Never Intended

Mary Jo’s story went in a direction she never intended. She assumed her life situation would be long-lasting, like that of her parents and grandparents, but she was blindsided when a single phone call crumbled her world.

(For this entire story, grab a copy of her book.)

44 years

Although she knows the Lord miraculously restores, that was not what happened in her case after 44 years of marriage. Her own experience of piece-by-piece healing prompted her to write a book to help others recover from divorce after long-term marriage.

Ripping Up

Mary Jo has always valued beauty. Before her world came crashing down, she loved to renovate and decorate the houses she lived in. After her divorce, she bought a condo in need of updating. Her son, a real estate investor with a renovation crew, helped her gut the interior—tearing out walls and ripping up flooring.

A Bomb

As she surveyed the ugly, bare scene before her, Mary Jo thought the image mirrored her life. It looked as if a bomb had gone off. She felt dry and empty. All her creativity had disappeared, and she was afraid it would never return.

Marbling

A friend invited her to a Saturday morning paper marbling class at the University of Indianapolis. Everything needed was included, and the cost was minimal. After one three-hour session with people she didn’t even know, Mary Jo came out with fifteen sheets of colorful designs and renewed energy, confident she could now tackle her renovation project.

Scoured

Instead of going to showroom floors to furnish her condo, she scoured consignment stores and started to put her new home together piece by piece with unique items that caught her eye. At the same time, she felt she was reclaiming her identity and her dignity—one room and piece at a time.

Words Of Encouragement

To those in similar situations:
No matter where you are in your journey—or what you have done, or what others have done to you—know that you are loved by God and you can still find joy, peace, hope, and fulfillment.

To her younger self:
Put less emphasis on what you perceive or think others are thinking about you, and more on the truth of who God says you are

Actions To Help You Move Forward In Any Loss

1. Give yourself permission to grieve.
2. Work out emotions in a safe physical manner.
3. Ask God to show you His truth about who you are in Him.
4. Know that God journeys with you and shares your pain.
5. Exercise regularly, get adequate rest, and take good care of your general health.
6. Communicate your needs and set boundaries as necessary.
7. Get in touch with nature.
8. Try something new just for fun.
9. Create an appreciation list.
10. Take charge of your thoughts.
11. Take baby steps toward forgiving yourself and those who have hurt you.
12. Open yourself to God’s love and healing grace.

Today

Mary Jo Rennert Gremling helps others—primarily women—heal from divorce, loss or other trauma and realize their identity is defined not by what they have experienced but by who they are in God. She does this through confidential heart-healing sessions, grief recovery, and her book.

Publisher

She is also a publisher who helps others share their stories of overcoming using their authentic voice. I was so grateful to cross paths with her while traveling states away on a bus—where with one conversation the outline of my own book came together. (See below for her contact info to see if your book idea is a good fit).

Piece By Piece

Finally today in everything she does, she works to bring healing to hearts and homes—just like it came to her, piece by piece.

---

Helpful Resources

Tree of Life Heart Healing Retreat (Next One Is In Nashville, Indiana November 16-18, 2025 ). Details: Here

Book: You Are Still Beloved: When Your Long-Term Marriage Ends in Divorce
by Mary Jo Rennert
Available on Amazon »

Contact Info: If you would like to reach her for heart healing, or to see if her publishing company, Bestwine Press, would be a good fit for your book project, you can contact her at:
 maryjogremling@gmail.com