Rebuilding Marriage After Infidelity Community Group
A community for those who have been through the heartbreak of infidelity and decided to stay with their partner and try to re-build the relationship.
To Rebuild or Not to Rebuild?

ilovelilacs
2 years and 9 months ago, I married a man that seemed to be in every ministry possible, was wonderful with kids, goofy, sweet, and seemed very innocent. Once we got married, he let everything go/showed his true colors...extremely lustful for other women and very obvious about it (has to wipe his saliva, touch himself, stare, and/or thrust)...masturbates in bed right beside me, and the only thing left of him is goofy and wonderful with our 1-yr-old daughter.
To add to it, I moved to his country (from the US to Australia), and had a beautiful baby girl with him. He also uses a tone with me often, out of annoyance, for things like not hearing him or understanding what he means the first time. When I ask him to spend time with me or cuddle, he acts annoyed. For the past 6 months, I've noticed a novel-length list of appearances of him cheating. I've asked him lots of questions along the way, and would get all kinds of answers, with him denying doing anything.
Then, he told his mom I was accusing him of cheating, and twisted a bunch of other things that I've said in the past, making me look like a mental person. Such as, I have mentioned feeling uncomfortable around different men for good reasons, like staring at my chest, etc., and he just mentioned some names, not the actions, and said I was accusing everyone of lusting after me. It was obvious to me that he was trying to make me look like a nut, so he could cover himself, in case I ever mentioned anything to his family.
I have been stiff-armed by his family, relatives, etc., he's made me out to look like such a fruitcake-some were offended by who I'd said I felt uncomfortable around, some are afraid they'll be accused next...
The thing that really hurts is even after his mom started repeating things, he still kept going to her and telling her stuff.
And now, things have been confirmed that he has been cheating...I found a wad of long black hairs (that looked like they'd been taken out of the shower drain) and asked him about them, and all he could say is, I'm not going to the park (as we were about to do). And when I asked why, he said, I feel yucky now. There must have been at least 4-6 different women, because that's how many different types/colors of hairs I've been finding around the house.
I feel so sick to my stomach and broken. I still love him, and and wonder if there's healing for our marriage. Especially since I have a beautiful little girl who loves her daddy, and needs him every day. He's soooo wonderful with her (makes her laugh lots and gives her lots of quality time)-she even calls out for him all day when he's at work...But is he the role-model I want for her? No. She could choose the same kind of a man for her husband, etc.
On the other hand, besides the terrible things mentioned, he does love me-it may just be a temporary crisis...he's complained that I wouldn't have sex with him...I have been, just not as often as he'd like, as I've been going through an after-labor low sex-drive...also extra turned off by his physical reactions of attraction to other women, because of my post-labor extra-sensitivity... I love him soooo much and would hate to lose the "togetherness" of our otherwise very cute little family. We laugh a lot (we're both very playful), like to cuddle, and have a great time together. Then, there's the goal that we both have of living in Africa later on, to do ministry together. I am a Christian, and I know God hates divorce, and it was only a man-made permission to leave in the case of infidelity...I feel like God wants me to stay, but am I hearing Him right? I don't know for sure...I thought He wanted me to marry this man, but I could have been wrong there??
Please, any words of support, advice of how to cope, or personal experiences that you can relate to...
To add to it, I moved to his country (from the US to Australia), and had a beautiful baby girl with him. He also uses a tone with me often, out of annoyance, for things like not hearing him or understanding what he means the first time. When I ask him to spend time with me or cuddle, he acts annoyed. For the past 6 months, I've noticed a novel-length list of appearances of him cheating. I've asked him lots of questions along the way, and would get all kinds of answers, with him denying doing anything.
Then, he told his mom I was accusing him of cheating, and twisted a bunch of other things that I've said in the past, making me look like a mental person. Such as, I have mentioned feeling uncomfortable around different men for good reasons, like staring at my chest, etc., and he just mentioned some names, not the actions, and said I was accusing everyone of lusting after me. It was obvious to me that he was trying to make me look like a nut, so he could cover himself, in case I ever mentioned anything to his family.
I have been stiff-armed by his family, relatives, etc., he's made me out to look like such a fruitcake-some were offended by who I'd said I felt uncomfortable around, some are afraid they'll be accused next...
The thing that really hurts is even after his mom started repeating things, he still kept going to her and telling her stuff.
And now, things have been confirmed that he has been cheating...I found a wad of long black hairs (that looked like they'd been taken out of the shower drain) and asked him about them, and all he could say is, I'm not going to the park (as we were about to do). And when I asked why, he said, I feel yucky now. There must have been at least 4-6 different women, because that's how many different types/colors of hairs I've been finding around the house.
I feel so sick to my stomach and broken. I still love him, and and wonder if there's healing for our marriage. Especially since I have a beautiful little girl who loves her daddy, and needs him every day. He's soooo wonderful with her (makes her laugh lots and gives her lots of quality time)-she even calls out for him all day when he's at work...But is he the role-model I want for her? No. She could choose the same kind of a man for her husband, etc.
On the other hand, besides the terrible things mentioned, he does love me-it may just be a temporary crisis...he's complained that I wouldn't have sex with him...I have been, just not as often as he'd like, as I've been going through an after-labor low sex-drive...also extra turned off by his physical reactions of attraction to other women, because of my post-labor extra-sensitivity... I love him soooo much and would hate to lose the "togetherness" of our otherwise very cute little family. We laugh a lot (we're both very playful), like to cuddle, and have a great time together. Then, there's the goal that we both have of living in Africa later on, to do ministry together. I am a Christian, and I know God hates divorce, and it was only a man-made permission to leave in the case of infidelity...I feel like God wants me to stay, but am I hearing Him right? I don't know for sure...I thought He wanted me to marry this man, but I could have been wrong there??
Please, any words of support, advice of how to cope, or personal experiences that you can relate to...
Listen to that little voice inside you. You're right. There's something up. It may be exactly what you think - or worse - or not as bad - but something IS wrong.
I always want to believe there is hope for relationships, but I also know that it takes TWO partners to make a fulfilling, lasting, loving marriage. Not six or eight and certainly not ONE. You can't make your marriage work alone, he's got to get on board 100%.
I appreciate your convictions and faith, but no matter what anyone says, I don't believe that God hates divorce so much that He would accept an abusive relationship. There are many types of abuse... physical, emotional, mental... if he's talking poorly about you to his family and trying to convince you that you're crazy instead of trying to soothe and comfort you, then he is an abuser. He doesn't have to punch you in the mouth to hurt you.
I'm sure others will disagree, but it really bothers me when folks say that "divorce is wrong so I have to stay." No. You don't. You have to protect yourself and your child - and if your husband is willing to step on board to making that happen, perfect, stay. Make a lasting and loving and wonderful life together. If he's not... Well. Stay married if that's what you need to do, but separate so that you can at least save yourself and your daughter. Because face it, what your daughter sees and experiences she will come to know as "normal" and her relationship patterns will mirror yours and your husband's. Do you want her cheating on her husband? Do you want her husband messing around on her and her thinking, "Well, it's ok... I have to stay married because God hates divorce?"
Just something to think about.
Trust your gut.
Here's the thing... Before I can do anything, I need to get proof...either to get him to start working through it with me, or in order to gain custody of my daughter and to be guaranteed to have a divorce granted. proof... I'm putting a recording device in the house anytime I go out, and will be recording any conversations I have with him about it. One idea is to say, I need to know if you're done with your extra-marital affairs... and hope he says yes, which would be admitting it...does anyone have any other ideas of what to say to try to get him to let his guard down? Because he's pretty stubborn about not admitting it. Thanks in advance.