOUT
Gretchen Baskerville is a Christian divorce recovery leader and author. She began leading support groups for single mothers in conservative churches in the Los Angeles area in 1998 and now focuses primarily on reaching people online.
For more than 25 years, Gretchen has helped women and men of faith find strength, courage, and healing through the challenges of life-saving divorce. She listens with empathy to those recovering from domestic violence, betrayal, infidelity, addiction, and emotional abuse.
A survivor of a toxic marriage herself, Gretchen understands the journey of rebuilding after loss. Following her own life-saving divorce and years as a single mother, she is now happily remarried.
She is a graduate of Wheaton College with a degree in Bible and Christian Education.
For more information:
Website and Blog: LifeSavingDivorce.com
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/lifesavingdivorce.bsky.social
Facebook facebook.com/lifesavingdivorce
Instagram instagram.com/gretchenbaskerville
You Tube youtube.com/@lifesavingdivorce
Twitter twitter.com/GGBaskerville
What's a Life-Saving Divorce? A Life-Saving Divorce is a divorce for serious reasons: a pattern of sexual immorality, physical violence, chronic emotional abuse, felony behavior, family-crushing addictions, or abandonment/neglect.
My Book: "The Life-Saving Divorce: Hope for People Leaving Destructive Relationships"
Paperback or eBook: amzn.to/3J3vXa7
or AUDIOBOOK: amzn.to/4f52Mh4
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
In this heartfelt video, I share my journey of disillusionment with Focus on the Family after being a loyal supporter for over 30 years.
I reveal the moment that made me question my trust: a face-to-face response from the president, Jim Daly, regarding abusive marriages. He didn't believe in divorce for domestic violence. (And still doesn't.) I realized Focus wasn't safe for abuse victims.
Contrary to the organization's teachings, I discuss how the Bible supports leaving destructive and abusive marriages. I also expose how Focus on the Family distorts research and facts about divorce and its effects on children, falsely portraying divorce as universally destructive to children with no exceptions.
This video aims to provide clarity and support to those grappling with the decision to leave a toxic marriage, emphasizing that doing so can be a necessary act of survival, supported by biblical teachings.
00:00 Introduction: A Personal Revelation
00:44 A Shocking Encounter with Jim Daly of Focus on the Family
02:03 Biblical Teachings on Abuse and Divorce
03:11 Uncovering the Truth: Focus on the Family's Misinformation
04:14 A Call to Reevaluate Trust and Faith
05:09 Conclusion: Seeking Truth and Safety
For more:
—Focus on the Family doesn’t condone divorce for abuse:
Video: youtu.be/FrrQUOOfZ6E?si=mE60uq1Cy-WCo6ua
Blog post: lifesavingdivorce.com/fotfabuse
—Divorce as God’s Protection for Old Testament Wives: Video: youtu.be/z2bAfawE-ZM?si=_W361iuICqmajzt5
—Biblical passages on Divorce for Abuse: lifesavingdivorce.com/abuse-in-bible
—Examples of FOTF’s bad research on children and divorce: lifesavingdivorce.com/fotfdivorce1 AND
lifesavingdivorce.com/fotfbisignano
Video: youtu.be/L_2eNtv1Qqs?si=4t4RcJlYgglXxCD7
ABOUT
Gretchen Baskerville is a Christian divorce recovery leader and author. She began leading support groups for single mothers in conservative churches in the Los Angeles area in 1998 and now focuses primarily on reaching people online.
For more than 25 years, Gretchen has helped women and men of faith find strength, courage, and healing through the challenges of life-saving divorce. She listens with empathy to those recovering from domestic violence, betrayal, infidelity, addiction, and emotional abuse.
A survivor of a toxic marriage herself, Gretchen understands the journey of rebuilding after loss. Following her own life-saving divorce and years as a single mother, she is now happily remarried.
She is a graduate of Wheaton College with a degree in Bible and Christian Education.
For more information:
Website and Blog: LifeSavingDivorce.com
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/lifesavingdivorce.bsky.social
Facebook facebook.com/lifesavingdivorce
Instagram instagram.com/gretchenbaskerville
You Tube youtube.com/@lifesavingdivorce
Twitter twitter.com/GGBaskerville
What's a Life-Saving Divorce? A Life-Saving Divorce is a divorce for serious reasons: a pattern of sexual immorality, physical violence, chronic emotional abuse, felony behavior, family-crushing addictions, or abandonment/neglect.
My Book: "The Life-Saving Divorce: Hope for People Leaving Destructive Relationships"
Paperback or eBook: amzn.to/3J3vXa7
or AUDIOBOOK: amzn.to/4f52Mh4
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
