LET GO
Erin was asked to let go, agree with her adversary, and also to submit to her husband who asked her to sign the divorce papers (so he could marry his high school sweetheart). Trusting the Lord once again, Erin followed the RMI principles and was shocked to experience a backlash of criticism and scorn. Many women wanted her to remain the "Queen of Standers" yet this was never what He called her to do (nor is this popular concept of a stander biblical).
What happened and why He allowed it to happen was a question Erin often had for her Heavenly Husband, hearing only, "Trust Me." Each morning and throughout the days that followed, she was resolute that no matter how difficult, she was determined to stay the course, trust the Lord, her Husband, now more than ever—knowing God promised to "causes all things to work together for good." This was just the first of many promises He gave her as she faced the unknown...
Romans 8:28—
“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”
Genesis 50:20—
“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.”
Esther 4:14—
"For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?”
Rather than remain silent, Erin began documenting her new journey, which became four books and RMI courses. Courses that have helped hundreds of women (not just those seeking restoration) to experience the Lord as her Heavenly Husband. Very often during this time, and long after, Erin relied on this promise from 1 Peter 3:13-15 that she followed by not defending what the Lord had called her to do.
“Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed and do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account of the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.”
NIV “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect."
Message “Be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you’re living the way you are, and always with the utmost courtesy.” Women who spoke against Erin failed to follow the principles in RYM and WW books and courses, wanting instead their husbands above all else, and judged her mercilessly. Following what it says in a WW, “'For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him.' John 3:17. If God didn’t send Jesus to JUDGE the world, I am sure He did not send me (or you) either!" Instead of defending herself, as it says in Chapter 8 "Wives, Be Subject" Follow in His steps. “For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps…and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously.” 1Peter 2:21-23.
Erin clung to His promise in Isaiah 61:7-8, “Instead of your shame you will have a DOUBLE portion, and instead of humiliation they will shout for joy over their portion Therefore they will possess a DOUBLE portion in their land, Everlasting joy will be theirs. For I, the LORD, love justice, I hate robbery . . . And I will faithfully give them their recompense And make an everlasting covenant with them”—not for her own sake, but for the sake of her children and ministry members.
And finally she recited over and over Isaiah 40:2, “Speak kindly . . . And call out to her, that her warfare has ended, that her iniquity has been removed, that she has received of the LORD'S hand DOUBLE for all her sins" a verse, a promise, and a principle she didn't fully understand until much later in this new phase of her journey.
Her Children
When Erin sought God for her restoration she had 4 children, then shortly after her restoration—God blessed her with 3 Restoration babies. As with all children whose father becomes involved with an OW for his own happiness, children are faced with the feeling of abandonment, loss, and confusion. Very easily they are overwhelm and the enemy has succeeded in stealing their joy. Coupled with the usual loss of a wayward parent, Erin's children were horribly mocked and even questioned as to the state of his salvation due to the well known ministry both their parents were heading up.
Shortly after her restoration, Erin turned over the position of RMI President to Dan, but a day after he told her he was not just leaving, but going the next day to get a divorce, he handed in his resignation as president. Just as when he left the first time, Erin assumed and trusted the Lord for her restoration, this time with each principle fully ingrained into her heart and soul.
The first time Dan left, Erin was able to keep her four children from knowing about the OW or the divorce. Instead they were told that he was away working. What was new this time, however, was that the children knew of the OW. The four older children were young adults, and then he told the younger children. So to help them not only cope, survive but thrive, Erin encouraged them to look for the GOOD. Romans 8:28 was put into practice in the Thiele home. “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”
Everyday during meals and throughout the day, each of the children looked for the GOOD—finding it in the small things and opportunities that changed when their "earthly father" left. For the older children they enacted an an open door policy so that their friends from the youth group were invited over any time, stayed for dinner, with many (even the pastor's son) sleeping on the couch rather than going home (even though it was down the street because he said, "He felt so peaceful.")
For the younger children, God orchestrated the timing of their cousin from Japan, Monica, who came to live with them for a year and two indoor dogs to cuddle. Due to the backlash and the confusion, Erin began for the first time, to travel. In the first year after her EH left, she traveled to 88 U.S. cities to meet ministry members. The next year and the year after, she was invited to visit and get to know women around the world. bringing not just Hope at Last, but teaching them (by her lifestyle) there is true Love At Last!
If you'd like to know more, continue reading "Happily Ever After" as God continued to use Erin and her willingness to follow Him, like the first time, no matter what.
Erin Thiele is blessed to be the mother of four sons, Dallas, Axel, Easton, and Cooper, and three daughters, Tyler, Tara, and Macy. Author of How God Can and Will Restore Your Marriage and founder of Restore Ministries International—Erin's extensive Restoration Journey that covers close to 3 decades.
Erin’s journey began soon after her first daughter was born. After reading Titus 2:3-5, she ask her pastor where to find a Wise Woman to help her be the woman, wife and mother she longed to be. Erin assumed there must be a group of wise older women in the church assigned to this task. Instead the pastor said there weren’t any such women and spoke prophetically, “Maybe you’re that woman, Erin.”
Like all of us, in order for God's Makeover, Erin needed to be broken. Soon after she began asking the Lord to change her into a Wise Woman for her daughter, Erin’s husband left and eventually divorced her, leaving her with four young children. RMI was soon founded as Erin searched every denomination in her area but was unable to find the help, hope and encouragement she needed.
Two years into her Restoration Journey, Erin’s marriage was restored as she “delight [her]self in the Lord” (Psalm 37:4). God gave her a “double portion” her “recompense” (Isaiah 61:7-8) when He blessed the newly restored couple “giving [them] the desires of [their] heart(s)” a “gift” of more children “rewarding” Erin (Psalm 127:3)—with three "restoration babies."
When Erin’s husband joined her in ministry five years later, it was during this time when Erin said she began to long for the closeness she'd once had with her Heavenly Husband when she was alone with Him.
Knowing that “all good things come from above” (James 1:17) and to ask God “about things to come” (Isaiah 45:11), her longing for Him (Isaiah 30:18)—when everything happened at the appointed time (Habakkuk 2:2-3) just as He had “proclaimed them to” her (Isaiah 42:9-10).
God’s plan (Isaiah 55:8–9) was to extend her married life almost fifteen years (Isaiah 38:5) and then, in order to expand Erin’s ministry to include more women (Joshua 1:2-9) as the “latter rains that will be greater than the former” (Joel 2:23) God again removed “lover and friend” from her (Psalm 88:18). This time, turning her heart (Proverbs 21:1), to fully become His bride once again, and “told [her] these things, so that in Me [she would] have peace. In this world [Erin] will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
As a single mother, once again (now with 6 children still at home) Erin set out on her journey as He turned her focus to:
- Encourage women to become His bride and be drenched in His love to heal emotionally, physically and “be set free” (John 8:36) from all addictions.
- Encourage women to become His bride and experience “all comfort” (2 Corinthians 1:3–4) during the wait for restoration.
- Encourage women to become His bride who choose to live a life remaining “single or else be reconciled” (1 Corinthians 7:11) “devoted to the Lord and holy in body and in spirit” (1 Corinthians 7:34).
- Encourage women to become His bride and “take His yoke and learn from Him” (Matthew 11:29-30) when they feel it’s too difficult to follow the principles and claim His promises.
It was at this juncture that He spoke to Erin about discretion (Proverbs 11:22) and rather than documenting this part of her journey using her own name, God gave her a brand-new name *Michele meaning “Gift from God.”
Erin faced divorce, again, this time with enthusiasm and not fear, she found her abundant life, then began living her abundant life. Next she broke free from the poverty mentality and watched God move mountains of debt she was left and burdened when her husband divorced her the second time. She says...
“This time, I knew for sure that anyone could find joy in the midst of any crisis. This joy is well beyond the “peace” that I found the first time when I found myself alone, even though this time I had six children still living at home, along with a niece who came to live with us, not to mention my older special needs sister who had no one who wanted to care for her. Each day, I wake up as if I am opening a present from God—a Heavenly Husband who surrounds me and drenches me in love! Every night, I stand and look out my window and thank my Husband for the dozens of blessings that He has given me each day! My heart so often feels as if it could burst with joy, and the tears that I shed are no longer because of sadness or pain, but these have been replaced with tears of joy!!
“One of the greatest changes in my life is to look for and to pursue all the blessings that come from being single. Without a doubt, the greatest benefit is to be able to pursue a relationship with my Beloved with a more tender heart and without anything hindering me.
“Today, and every single day, I am able to devote myself to the Lord (1 Corinthians 7:34), my Heavenly Love, and together we began ministering to women around the world who need His love too!! Years ago, God asked me, “Who will go?” and I said, “Send me!” even though I have always been a homebody (I think I said I'd go because I never imagined He'd send me anywhere!).
Yet, in the midst of my own crises, while facing divorce, again, He called me to begin traveling to share about the goodness of God only two weeks after my divorce was final. For almost 3 years I met women around the world, Europe, Asia, Africa, and later returning to live overseas.
Though many women age and suffer the ravages of divorce, going through it with the Lord as my Husband created a new woman in me that I couldn't wait to share with everyone I met!
“Many feared what divorce would do to my children. The key, I found, is how we as mothers respond to the adversity, any adversity. We are the ones who set the stage for love and joy in our homes. We set the thermostat for forgiveness. How we act and react will affect our children for the better or worse. That's why it's important we drench ourselves in the love of our new Husband, which is more than enough love to cover any sin or trial that comes from anything that our children have to deal with. And equally important is to make sure our children are guided and protected by their Heavenly Father who will never “leave or forsake” them (Deuteronomy 31:6).
“You may not believe that trusting God’s principles will work in your relationship, but that is only because you do not know God and His faithfulness as I have come to know it and more and more women who continually submit their own Restored Marriage Testimony that are posted each and every Saturday on our blog, and then published in our many By the Word of Their Testimony books!
“It is my prayer and mission in my lifetime that each woman would give RMI and Encouraging Women the opportunity to encourage them to Find the Abundant Life (John 10:10) that the Lord died to give to you too (John 3:16)! And to help them understand what it means to be His bride and that He is a jealous God (Exodus 34:13-16) and wants to be first in your life.”
God knew the world was changing so He began to make RMI and Erin ready for the influx of unmarried women and women (whatever the marital status) with a dangerous addiction to men—unlike the women Erin ministered to when her ministry began in 1991. She had read the prophecy from Isaiah 4:1 many times, but had no idea it would happen almost overnight. Every woman seems even more desperate to “stand” for their “marriage” —women who are not even married— pursuing men, any man, to love them—leaving them open and vulnerable to abuse of every sort.
Unfortunately, even though Erin knew 2 Timothy 3:10-17, she never imagined focusing on encouraging women to put the Lord first, becoming His bride, while trusting God to restore her marriage would result in a full-on vicious attack—coming from women who worship men over God, sadly, some who proved to be worse than hirelings (John 10:11-13) and killed the hope of innocent women (John 10:10) spreading lies (Proverbs 6:16-19), failing to bridling their tongue (James 1:26), rather than taking it to “Him who judges righteously” (James 4:11) (Ephesians 4:29).
Nevertheless, when accused, Erin "opened not her mouth in defense” hoping “perhaps the Lord will see that I am being wronged and will bless me because of these curses today” (2 Samuel 16:12).
Remembering what He said, “Who is their to harm you (1 Peter 3:13-15), and those who “wish to live passionately and faithfully lives as worshipers of Him, will be persecuted” by “imposters”— “deceiving and being deceived” (2 Timothy 3:10-17). When accused of wrongdoing, Erin chose to follow “His example” He left us to follow (1Peter 2:21-23) and remaining “silent” and did not “open [her] mouth” (Acts 8:32) in defense. “For [we] have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps…and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously” (1Peter 2:21-23).
Regardless of the opposition, after this difficulty, Praise God, many more women began finding His love, and soon began to become Encouraging Women themselves—discovering their own ministries through the influx of restored marriage testimonies. As Erin says…
“The truth is, the more a woman focuses on finding the Lord as her Heavenly Husband, discovering how God longs to restore everything—our most precious relationships and so much more—the more women are able to love (even the unlovable) and be loved by others!!
“The very first relationship that must be restored is yours with Him, which is where so many other ministries fail. His love will immediately rid you of pain, and also help get your life back on track. As your new relationship begins to develop into more of a true relationship with your Husband and not the sort of relationship where He is far away in heaven where He's “worshiped” rather than next to you and embraced—that's when He begins to heal and restore you.
“Amazingly too, God does not stop with restoring just our relationships—as long as our first and most precious relationship continues to be with our HH. Once we truly become HIS bride, He also restores finances, health, our homes, and everything else that affects our lives and the lives of those we love the most! Whether a woman has never married, separated, divorced or married (even happily married)—all of us were designed and called to be the Lord’s bride. Until we make Him what He needs to be in our lives, we will fall short of the abundant life He died to give us.
“Blissful eternity does not need to begin when we die, it can begin today as you accept your Beloved’s proposal and become His bride. And take it from someone who has lived this way—once you become His bride—your life will never be the same!!”
Who is First in your life and heart matters. Journal your thoughts and feelings, speaking to Him as you do.