Jenna
Minnesota
Separated
At first, this book is going to inspire you. It is going to tell you the words you have been DYING to hear from someone, anyone!: God CAN AND WILL restore your marriage. Those words will be water to your thirsty soul as it was mine. I cried my eyes out when I started this book because these were words that I so desperately needed. Then this book is going to get a little painful. Some people might even stop reading at this point. Because you are going to learn and hear things about yourself that you will absolutely want to deny. It's at this point when you realize that you are largely to blame for what's going on in your marriage. And that will crush you. But it's everything you need to complete this journey. Because if you don't face the things that are in your heart, even the ugly things, you won't get your husband back...but more importantly, you won't and can't be right with God and that is what should really crush you. Once you accept your part in the crumbling of your marriage and repent, you will keep moving forward in this book. And it will become inspirational, practical and a lifeline straight from God.
I had been fighting in the flesh for my husband and I for about two months when he asked me to leave. Leaving meant moving states away back to our home state while he figured out what he wanted. When I got to Minnesota to my mom's, I really turned to the Lord but I still felt in enough time, we'd work it out. Then he called me after about a month and said all kinds of things, but most notably, that he wanted a divorce and asked if I would file the paperwork to get the process started. He felt that we could get divorced now and re-marry later in life. I have to admit, I was devastated but almost relieved. I thought "well the worst has happened" so now I can stop dreading it. I let him know that I was not comfortable filing, so he said that he would the next day. The next day, I started making all kinds of plans to settle in Minnesota and go pack up all of my furniture and things from Indiana. I started REALLY moving in the flesh, I even applied to about 15 jobs. It was officially "operation new life for Jenna". My mom spoke to me and said "is this it? Are you done fighting? What is God saying to you about it?" She encouraged me to fast and to pray and to seek God. So I picked myself up (little did I know, I'd have to keep doing that over and over again with the strength of God) and I started searching for stories of people who got re-married after divorce. Some woman wrote on a comment about hopeatlast.com. Thank God for this woman who was sowing hope online. I had Google'd marriage restoration many times but had never came across your ministry. And suddenly, here I was...I DUG IN. I stopped applying to jobs, I stopped the apartment shopping, I decided not to go back to the other state and grab my things. I hit the floor on my knees. And all I can say was my husband was going to file about two months ago. The papers have not came. I have not heard from him since that day, but all I can do is thank the Lord for each and every day we are still married.
Dear Friend, If you're reading this, you're hurting. I know because I was where you are. At the time I write this, I'm 30 days into this journey and I can tell you that although I have far to go in changing myself, I am more changed in 30 days than I have been in years. There is hope. Jesus went to the cross to give us hope. The Lord is delighted when we put our hope in Him. This is how I picture it: imagine you and your husband are on a sinking ship. And God is in a life boat beckoning you to get in. At first, you refuse. You won't go without your husband. Meanwhile, the ship is sinking. God promises He will bring your husband along later, but there's only room for one in the life boat right now. Will you grab His hand or will you stay on the sinking ship? If you've come to this point, you've decided to grab His hand. The journey ahead will have some storms. There will be waves that come in the form of doubt and fear. But your captain, The Lord, will stay with you in the boat the entire time. Remember, He can walk on water. He can calm the storms. The waves and wind know His name. So rest in Him. Spend the time talking with Him, asking Him questions, learning from Him. And know that He is taking you exactly where you need to go. And your husband? Don't worry, he'll be along later. -Jenna
Kim
Texas
Separated
I have a young friend at my Bible Study that I sit with, pray with, and now have recommended "How God Can and Will Restore Your Marriage". It is a pleasure to recommend a ministry that supports keeping a marriage together when so many just want to throw away what God has said we should do...love, commit, forgive, and be selfless.
Dear Sister, This journey you are beginning is just that...a beginning. Through this time you are about to invest, you will learn so many things about yourself that the Lord will teach you. Let your heart be open, give it all to Him. One thing that I told myself every day is that "He will never leave me, He will never forsake me", and it was true! Praise His name. Be blessed.
Karen
West Virginia (WV)
Married
I would encourage others to read the book and allow God to show them how to apply the principles in their life. And to ask God to show them where they have errored in their own ways.
I would encourage others to read the book and allow God to show them how to apply the principles in their life. And to ask God to show them where they have errored in their own ways.
Faltering by the wayside.
I pray that God will restore your marriage and that you will make room for him to work on your behalf.