#1. Protection of Tithing Testimonies

Get help over ALL your Hurdles and Fears

Find a full lesson on DAY 26
Renewing Your Mind: WK4 Heavenly Husband
which includes MORE testimonies!!!

“I'm Becoming a HH Bride—Now I Sleep!”

I'd like to share HOW my HH helped me let go of my fear to move forward. Also to share a little about how the hurdle I had to overcome and the blessings He has blessed me with since I was able to let go and moved closer to being His bride. I'm not a very good writer so I'm not too good at this but I do want to share about how my HH has helped and is helping me. I feel that He is taking me step by step and these courses/lessons are confirmation on my steps that I'm taking the day or week before. It just strengthens me even more and clarifies that He is leading and guiding me! I am so amazed at His patience, love, and grace with me. I started wondering how this HH truly works. I started to invite Him at night when I was going to bed alone, to please be there with me and for Him to embrace me with His loving arms. Before ladies, I could barely sleep. I have been going through this journey almost for 2 years now and each night my EH wasn't here I would toss and turn and barely get any sleep. Now ever since I started to embrace my HH and be His Bride I have been sleeping very well! Once I truly let go of my EH and again embraced my HH I have a peace that surpasses all understanding.

Let me tell you that it has opened my eyes so much, and has given me so much strength, peace, and joy, that I just have nothing but praise and thankfulness in my heart and mind all day long. I asked Him the other day what is "our" word for me to use for my HH and came up with 3 that I am constantly speaking to Him with. When we came up with it I was just so happy and giggling, I truly felt like a teenager! 🙂 I do sometimes fall into longing me EH but automatically I start to say what Erin taught us: "Lord, You're all I want, need and live for." It took me 4 days to do this lesson because I kept getting distracted and I really wanted to fully understand this lesson. Today I asked Him to help me understand and understanding just flowed!! Thank You, My Beloved, and thank you, Erin, for your ministry.

Dear Bride, do not be afraid. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you and to give you wisdom to understand and He will show you the Truth. He will heal the pain and He will fill your cup with His great love so you won't have to look for someone else to fill your cup falsely. You have nothing to lose, I promise it is so worth it. I wish I could have learned this sooner but I know that I needed it to fully understand and appreciate everything even more. Mark 5:36 Jesus said..."Do not be afraid, only believe"  Beautiful Bride only believe in Him!

Mark 5:36 NASB “But Jesus, overhearing what was being spoken, *said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid any longer, only believe.”

After Jairus hearing that his daughter dead, Jesus so lovingkindness said to him to not be afraid and only believe. This Truth touched my heart so much it brought me to tears. He spoke to me to stop fearing the future and to only believe in Him, in His Word and in His promises.

~ Jannelle in Texas

Watch for Jannelle’s upcoming Restored Marriage Testimony “EH Confessed OW was Expecting his Child”

“Falling into His Arms!!”

I'm taking Course 2: Renewing Your Mind and am happy to have made it over Milestone #7. Becoming HH bride.

I used to struggle with letting go of my EH and making my Lord my HH but it's so wonderful now I'm so in love with my HH He fills me with joy, peace happiness, and love. Now I've let my EH go and I only want my HH I'm so in awe of Him He's all I want or need I trust him and can bring everything to him he hears me, I love him so much what joy I have!!

Dear bride, let go of your EH because you have the most amazing HH waiting for you and you will forever be his bride. He will fill you with so much joy and peace that you won't hurt or miss your EH cause He will fill every need and want. My love is so good to me let him have control and let go of your EH or FH and fall into your Heavenly Husband's arms.

Fear not for you will not be put to shame and do not feel humiliated, for you will not be disgraced; but you will forget the shame of your youth, and the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more.“For your Husband is your Maker, Whose name is the Lord of hosts; And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel, Who is called the God of all the earth. 'For the Lord has called you, Like a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit, Even like a wife of one’s youth when she is rejected,' Says your God"–Isaiah 54:4-6

~ Meggy Ann in Colorado who just submitted her Restored Marriage Testimony that will be on this Encourager Blog, Saturday, June 17th

Do you want to PRAISE Him for how He's shown you how to fall into your HH arms? Aren't you thankful that Meggy Ann shared this with you an Encouraging Woman?

Remember, Matthew 7:13-14 tells us to “Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it. For the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it.”

And Psalm 100:4 tells us HOW to Enter— “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name.”

Be sure to submit a Praise Report today and enter through that narrow gate few ever find!

 

“Lay Down in HIS Lap”

I used to call my Beloved: my Lord/God, now i am being taught by Him that I am His Bride and He is my Husband, and my Beloved. The one I must love most and learn to enjoy His companionship ALWAYS.

Last week I was having these phenomenal days with HL. I was able to start calling Him sweet words, enjoying my normal routine with Him, then I was took to a great weekend with my EH, celebrating our 24 wedding anniversary. My Beloved was providing for it all, we were having a good time, playing around having 2 Husbands, a Perfect One, and a human one.:) I am still learning this whole new situation, I am trusting my Beloved to teach me how to keep faithful to Him.

Our first day was perfect, He prepared every single detail, weather was sun shining and beautiful moon/stars at night. I was so thankful, I thought I would explode. Suddenly I took my eyes from Him, and was hurt. I did repent, but it triggered an old, old process of blame and accusations against myself. I had my peace stolen, and my great relationship with my Beloved interrupted. Inside me there were old bad feelings, a great black cloud surrounding me, feelings of failure, not being loved, not being protected, being a disappointment, a lot bad thoughts, it was bigger than myself.

I did pray and was quiet, but i did not succeed so fast. I confessed all my sins, bad feelings and bad thoughts, but the great dark cloud still there next day. I did confess again, at this point I told Him if He would not help me and heal me, I would never be sane again, because it was like an old raw wound, infected, purulent, full of flies feeding from it. I kept asking Him to heal me, to help me. I did keep my mouth closed, I knew it would not come good from it during this trial.

Yesterday, i finally lay down in HIS lap and asked Him to sing for me, I needed to feel His love (I have a few love songs in my phone). I told Him I would start again, letting Him love me, slowly, not expecting too much of myself, asked Him to please forgive my double mind about Him and His Love for me. I must learn how to not compare my father and EH treatment for me with His, my HH.

I know that all this happen because I need to TRUST HIM no matter what, and to learn to keep my eyes on HIM. I also need to feed myself more of HIS LOVE and of HIS SECURE words. One thing is to know this with my mind, and the other is to control feelings and thoughts that come from a hidden internal wound. It is a process and HH could heal me long time ago, but He choose not to heal like an instant miracle, instead He is going with me throughout a full process, to teach me more, so I will be able to help others with the same kind of hurt, and to understand them.

When we are in the middle of it, we do not think properly, straight. After a while listening His love songs, I did read a lot, and keep on with my chores, in a while He started showing me so great care and love. And I was thanking Him PTL and HIS generous treatment. I finally had a great night of sleep, great dreams, and wake up my new me. I was so happy to wake up LIGHT again, praising Him, loving Him and His creation.

It all took 5 days, the first one with this mental fight, the others I was seeing a lot of dark things hidden inside me, I was confessing it all and asking Him to clean me up and take me back to sanity, and to Him. Nobody around me notice much. For me this is progress and I can say it today, I am not where I want to be, but I am not where I used to be. I did a few harm, mostly to myself, very few to my EH.

Reading PR, "Almost Ruined the Progress"  i felt lead to share mine. I have gone through a lot of pain, despair, and feelings of abandonment and rejection. I have been where she was, I know her pain because I did feel it, and done the same mistakes.

I did ask my EH to get out home, I did pack my things and left SG where to go and what to do, HH send me back home always.

HL is SOMETHING MORE that I do need. Finally I am learning better, learning to be cared, to be protected by HH, to be loved by Him, to wait for His rescue. I still have a way to go renewing my mind with this new revelation for me.

~ Laura Olivia in Brazil

 

“Our Project”

Yesterday I read the lesson, A Heavenly Husband. I thought I understood what that meant and felt like I was doing pretty well with seeing Jesus as my Heavenly Husband. However the lesson gave me a lot to think and pray about and I realized that I was really clinging to my EH and not to my HH. My dryer has been making some squeaking noises for some time, which I've ignored. A few days ago when I went to run the dryer a banging sound was added and I decided I better figure out what was going on. I looked online at possibilities and figured out I would need to take apart the dryer so I could look inside to figure out the problem and order the right part. However it required a tool that I knew I didn't have with me in the house. I really didn't want to ask my EH to help me with this. I thought about asking my neighbor but didn't want to get him involved either, even if it was just loaning me a tool, because he's made comments in the past about my EH or implying things about our separation. So I prayed and asked my Heavenly Husband to help me with this repair.

I went out to the shed where my husband had kept his tools to see what was left, praying that my Heavenly Husband would help me find a 5/16 nut driver. As I looked around I started crying because none of the tools I was finding were right, and honestly I felt a moment of panic that my Heavenly Husband wasn't going to provide this for me. Silly, I know, but I had that split second of doubt and fear and I need to confess it. Almost immediately I felt I just needed to keep looking. I looked down on the ground and saw a small tool box I didn't recall seeing lying there before. I opened it and found exactly what I needed! I went inside, praising my God and His Son, *my* Heavenly Husband, who love and care for me enough to provide me with a silly, very specific tool when I need it. Now I'm just waiting on the parts to arrive so that we can finish this project together 🙂 I can't even begin to express the love I have for Him, and the love and delight I feel He has for me. As things become more bleak looking around me, I feel Him drawing me ever closer to Him, holding me safe, secure, and loved, as the spiritual storm rages around me.

"The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing." (Zephaniah 3:17 ESV)

Our God, as our Savior and our Heavenly Husband, celebrates us! What an amazing thing to imagine, to know, that we bring Him such joy, and He's filled with such love for us that He exults (other translations say He delights, rejoices, celebrates) over us with loud singing! HE is delighted by, rejoices over, is passionate about US!

“I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine..." (Song of Songs 6:3)

I belong to Him completely; spirit, soul and body, heart, mind and will. And He gives Himself to me completely. In Ephesians it says that the husband should love his wife giving his life for her AS Christ gave His for the church. My beloved has already given His life for me, and gives it to me, daily, along with all power and authority He has from His Father. How can I not be in love with Him? I picture myself like His bride, the queen 🙂

~ Luana in South Carolina

 

“He Looked Deeply into my Eyes”

I heard my HH say, "Come walk with me." Immediately I saw myself as a little girl and I was holding His hand. I was happy with Him. Then I heard Him say to me, "I want you to stop seeing yourself as a little girl when I am with you. I want you to start seeing yourself as the woman you are now, with your hair turning grey, and with how you look right now." Immediately the picture changed and there I was looking as I look right now. This time as we walked together, He had His arm around me. Our embrace was warm, my head resting on His shoulder and part of His chest, and we walked and talked together. For the first time ever, I was able to look up and into His eyes (although I could not decipher shape or colour) and He looked deeply into my eyes with a love I have never experienced before. ~ Challice in South Africa

 

“Glow of a Bride”

I was having difficulty becoming the Lord's bride. From the beginning of my RJ I thought that having God as my HH was strange. I knew him as my Father only. But I could see that my marriage restoration was at a stand still and then began to go backwards. I was speaking with a friend & she was telling me her current troubles. I began telling her that God can do anything and He can be whatever we need Him to be. He can be a healer if we are sick, provider if we need a financial blessing, whatever we need. As I was talking the Lord said to me then why won't you let me be your Husband. I was stunned and I said ok 🙂

So I began seeking God and asked Him to help me become His Son’s bride, remove the feeling I have for my earthly husband and replace it with His love. I began to tell Him that I wanted to be in love with Him, and that I wanted to feel joy, peace, and compassion. I wanted a glow of a bride. I want Him to show me what it feels like to be so in love with Him that I no longer seek restoration to my EH.

I became His bride and He became my Heavenly Husband. I would keep saying all I want is You, You are my Husband. Take Your place in my heart. I want to be Your bride. One night at work my EH called and asked what I was doing. I told him I was reading about becoming the Lord's bride. He didn't say a word. He quickly changed the subject.

My EH and I shared some really good intimate moments during that week. I had asked God to let my husband tell me he loved me something he had not said first in years. And within 1 day of me asking, my husband called me and told me he loved me. What I did not realize at the time was the enemy was setting me up for a trap. I opened my mouth to my EH and the very next day he was with the OW. I was devastated, because I took my focus from my HH and put it on my EH. Big mistake, the pain that I have suffered these last few days has been difficult. I was ashamed, guilty, and embarrassed to come back and ask God for forgiveness and take me a His bride again. But I did it.

I was shopping and needed to buy water, etc. This is something that my EH and I do together because I am not suppose to lift (due to a back injury). My first thought was I will wait until my EH comes home from work and ask him to go to the store with me. But while shopping I found myself down the water aisle and picked up 2 cases. I kept going with tears in my eyes because I felt alone. Then in an instant my HH said, I am here with you.

I don't need my EH I need my HH. He will be my focus from this day forward. The joy that filled my heart. He loves me. I am not worthy but He loves me anyway. I could not wait to get home and share my experience with other women that are struggling in this area. The tears of joy keep coming.

Dear Sister,

I beg you to ask God to be His Son’s bride and Him your Husband. This may seem strange if you grew up like I did knowing God as your father, provider, healer, etc.  a Heavenly Husband was never taught but should be. Focus on Him only. When I praise Him now I say thank you Husband. That is my term of endearment for Him. He can and will be whatever you need Him to be. He is awesome and loves each and everyone of us.

"But I have this [charge] against you, that you have left your first love [you have lost the depth of love that you first had for Me]." (Revelation 2:4 AMP)

Dear Sisters this is a charge that is heavy to bear. Return to your First. He will wrap His arms around you and the love that you will feel will never compare to any other.

~ Kendra in New Jersey

 

“We Will Win!”

So it appears that my marriage is getting restored, I really am not sure because my EH gave conditions (ungodly conditions to say the least) which I did try to fulfill but I don’t think I did them to his satisfaction, but anyway.

So, now because I don’t know whether he'll be dropping the divorce or not since I'm not sure whether he was satisfied with my attempt at obeying him I have been really worried. Worried that he will go through with the divorce, but also worried that he might drop the divorce and yet he hasn’t changed...he still speaks like the same man I left 10 months ago and that scares me too.

These worries made me realize that I have again moved my focus from my HH to my EH and that’s why I've been feeling miserable the last couple of days.

But I didn’t know how to get back to my HH because I felt guilt when I realized that restoration still means so much to me. I thought I was at a point where it didn’t matter to me but alas! Here I was pining away at the fact that restoration was not happening fast enough even though my EH doesn’t want a divorce anymore.

Though I didn’t know how to now go back to my HH, I just prayed simple prayers to Him last night asking Him to please show Himself to me again as my Husband. I told Him that I don’t really know how to be loved by a husband in a healthy manner since I've always subjected myself to relationships with men who would emotionally abuse me even when I dated before marriage.

I told Him I don’t know how to be loved and I dont know how to experience Him as my Husband and that He should show me because I thought I got it but I had again moved my eyes from Him to my EH.

I then slept with some praise and worship music on. During my sleep, the Lord kept speaking into my heart, it wasn’t even dreams, He was speaking different things into my heart and it seemed so real. I kept telling Him I don’t want an imaginary relationship with Him and He made sure it felt very real. My heart was so assured of His realness and His love so much so I begged Him never to take that away from me. Even when I'd wake up to go to the loo, I knew He was speaking to me and I continued to ask Him never to take that away from me, that realness of Him.

My biggest fear is to ever lose Him. That's the one thing I fear; to ever lose the kind of intimacy I have felt with Him. I don’t like any moment or day that I don’t feel His presence and love; it terrifies me and I pray that He will keep assuring me that He will never leave me nor forsake me.

“...because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’” (Hebrews 13:5)

May this sink into all of us that He is with us every moment of every day. I know it's tough to hold on to this truth when circumstances seem to swallow us and we wonder why He doesn’t intervene in a way we can see. But faith is the evidence of what we don’t see, and what we currently don’t see is how He is working to change us and our situations but He gives us faith daily to keep believing and holding on to Him. So, let's not lose heart, we are running a good race and we will win!

~ Kopano in Namibia

Like so many whose marriages are restored, soon after Kopano let go and the Lord was truly her HH, her marriage was RESTORED!! “ANY Marriage can be Saved!!”

 

“Discovering My Heavenly Husband”

I admittedly was having a hard time reconciling God the Creator of Heaven and Earth, the Omnipotent Power, with God my Heavenly Husband. My upbringing made it seem sacrilegious to consider the Lord as my Husband, because of the worldly connotations.

However, I have prayed that He would give me the wisdom to understand and He is faithful. He revealed to me what that meant. He showed me that He could be whatever or whoever I felt I needed. I believe that I was lonely without my EH, and He showed me that He is always with me. I was fearful that I had no one to call when leaving late to make sure I made it to my car safely (as I often did with my EH), but He showed me that He is the ultimate protector. I could go on. Anything I thought I got only from my EH, He did even better. I praise God for that revelation.

This week, my HH lavished me with such surprises .., things I would have in the past wanted to do with my husband. For example, He took me out to the ballet, something that my EH probably would not have wanted to see, even though it was something I was interested in. He not only provided me with great seats, and wonderful company. He also treated me to a wonderful dinner under the stars with love music. I had not been going out because of fears of eating alone, etc. My God showed me that He is better than my EH could ever be. The more I trusted Him, the more I saw Him in my life. For example, I sowed into my girlfriend's life by sharing with her nuggets about keeping the peace in her marriage and not arguing with her husband, my HH rewarded with me a designer purse, something that I would have only expected from my EH. My HH is so good. Sometimes, I have to be careful as I talk to Him, so others won't think that I am crazy.

"Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Who can list the glorious miracles of the Lord? Who can ever praise him enough?" (Psalms 106:1-2)

"For your Creator will be your husband; the Lord of Heaven's Armies is His Name! He is your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, the God of all the earth. For the Lord has called you back from your grief - as though you were a young wife abandoned by her husband." (Isaiah 54:5-6)

Even the midst of trials, if you trust God and look at things through lens of faith, you will see the abundance of God's love for his brides. We would spend all our days listing the blessings that He has lovingly given us. Instead of focusing on the things that are currently absent (like our husbands), if we focus on what He has given us, we will be overjoyed.

~ Kesha in Arizona

 

“Becoming HIS Bride”

I am moving closer to becoming the Lord's Bride, I can feel it. I'm not sure if I'm totally there yet, but I know I'm on my way and I WILL get there because that is where I DESIRE to be ;).

I was a basket case when I started this RJ with the Lord. Slowly He started to work in my life and little by little I began to realize that He was very real and more than able to help me. I never dreamed it would turn into what it has. He just blows my mind everyday!!

I grew up in a very legalistic church, it was all about the do’s and don’t, and this is how I perceived God…….STRICT!! I felt He was a distant and far off God like Erin explains about in the Heavenly Husband Lesson and that He could never be concerned about me and my messy life. I had never witnessed anyone around me with a TRUE relationship with the Lord. So this is the first hurdle that I had to get over, realizing that the Lord was by no means strict and He was there for me to go to and simply talk with, and that I could have a relationship with Him, the ONE who really, really LOVED me!!

It actually took a very long time for this to happen. I was also fearful of allowing myself to trust in someone fully! I had been let down by so many people from my past including my EH, that learning to trust Him as a bride trusts a new husband was difficult but something He helped me overcome. I simply started asking Him to help me trust Him as a faithful Husband and to show me that I could! When you ask Him, you can expect Him to give what you ask for :).

Now, I love spending time with Him, letting Him love me and comfort me. I no longer feel unloved and I no longer feel ANY pain from being a rejected wife. It is quite the opposite now, I go to my HH for comfort and love because I long to be with Him and not because I hurt with pain of rejection! I just want to BE with Him. When we are together, I feel so loved. When we I sense we are apart, I long to be with Him and near Him.

RMI has always encouraged us as ministry members to take the Lord as our Husband and to see Him that way. I guess that is what kept me seeking after it, and recently the HH Lesson has been a great help and REALLY nailed it for me, I REALLY got it!! And I know that I know, HE will do for me far above and beyond what any EH could do. Unconditionally Love, Honor, and Cherish me forever and always!!

This past week He has spoken to me about His Will for me. I always pray that His Will be done; however, I believe there is such a thing as His permissive will and His perfect will.

To be in His permissive will I could pray for a restored marriage and He would grant that. But He has placed upon my heart to be in His Perfect WILL and after I read the HH lesson over and over, this phrase did something inside me that has changed me FOREVER: "A woman's heart should be hidden so deep in God that a man will have to find HIM before he can find her."

So I am praying for His PERFECT Will and I am enjoying every minute of the day with the Lord as my HUSBAND! I know I don't need anyone else to fulfill me like He does. He not only makes my heart LEAP, He takes the BEST care of me and provides for me when I am helpless to do so. He LOVES ME perfectly!!!! Just a little over a week ago, my HH gave me a white gold wedding band with 11 diamonds that I know wear as a symbol of being HIS BRIDE, HIS AND HIS ALONE!!

I will submit to His PERFECT Will for my life, but I am not willing to settle for anything less. Why? Because He wants HIS BEST FOR HIS BRIDE and so do I.

HIS BEST and HIS PERFECT WILL is for your EH to come back to you as a changed man and also in love with the LORD!! Are you willing to settle for anything less?

~ Cindy

 

“Encouraging a Friend”

For a few days my longtime family friend, then when I wrote sensing she needed a few of Erin’s Weekly Messages that I copied and emailed to her. A day later her reply was filled with desperation. Here is my reply to her that I believe is meant for many of you who are feeling desperate too.

Dear Mona,

Thanks so much for sharing where you are and for confirming that He led me to suggest you apply to Restoration Fellowship after sending you you a couple of Weekly Messages that I felt could help.

First let me encourage you by saying that though you can't quite get there seeing the Lord as your Heavenly Husband, I believe it's pretty difficult to do when you are living with an earthly husband. But what I want to encourage you to do is to think of Him as your Lover—nothing that is wrong or sinful—but instead your first love, whom you should be faithful to.

My daughter reminded me of how much trouble she had with the same concept, but it was due to her never being married or even close to a man (never dating or having a boyfriend). So I SG and one day I was able to encourage her by encouraging her to think of the Lord as her Betrothed, like a woman who has an arranged marriage (much like the princess she is) and that is all she needed for it to click.

Dearest Mona, I know the Lord is longing for you to come to Him with each and every difficulty and heartbreak you are experiencing, and talking with Him about every detail when you said you are “up hiding away in the corner of your roof upstairs.” And there you let Him know how much you want everyone gone [the family who has moved in with you and your husband]. Then once you really are able to feel His love for you, you will soon be able to relinquish what He does or doesn't do—instead you’ll be fully trusting His perfect plan for you.

Mona I really sense something is about to happen, something AMAZING. And we know this is true when we read...

Psalm 92:6-7—

“A senseless man has no knowledge, Nor does a stupid man understand this: That when the wicked sprouted up like grass And all who did iniquity flourished, It was only that they might be destroyed forevermore.”

Here are some more verses I couldn't stop thinking about that I want you to read at least ONCE each and every time you go to your special place with your Lover.

Isaiah 64:4—“For from days of old they have not heard or perceived by ear, Nor has the eye seen a God besides You, Who acts in behalf of the one who WAITS for Him.”

Isaiah 64:4 Voice—“No eye had ever seen, and no ear had ever heard such wonders, but You did them then for the sake of Your people, for those who trusted in You.”

Ephesians 3:20—“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us...”

Ephesians 3:20 TLB—“Now glory be to God, who by his mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of—infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes.”

Ephesians 3:20 The Message—“God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams!”

Isaiah 30:18—“Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you, and therefore He WAITS on high to have compassion on you. For the LORD is a God of justice; how blessed are all those who long for Him.”

Lastly. Even if you're sitting downstairs and some sort of chaos begins, you don't even need to slip away to call your Lover on your cell phone. You can sit right there, surrounded by it all, while your head and heart begin to speak and interact with Him and soon you will feel His love surrounding you, while peace settles over your heart. 🙂

Psalm 23: 1-3—“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He MAKES ME lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul.”

Mona, my family and I love you so much, so I can't even fathom how much the Lord loves you!! And though not being able to work would worry many people, to me I'm grateful that He has made you lie down...

Psalm 23: 1-3—“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He MAKES ME lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul.”

Mona, you are home for Him to heal your past by restoring your soul, and being forced to hide away with Him is all part of His perfect plan!

Isaiah 55:8–9: “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.’”

Jeremiah 29:11—“‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.’”

Much love,

~ Michele in California came to RMI when she was facing divorce. After reading the RYM book, A Wise Woman and she began helping Erin with her books, very soon her marriage was RESTORED.

 

“I am His and He is Mine”

The moment when my heart skipped a beat, and I knew that no matter what I am loved by my Creator and that He will always be my Husband, I felt like dancing in the streets!!! The freedom that came over me was like nothing I had ever felt before. The knowing I have never been and never will be forsaken, that He will NEVER leave me, that He has always loved me; There are no words that can give that feeling justice!!!

Isaiah 54:5 ESV “For your Maker is your Husband, the Lord of hosts is His name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth He is called.

Hebrews 13:5b ESV “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

As I would wake in the morning and thank Him for another day, then sit and do my lessons, I found myself crying out to HIm constantly. This was all in the beginning. I would say “ I want to give it all back. I don’t want to worry about the house, the bills, the yard work, the cars, the oil to heat the home, the gas to cook…” the list went on and on. These are the areas I tried controlling in my marriage and then He began showing me how wrong I was. As I would cry out to Him, I felt warmth and peace that I could not explain.

Then there was that day, that eye opening day!! I had read so many times about my creator being my Husband BUT on this day, this beautiful eye opening day, I grasped it. My God, My Lord, My Savior is my HUSBAND!!! HE CHOSE ME!!

There I was talking away to Him about my day or what just happened. Asking Him about purchases that needed to be made, thanking Him for allowing the finances to be taken care of by Him. I cannot explain how He took the household bills and reduced them down to just about nothing. How He supplied oil and gas for my home when it seemed impossible. How He has opened doors for us (He and I) to be able to bless others.

Philippians 4:19 ESV “And my God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

His Joy, His Love, His Peace is like nothing anyone or anything could ever give. Keep your eyes on Him. We are rich! Ladies WE ARE RICH!! Our Husband owns everything. We are RICH!! Because Our Husband loves us unconditionally. HE LOVES US…….HE LOVES ME! There is nothing like His love, it never changes. It is always there. You do not have to work for it, He gives it freely.

There is so much He has done and continues daily to do. Embrace Him. Read His word. Write your 3x5 cards and ENJOY this Journey!!

Be Encouraged!!

~ Hana who has a Restore Your Marriage

 

“He’s Curious about Me”

Since I can remember, I always wanted to be somewhere else, but not where I was. I was never satisfied with the present moment. Either I was running to my past or dreaming and imagining my future.

My diary was always full.  I was trying to fill my life with busyness. When I was alone, oh, it was unbearable!

When I met the Lord and began to know Him personally as a Friend (5 years ago), He slowly began changing me without me realizing it. I was able to quiet my spirit. I began appreciating the beauty of God’s natural creation, and fell into His presence.  As I walked through the fields on my way to or from work, I started to talking to Him or thanking Him for all this beauty which surrounded me.

Although I considered my new disposition as a miracle, I was still rushing through life and depending on people. I honestly did not want to change anything in my life that time because I was happy. I had bit of Him and a bit of idols of the world.

But the Lord had a better plan for me!!! He removed me completely from the world, from people and started changing me on so many levels.

I remember when I first read the book How God Can and Will Restore Your Marriage, Erin stated that the Lord will first change other areas of your life before He changes or heals the marriage. However, I was so blind!  I did not see that there was something in me that has to be destroyed. Big fool!

Now everyday I sit in amazement of how much He has moved in my life. In every area! What was impossible just to imagine for me, was not impossible for Him.

I now love to be alone. I love to talk only to Him. I love imagining my new Husband by my side all day long.

I do not care about the past, and more importantly about the future. I put my future in His hands. He has control about everything so I do not have to worry.

I enjoy the present moment like never before. I became more patient since there is nowhere I can rush. I have learned to enjoy everything in the moment. Why is this? Because I found the Company of my life who is never leaving me. He is curious about my thoughts, about my duties, about the things which are making me happy.

So with Him by my side, I enjoy each day. I do not expect a bigger miracle than this. I wish this present moment would last forever. How could there be something even better than this?

One day when I was praying, I started to laugh because I realized what I was saying. I not only wanted to do His will, but I also wanted to be the woman He wanted me to be. I wanted to dress how He wanted me to dress; I wanted to say, what He wanted me to say. I wanted to dance (in my room for Him) the way He wanted me to dance. I wanted to wake up when He wanted me to wake up, and I wanted to eat what He wanted me to eat. I devoted my life completely to Him. I gave Him everything,  and I want to live like this. It is not me anymore, but Christ through me. And this is the biggest happiness in my life.

He is my happiness.

~ Sandy

 

“Gooey Eyed for Him”

So much good has been happening to me - too much to share in just one praise report. I will share the very best thing that has happened. The Lord has truly become my Heavenly Husband. This was the hardest part of this journey for me. No matter what I did I just could not feel gooey eyed for Him like I saw in other women. I just felt weird calling him Husband or truly feeling that deep closeness with Him as a husband is. Especially without being physically able to touch Him or hold His Hand or see His face.

I have never been a very emotional person. I built up walls due to many things in my life like my parents’ divorce and the adultery in my marriage. My parents always pushed my sisters and I to talk about feelings because they are both counselors. It always made me feel uncomfortable sharing feelings so I built up a wall. I did this mainly because they would want us to share, but then subtly judge us or tell others. Also, I didn't want to feel because it was safer. If I didn't feel I couldn't get hurt which also led me to drink and experiment with drugs starting as a teenager.

With that being said, I am so grateful that I have this new found deeper love for the Lord than I have ever had or ever thought was possible. This was nothing I did to earn it though I tried to no avail. I tried to force the feelings but just couldn’t feel that husband type of love for Him. God always felt distant to me. This was something that I kept crying out to Him to make me feel these feelings for Him and He has. One day it just happened. There was a change in me.

He changed me and it was all in His timing and for a reason. So much had to be broken out of me. I am truly in love. When I got to this point nothing else mattered. It was only Him. This is so much better than having a restored marriage. Now I find myself praying that my husband won’t come home while I’m awake so I will be able to just have more time with Him.

It brings me to tears how good He is and how He is so faithful to answer prayers. Once He is your Husband, you can’t be hurt anymore. Though I stumble every now and then, He brings me right back to Him and it’s wonderful! I feel so blessed and loved. I have so much more faith in who my Husband truly is.

~ Mona in Massachusettes

 

“Not Scary Anymore”

I lift up the name of my Lord Jesus and say He is worthy of all the praise, honor and glory!

He is what I have been searching for all my life. In Him I’ve experienced love like I have never experienced before. He's given me peace in the midst of the storm. He is greater than the greatest! He is greater than all men. He is awesome and He completes me. My life is complete.

Things don’t mean anything to me anymore. Even if my marriage is not restored or my EH gets full custody of our children, the Lord will still be my number one. I’ve cast all my burdens upon Him and taken up my cross to follow him. It is not scary anymore. I have found what I have been looking for. He is enough for me.

Psalm 40: 7 – 8 “Then I said, “Here I am, I have come – it is written about me in the scroll. I desire to do your will, O my God, your law is within my heart.”

I thought my EH, children, wealth and friends would fill the void but I know nothing except my Lord. He cannot break your heart or mine. He is the Man of all men. He has crowned me with His beauty and covered me with His love. He will never break His covenant. He will never stop loving you and me. He says nothing can separate us from His love. He is faithful.

Is 54: 10 “Though mountains be shaken and the hills be removed yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken, nor my covenant of peace be removed.”

What more can I ask for? But say come Lord Jesus, come and take your rightful place in my heart and abide there forever. Nothing in this world can give me such joy.

Jeremiah 33: “Give thanks to the Lord Almighty for the Lord is good; his love endures forever.”

Halleluiah! Halleluiah!

~ A Beginner Student in Kenya

 

"I am His Bride"

My Husband has taken me from nothing, literally nothing, to His Bride working for Him. He has brought me to the lowest of lows to the tallest mountain ever. He has stripped me of everything only to overfill me. He has allowed me to be abandoned beyond lonely only to find Him even greater!!

“Your sins were like a big cloud, but I wiped them all away. Your sins are gone, like a cloud that disappeared into thin air. I rescued and protected you, so come back to Me.” (Is. 42:22 ERV)

So no matter how crazy messed up my life is or how much I “feel,” I am far better off now than I have ever been in my whole 24, almost 25, years of living!!! I am the happiest I could ever imagine. I have a Husband who choose me, He picked me when no one literally wanted me. He was there when everyone left me to figure it out. He picked me up when no one was around to give me a hand. He was the only One I could count on to not give up on me. He was the one who did not judge me but caught my tears in His bottle. He has been One of the most amazing things that has ever happened in my life!!!

“Though the Lord gives you the bread of distress and the water of oppression, your teacher will no longer hide, but you will see your teacher. If you stray to the right or the left, you will hear a word that comes from behind you: “This is the way; walk in it.” (Is. 30:20-12 CEB)

He has taught me more about myself than I have ever known and has broken me of ways I never knew were in me. He has filled me with love I never thought I would feel or show to others. He has taken a lowly servant to His amazing Bride!! He choose me out of all the people in this world and in my family He wanted me!!!

I may not always know or understand my purpose here, but I do know I trust Him with my now and my future. No one knows me better than Him and no one has shown me sooo much. He is the GREATEST Husband ever and I am where He wants me! My purpose now and for the rest of my life is His purpose, I am no longer my own but His!!!

I can’t explain it and I can’t tell you how I got here but I can tell you I would NEVER go back and I certainly would never change it. The love He feels for me daily is always there but never less than the day before, always greater. The Husband I have in Him is one that has been in my dreams! Never did I think it could be real, dreams do come true ;).

I love that I am here and I love that I am His. Like I said I’m not sure how I got to this point of finding Him as my Husband, I just know it continues to be Him, not me!! He keeps making me the person He desires and will never give up on me when I get it wrong. He knows what I am going to do before I even think of it ;).

There has never been a better Husband out there and there never will be, He is all I need and then some!! Yes, the enemy has a field day with me sometimes, but that is when my Husband protects me, and yes I literally see Him as my Husband!! Crazy I know, but I even imagine sitting next to Him, holding His hand, running with Him, eating meals with Him and everything I do I picture Him doing it with me.

I used to despise being alone and disliked it even more doing it alone, I always wanted someone to be and do it with me. But here I am and want no other but Him to do it with and to be there for me. He blesses me in ways I just cannot begin to tell you, but it is what He wants to do as my Husband. I will continue to praise Him in the midst of the enemy attacks and know everything is in His hands!!! I even picture Him holding His hand out with my whole life in His palm looking at it and moving this and that around for His glory!!

“Look! I see a man in a chariot with a team of horses.” The messenger said, “Babylon has been defeated! It has fallen to the ground! All the statues of her false gods were thrown to the ground and broken to pieces.” (Is. 21:9 ERV)

I am not longer my own but I am His Bride now and forever, it just simply happened ;).

~ Mandy in Tennessee

 

“He Holds My Hand”

Praise The Lord for all He is doing in my life. It is so hard to see with our eyes sometimes all that God is doing in our lives. It is easy to focus on the troubles, trials and tribulations. I just desire more than anything that I become more and more in love with my HH.

I am having so many difficulties as I am being attacked by Satan to give up and believe that God is not doing what He promises to me in His word. I know satan is a liar and I refuse to believe Him. Instead no matter how difficult things have become I am holding on to my Heavenly Husband and Father even stronger. He has brought me through trials before, He will do it again in His time. He will never forsake me, He is with me even in the midst of it all. I just trust He will pull me out of the muddy pit. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will not fear because He is with me. I count it all joy, through all the trials as I know this is His will for me.

I was crying to the Lord this morning, begging as I have been recently over and over; please Jesus help me, I don't know what to do. PTL, about an hour later I found a check in my mail for about $350 addressed to me, one that I did not expect from an old job I worked years ago. My Lord shall provide according to His riches and glory.

No matter how hard it becomes my dear HH will see me through, He will hold my hand and guide me.

~ Jen in Maryland

 

“Love & Forgiveness”

“Love covers a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8

God requires us to love, it is not a choice. I thank God for this trial in my life, and as a result I am growing more intimate with my HH. Love is a word that I have come to LOVE.

This week my HH placed several verses on my heart about love and forgiveness. I used to take so much for granted prior to this storm in my marriage, like how my EH used to always say to me “I love you”. As time passed the words went away. I used to ponder over that and I would struggle with forgiveness. Honestly at times through this journey I have struggled to forgive my EH for this situation with the OW. I realized that I must forgive in order to love. For the same reason that he stopped saying those words to me, I have learned to say them more and more and more to my HH. What I am trying to say is that out of what seems like a terrible situation, I have learned to love and it’s all because of God!! Now I do not even hesitate to use the word LOVE nor do I hesitate to forgive. I was selfish and self contained as I was so excited about hearing that from my EH.

Praise the Lord, I love this ministry and I so thank Erin for sharing with us and giving us all the love that she does. I am in a fellowship group and I love the ladies that are in the group. I volunteer and I love the ladies that I work with. I thank God for all of you. Praise God for all He has blessed me with through this journey. I thought that I understood and knew what real love was, yet today I know that love is not a choice, God expects us to forgive and commands us to love.

My HH talked to me about the fruits of the Spirit. I have kept them near and dear to my heart all week: Love, patience, joy, peace, kindness, and faithfulness. I always want to walk in the Spirit so that I produce the fruits of the Spirit. I asked my God to cleanse my heart and work on me.

My HH loves me so much and takes care of me and my family. My journey has been painful yet if it were not for the love of God, I would have never made it this far. There are things that I will be able to share later on in my journey that I know will help other ladies get through this journey. Do not give up, and even when it seems like it’s at it’s worst, God is always with us. He will never fail us!

~ Dedrie in Delaware

 

“Burden Lifted!”

It was December and my plan was to complete the first Rebuilder’s course. I was in a good place and excited about the next step in my journey. Man plans and GOD laughs.

Proverbs 19:21 “There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.”

By mid December I confess that I found myself struggling with my thoughts. I was at a loss. Then my praise report was returned and all I could do was talk to my Heavenly FATHER whom I realized I had not allowed to take His place as my HEAVENLY HUSBAND. Praise the LORD for those Aha moments! I gave it all to GOD. All of my shortcomings, my faults, my flaws, my sins, my desires, my mistakes, my FH, my failed marriage, my good, and my bad. “Didn't you do this before and nothing changed,” said the enemy.

Luke 22:31 “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat.”

I did and I praise the LORD for the Encouragers because I know others have traveled on the same path and their lives are forever changed. This is a process that doesn't happen overnight. So I prayed and I fasted. I got into HIS word like never before. I was and am determined not to give up. GOD is a great and awesome GOD. I am so thankful that HIS ways are not my ways.

Isaiah 55:8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord.”

After the first day of my fast I felt different. My trust in HIM grew. By the end of my fast my desire for HIM increased. I had to die to self and I am ready to live in HIM. The burden I carried of my failure as a wife and all of the mistakes I have made in my lifetime were gone. I felt lighter. I felt HIS peace.

Matthew 11:30 “For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.”

Revelation 21:5 “And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And He said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.”

Praise GOD for His loving kindness and forgiveness. Whenever my mind gets off track I take that thought captive. I decided to go through the Renewing Your Mind Course again because I want to be sure I am ready for the next level.

I want to praise GOD for you ladies also. GOD gives us subtle reminders through the Encourager and the praise reports. Thank you Erin and RMI Sisters for keeping my spirit lifted. Praise the LORD for being in His rightful place as my Heavenly HUSBAND. I am experiencing that side of the list that Erin wanted us to write (life if restoration didn't happen). Honestly, I am enjoying it. From time to time I think of my FH, but I quickly get rid of that thought because the past is behind me. I have finally found peace being single in the natural and married in the spirit with MY LORD. PTL!

~ Sabrina in Texas, Restored Marriage

 

“Peace in the Midst of the Storm”

This is the first praise report I've written in months, mainly because my storm has been raging on and some days I've felt hopeless and questioning my belief in marriage restoration.

Around October I wrote a praise report that was not accepted and I was disappointed in the explanation of why it was, at that time. I thought then my relationship with God was closer than ever and reading that the ministers could see my focus was still my EH was disappointing to me. I had to search inside my heart and see whether I was getting anxious or peaceful in my restoration journey with Him? Was it getting worse or better? I stopped praying so much and started to let go more, out of a place of hopelessness rather than of a place of obedience I might say. I started focusing on the blessings I already have in my life - my beautiful family, my supportive friends, and the prayer groups I've been involved in. I now see my aspect to be better than ever, my health, now a job, and a trip with my friends, and all of these blessings I know can only come from my Lord. I started a habit of thanking Him every morning while I get ready for work and every night while I get ready for bed, and this always puts me in an elevated mood because I can see His blessings in my life in every little detail of the day.

Also, He has lead me to deep prayer meditation which I do with the help of an audio everyday as well. It has helped me quiet my thoughts so I can be more receptive to hear His voice. I've been doing this for a few weeks now and it has done wonders for my emotional state. Being able to let go is hard, and sometimes even when we think we have done everything right, a part of our hearts is still heavy with the burden of thoughts or feelings of "what if’s". In my case, "what if I hadn't left my husband? what if I had fought for our marriage? what if I had called him, instead of cutting my communication? what if wanting restoration is wrong?" I realized the only answer for me was to let go and let God. I could have done a thousand things differently but maybe they would have taken me away from knowing my Lord and Savior.

Today I received some words of wisdom from my ministers, and I have been prompted to write a praise report for a while now, and had not been obedient in that sense, but today I couldn't escape that feeling of praising God in public for all He has done for me.

Blessings for all. Your praise reports encourage me every morning. 🙂

~Dorely in Mexico

 

“Filled a Void”

Today I wanted to just go over the lesson about the Lord becoming my Heavenly Husband. I had begun to repeat the phrase "Lord, You are all I want, all I need and all I live for."  I know that this is becoming so true in my heart.

I remember that there was a time long ago that I could not wait to get home from work and get on my knees beside my bed and just talk to the Lord. Back then I had no idea that He was my HH. I just knew He was all I wanted and needed. Through sin and disobedience I grew apart from the person I needed more than anyone. Yes, I yearned for years to get back to that relationship and when I met people who had that type of relationship with Him I would be so envious. See, I thought I could make a relationship instead of just allowing Him to draw me. I was always caught up in works because I grew up a Baptist and we were taught to work for salvation. This caused me a lot of frustration. My relationship with my HH is not something I can make happen. It will come as I read His loving word, take walks with Him and talk to Him. He will become the deepest desire I need.

This morning He showed me it was happening. Over the summer I used to watch my niece’s little boy and he was everything to me. I mean he filled a void that only my HH should fill. Well I am back to watching him again and this time it is different because there is no void for him to fill because it is filled with my HH. This place in me belongs to Him and Him alone. Yes, I love the little boy but I no longer have that void that needs to be filled.

Dear Brides,

Do not try to work at the relationship or try to make it happen, just allow it to grow. Read His loving word, spend time with Him, talk to Him, let Him change and mold you. The relationship will happen if you allow Him to be the one in control. Remember the enemy always wants us to be in works because this causes us to be frustrated and wore out. Remember light and easy.

~ Bonita in Georgia, RESTORED Marriage

If you’ve struggled with the Lord being your Husband and He’s helped YOU overcome the fear, become an Encouraging Woman by SUBMITTING your praise in the “Overcoming a Hurdle” PRAISE REPORT CLICK HERE.