RESTORED Marriage Testimony: “Rumor was I was Cheating!”

What brought you to RMI? Please use this space to briefly let our readers know what your life was like when you first found us, Rhonda, so our readers understand just what a miracle your restoration is.

Rhonda, how did your restoration actually begin?

I had been married for 6 years, but for at least 4 years we did not get along well. We continued living together amidst all of our ups and downs until one day during a discussion we ended up losing all patience with each other, we each were bitterly offended and then I decided to pack up and leave the house. This decision was made at the time of intense anger, I would never have done it in any other situation, but I ended up doing it because I thought that being away from my husband would make him miss me. It was completely foolish since my husband could not stand me any longer, and that was exactly what he wanted. For me to get out of his life.

How did God change your situation Rhonda as you sought Him wholeheartedly?

During the first week after leaving our home, I began to realize that what I thought would be a few weeks away from home was much more serious than I had imagined. My husband did not want me to come back. What a shock! That's when I looked for help on the internet searching for restoration and soon found the RMI website. I found the books and read each one as fast as I could. Then after filling out an Marriage Encouragement Questionnaire and being offered the free courses, I started the lessons and began really learning so much by journaling. Through the teachings of the books, the many encouraging praise reports, I discovered that I was living a spiritual battle, and I began to seek God with all my might!

What principles, from God's Word (or through our resources), Rhonda, did the Lord teach you during this trial?

I made a habit of reading the Bible and talking to God every day. Morning until night. I took a hard and honest look at the contentious woman I had been all my married life (beginning as a teen with my parents) and began asking for forgiveness from God and from all the people I knew I'd been horrible to. At first I sought professional help, but it did not get me anywhere, and actually made things much, much worse. As soon as I really understood and accepted that God's will was done, that I'd torn my own house down, and there was a huge purpose for God allowing it (so I could find my HH) I was able to give it all to Him and then HE began to act on my behalf. No longer "standing" or battling for my marriage, I was able to focus all my attention on my new and first Love, my HH.

What were the most difficult times that God helped you through Rhonda?

As time went by, the comments about the life my husband was leading began to emerge. He was very respectful to me, because of his character and the protection of God, praise God there was no other woman involved in my EH's life. However, he has always been a very lively and good-natured man, with many friends, with many outside activities, and while I was in deep pain he sought to occupy himself, going out and enjoying life with his friends. I felt very hurt by this, I felt trampled, mistreated, but He used it for good. It pressed me even further, even deeper into the arms of the Lord, my HH, and as He comforted me and took care of me, I felt myself being healed from hurts and wounds from my past.

For a time my husband and I were just giving us each "time" to be away from our relationship, but a day came when he came to me to say that he had made the decision that our marriage really had no hope, and that it was over. It was a very difficult time, but even so, I could not believe that God wanted it to end, and our separation was only to give me time to change, time to heal, time to experience His love. So, this again He used for good, I kept my eyes fixed even more on the Lord.

Rhonda, what was the “turning point” of your restoration?

The turning point was when I was already exhausted with so much suffering, and I began to ask God to have His will done, that I trusted and believed that He had the best plans for me, and that whatever that plan was I would accept. I told Him I'd prefer to have Him only, to remain forever in His love. I believe once God knew my heart belonged to my HH, He was free to remove this difficulty from my life.

Tell us HOW it happened Rhonda? Did your husband just walk in the front door? Rhonda, did you suspect or could you tell you were close to being restored?

One day a friend we had in common with my husband and me came to tell me that she had seen him out with another woman. And when she spoke to him he said he was very well, and when she asked about me, he said he was moving on because I had been cheating on him! She came to warn me to stop "cheating" and to get my life together. I was devastated that this was what he thought, that this rumor, that I was cheating, was being spread, but then I remembered the word that says, "They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the LORD. Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear." Psalm 112:7. I meditated on that Word that day and all night, I cried and gave myself into the arms of my Beloved Lord, asking that His will be done in my life.

It had been about 10 days since I had had no contact with my husband and then just 3 days later, he sent me a message saying that he was extremely sad and wanted to see me. That night we met at a local restaurant, and as I walked in, he got up and came towards me. He hugged me and whispered I love you. We sat down, he took my hands and told me he was very sad with everything that was happening, that until then he had never felt the loss much, but that day he missed me a lot and was in complete agony.

He said he'd heard that I had found someone new, that I had changed and everyone said I was glowing. He said he wanted me to be happy but he simply could not let me go. He would fight to get me back! Glory to God! God had spoken to my husband, and He turned his heart! We talked a lot that night, as I shared Who I had met, Who was making me glow, and even though he was still unsure and not knowing what this really meant, after much talk, he told me to please consider moving back home. That was 3 months ago.

Would you recommend any of our resource in particular that helped you Rhonda?

I recommend the book How God Can and Will Restore Your Marriage the book A Wise Woman and also taking all of the RMI online courses. Without these materials I would not even know where to begin my journey. Be sure to discover your HH and Find your Abundant Life by taking the course.

Dear Brides, all of us want and desire to have a great life, and the best life ever can be found once you're His bride. Our beloved died and promised all of us this life full of abundance@

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is —his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2.

To achieve this perfect life, we must renew our minds and let our Beloved transform us through our circumstances and His word. We need to love and trust our Beloved more than ourselves, if we do love Him, we will learn all He wants us to learn, through trials, because it is for our good, He is taking care of us, and of our family when we are with them or not. We have no other option, we are loved enough to let go of our own evil ways, our rebel behavior and start practicing obedience to His word and principles.

Finding the Abundant Life is a must-read book. My entire life has improved by learning and applying the principles taught in every chapter. And Living the Abundant Life is even better.

It is a book that demands to be put into practice, just reading and doing nothing will not bring real change for your life. The author shares her own struggles with which we can identify ourselves. In my opinion it does help a lot. Each chapter is something real, tangible and has its own place in our modern life, the struggles we face as women. We can walk side by side with our Beloved in our own struggles as Michele does, and try to teach us every chapter of the book.

So if you do want to read a practical, and real book about being His Brides and a lifestyle change to inspire you to live your own life as HIS Bride, to the point you glow and your earthly husband wants to fight for you, this is the book you must read.

Would you be interested in helping encourage other women Rhonda?

Yes

Either way Rhonda, what kind of encouragement would you like to leave women with, in conclusion?

Dear brides do not give up! No matter what is thrown at you. God said he hates divorce and He does not want any family destroyed. Seek God in everything, find your HH, put Him first in your life, and believe and act like His bride! Do not doubt the love and mercy of God on your behalf. He is perfect and powerful, to Him nothing is impossible! As soon as He knows you're first love is your HH, He will do the most amazing things!