♕ Today's Promise: "You [God] have removed my acquaintances far from me; You have made me an object of loathing to them; I am shut up and cannot go out.” Psalm 88:8
Davina, how did your Restoration Journey actually begin?
It all started because I was a difficult woman to be around and everyone who knew me would laugh because of the woman who prided herself as having no control and refused to be in submission to anyone or anything. After I married, I was obsessed and I only thought about my husband 24 hours a day, what he was doing and thinking. I also fought a lot. But my earthly husband (David) was always good to me, until he got tired of me and the things I did, and I sensed he’d emotionally left me after he lost interest. Next he said he didn't love me anymore and wanted to see me as far away from him as he could get. When I looked into his eyes, he looked through me as if I was nothing. All the feelings that I expressed to him were ignored and not reciprocated. Everything got worse, and when I tried to hold on to him and not the Lord, because I was needy and confused and couldn’t make any sense of the lonely nights and dreary weekends alone, I became like a mad crazed woman. Like a wild wounded animal. While everything was falling apart I sensed there was joy on the other side, but I didn't know that this was God's way of drawing me to Him and rescuing me from all that unbearable pain and the woman who I was and who everyone despised, myself included.
How did God change your situation, Davina, as you sought Him wholeheartedly?
When I didn't know what to do anymore, tired of trying, of crying, of regret, I told my HH (Heavenly Husband)“let YOUR will be done” because I don’t want to keep suffering like this. I didn't want to miss David, because we got divorced when he had enough of me.
What principles, from God's Word (or through our resources), Davina, did the Lord teach you during this trial?
Read the Bible day and night, night and day and declare the Word as your truth. Be sure to pray and fast. I also read How God Can and Will Restore Your Marriage several times and started the courses which are very good to keep you moving forward and changing.
What were the most difficult times that God helped you through, Davina?
At that time everything was difficult for me, it was unbearable pain when I felt the pain of rejection, the neediness. I thought I would never have a family like I’d dreamed of because I was divorced and I found out about the OW (other woman). When I begged David not to leave me alone, when he asked me not to drink anymore and so many situations that were crashing down in my life that I cried due to so much pain, mainly the pain in my soul.
Davina, what was the “turning point” of your restoration?
That's when I left everything in God's hands and didn't want to think about David anymore. I fully truly let go.
Tell us HOW it happened, Davina? Did your husband just walk in the front door? Davina, did you suspect or could you tell you were close to being restored?
We were married for 12 years and from the start, it was very difficult. I was a foolish person but David was always affectionate and I, in my ignorance, did everything wrong and ended up making him walk away from me. After I confessed my mistakes to David, everything got worse, he started to go out and come back at dawn and leave me until one day he asked me for a divorce. Oh I cried and cried to God and I searched the internet for a way to alleviate my pain, and with God's mercy, I found RMI and followed the principles of the Bible found in the book How God Can and Will Restore Your Marriage.
I was devastated fighting to get my marriage back and the more I wanted it the more I despised myself and ended up exhausted. I cried bitter tears, but my HH tried His best to get me to understand that God would do it. The book title says that but I just didn't get it. All too soon I fell into deep despair of being alone and thought of ending it all. The divorce was about to happen, then in one day it really happened, we actually got divorced, and that’s when my HH opened my eyes and showed me how much I idolized not Him, but David. I thought about David all the time and left my true Love, setting Him aside. I understood that He wanted me, but I wanted David. So He removed lover and friend, and made me a loathing.
By this time I’d made my way through the first three courses but resisted the course I needed. I didn’t want an abundant life without David. On the day I reached the end and was tempted to start course 1 again, I asked my HH (Heavenly Husband) to fill me with more of Him and help me release my grip on David, to fill me with forgiveness and not hold back kind words. From the moment we got married, even before that, my life consisted of fights, disputes, and out of control behaviour.
As I got closer to my beloved HH and the fear was draining out of my heart, because I felt my beautiful HH (Heavenly Husband) flow in me, over me and through me. I was still in my house, but David had already left and got involved, living with the OW (other woman), for which I was foolish to find out if it was true because I started a huge fight when I had found out and hurt myself and my journey even more, and knowing who she was, who my HH tried to shield me from, also hurt me a lot. So I went to live with my father, but it didn't work out as I’d hoped so soon I went to live with my mother, and it was with my mother that I spent close to four years healing and changing. I no longer worked or went out at all. I remained home, shut up with the Lord.
When I didn't have any more strength to pray for my marriage, I asked the Lord to have His will in my life, when out of nowhere David showed up and started to come to my mother's house to visit us both. Soon after we started dating again and he asked me to marry him. I accepted after his third proposal and we remarried. All honor and glory to our Beloved Heavenly Husband.
Just a month later we discovered we were expecting our first child after the restoration and I knew it was time for me to write my testimony.
May I tell you my beloved friend that as Erin said, after the restoration it would not be easy, and it is true. Many old habits tried to dominate my life, the stresses of everyday life, the tiredness, and even small discouragements make me close to slipping into my old ways. Once my beloved slips to the background, rather than remaining first, I stumble. I have fallen several times but by the grace of my HH (Heavenly Husband) He is there and will always lift me up and finish what He started. He began giving me a new and abundant life. My God is who will fulfill His promises in my life because I do not want to be even an inch away from my beloved.
I am very grateful for His love, power and faithfulness in my life, thank You my HH for everything and know that each day I continue to hope that I may serve You in a much more meaningful way. This is another desire of my heart, to have David as passionate about Him as I am. He is not yet the spiritual leader of our home, but I believe he will soon be. I want my family founded on the Rock and I am content to wait. He has already fulfilled many of my hopes and desires so why not this one? Thank you very much, I love you my HH.
Would you recommend any of our resources in particular that helped you, Davina?
Yes, the Bible and the book How God Can and Will Restore Your Marriage is what helped me so much to keep my eyes on Him and keep my mouth shut. Also the book a Wise Woman and the courses. Everything on your site I know that everything was given to Erin to give to us to help us and edify us and transform us. Take the courses and read the books, this I pray in the name of the Lord.
Would you be interested in helping encourage other women, Davina?
Yes, for sure.
Either way, Davina, what kind of encouragement would you like to leave women with, in conclusion?
Do not give up, even if everything says it’s hopeless, no matter how long it takes. Just think of how many years it took you to get to this state, this mess, so give Him time to heal and transform you and don’t try to restore it yourself or be resistant to what is offered here as it will only prolong your healing and restoration. God says yes, and amen to restoration because what God has united man cannot truly separate. God is faithful and remains faithful, He fulfills everything He promises. When I was losing strength and hope, He lifted me up and helped me to continue trusting and so too God will do for you my beloved friend. Just believe, trust and surrender everything to our HH.
Find more understanding and to overcome the hurdles: #Contentious Woman, #Letting Go and #WWW "won without a word" simply click on the #TAG linked to Restored Marriage Testimonies.
Filed under hashtags#: contentious, letting go, www
Want even MORE Restored Marriage Testimonies to study and learn the linked principles to encourage you?
Read MORE Using the Translate >> Portuguese RMTs and Spanish RMTs
You'll find this in By the Word of Their Testimony (Book 10): "Blessings will Come and Overtake You"
There are even MORE testimonies available to read in By the Word of Their Testimony Full Series Packet: 10 eBooks or by purchasing them in paperback By the Word of Their Testimony Full Series COMBO Packet: Paperback & eBooks.
If you or your husband has returned home, submit your testimony so we can begin to encourage you to continue your Restoration Journey and invite you to our Zoom Fellowship for restored brides.