A court filing revealed that the Proverbs 31 Ministries founder's husband spent more than $100,000 for "illicit sexual" affairs with a woman he met online.
More details have come to light about the divorce proceedings between Lysa TerKeurst, the founder of the Christian non-profit called Proverbs 31 Ministries, and her husband Art TerKeurst. A recent court filing showed evidence proving that Art spent more than $100,000 from their joint funds on "illicit sexual" extramarital affair with a woman that he had met online.
In December 2021, Lysa announced that she filed for divorce from her husband of almost 30 years because he exhibited "chosen patterns of behavior that dishonor God and the biblical covenant of marriage," the Christian Post reported. The two are parents to five adult children.
But that was not the first time the New York Times best selling author made their struggles as a married couple public. In 2017, Lysa said she would file a divorce from her husband because he had "been repeatedly unfaithful to me with a woman he met online" and was abusing substances. But a little over a year later, Lysa decided against it and the pair renewed their vows after working hard at restoring their marriage.
In the latest court filing, Lysa alleged that her husband had "broken" those renewed vows. In February, Art responded to the divorce petition and sought "post-separation support, alimony, an equitable division of property, damages and the rescission of a postnuptial agreement," as per Ministry Watch.
Art claims to have signed a post-nuptial agreement at a time when he was "suicidal" and preparing to enter an alcoholism treatment facility. He argued that after he completed treatment for his addictions and after renewing their vows, he believed that the post-nuptial agreement was invalidated as part of the couple's fresh start."
Art however admitted that he was guilty of "illicit sexual behavior" before the post-nuptial agreement, but claimed to be a "faithful and dutiful spouse." Lysa admitted that he is "actually and substantially dependent upon [his] wife for his maintenance and support" and that he is incapable of creating " the "financial ability or adequate resources" to meet the standards of living he had grown accustomed to over the years.
In April, Lysa entered "a motion to dismiss Art's counterclaims, a request to compel arbitration and a reply to his allegations," the report said. The ministry leader had allegations herself, claiming that her husband never completed the alcohol treatment program as he voluntarily withdrew from it. She claimed that he was not suicidal and that he freely agreed to sign the post nuptial agreement. She added that Art had shown "narcissistic and sociopathic tendencies" over the years that they were together.
Lysa reported that she and her husband had "maintained completely separate financial accounts pursuant to the post-nuptial agreement" even after they reconciled. She argued that the post-separation support and alimony must be denied because of Art's infidelity.
The most recent court filing also included text messages between Art and "Mistress X," who he allegedly met through the website SugarDaddy.com. Art reportedly spent at least $118,000 of the TerKeursts' money on the relationship, including paying for a move from Atlanta to Charlotte, North Carolina and a purchase of a "pre-engagement left hand ring."
