Dear Pastor,

I've read your column many times and I see that you give good advice. Let me tell you about what's going on in my life. I'm 27 years old and I have been living with my children's father for six years. Things were going well with us but our love faded because he keeps telling me that I have another man out there. He is also abusive. We share two lovely kids together but I don't want to go on with this man anymore. He doesn't listen to anything that I have to say. He just wants to hit me all the time and I can't take it any more. I want to live my life happily but this man just keeps nagging me everyday. I told him that I don't want to be in the relationship anymore but, maybe, he thinks we can go on, so he doesn't try to accept that it is over.

I have found another man and he treats me really well. I love him very much. He is always there for me. I don't love my children's father anymore and I don't want us to be together. So I'm asking you to pray for me that he stop molesting me and let me have a happy life with my new boyfriend.

T.M., St Catherine, Jamaica

Dear T.M.,

I suggest that you leave this man's house. If he is always abusing you, you should not be living with him. You say you are not in love with him and you have another man. So, as I see it, it doesn't make any sense for you to be living with him anymore.

The issue is what will you do with the children? If you plan to have them live with you, you should make sure that you are able to pay rent and to have proper accommodation for them. Their father may not want them to live with you. Therefore, you should take the matter to the Family Court and the court will settle the issue. Remember, if you do not have proper accommodation for the children, it will be unlikely that the magistrate will give you custody of the children. So, make sure that is taken care of before you go to court.

Pastor