♕Today's Promise: “And Jesus answered saying to them, ‘Have faith in God. Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, be taken up and cast into the sea, and does not doubt it in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it shall be granted him.’” Mark 11:22–23
Mia, how did your Restoration Journey actually begin?
My restoration began as soon as I let it all go. I would say, about a month prior to my husband, Leron, coming home is when I finally said to myself, I have to start living and not worrying about all the what ifs. So I started leaving the house more often, and I started helping my dear friend that is going through this journey as well. I started concentrating more on the LORD was when my restoration actually began. This is when I saw Leron looking for me more! He began calling and texting me more often. He wanted to see me more often. It's so true what Erin said in her videos, “at the end of your restoration, you really won't want your husband back. Your time with the LORD will never be the same when he comes home.” As she said, I now miss that. I spent all my spare time talking to the LORD, learning HIS Word and just listening for HIM before I was restored. And it’s probably why I am restored now.
How did God change your situation, Mia, as you sought Him wholeheartedly?
I had no communication with Leron for about a month. At first I would cry every single night until one night I got a call in the middle of the night from a "private" number. I answered it and it was Leron. He wanted to know how I (and his daughter) were doing. We talked for about an hour. I made the mistake, before I came to your website, to tell him how I felt and I cried to him. Biggest mistake of my restoration journey! I thought this was the turning point of my restoration, but little did I know, it wasn't going to be this easy. God had a plan for me but I, of course, didn't know it at this time.
What principles, from God's Word (or through our resources), Mia, did the Lord teach you during this trial?
The LORD and this ministry taught me to keep quiet (this was the biggest issue with me). I learned how to stop being such a nag. I always wanted to be the leader of our home. I wanted to say what was going to happen, when it was going to happen and how it was going to happen. Another big mistake on my part. So I learned how to give Leron all control of everything. I go to him now to see what he wants me to do. When it comes to my daughter, I also tell her to ask her dad for permission to do or go anywhere. Even though she is 19 years old, she still lives under our roof.
During this journey I also learned that I need to submit to my husband, I never did this. I was such a contentious person. I don't know that person anymore. I think back to what I would do and say and I scare myself sometimes just thinking of all the awful things I would say and do. The LORD has really done HIS work in me. I am so grateful to you all and of course, to our LORD JESUS CHRIST for showing me the real me, the me He wanted to help me be.
What were the most difficult times that God helped you through, Mia?
The most difficult times during my journey was probably the holidays: Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s. During Thanksgiving, I still had not had any communication with Leron. He left our home in October, 2 days before my daughter's 19th birthday. It was one of the worst days of my life. After 23 years, this was the first few holidays we spent without him. Yet, somehow, some way, the LORD helped me get through these first holidays.
Unfortunately, Christmas was worse. I already had a bit of communication with my husband but we had had an argument on Christmas Eve. When I got home after spending the day at my parent’s home with my gifts I had gotten (unopened) and my daughter had left to see a friend so I was home alone. I started crying out to God and asking Him, “Is this really what you want me to do? Trust You for my marriage? I felt it had been enough suffering and I really wanted for HIM to tell me it was going to be over soon.
Well, as I started opening one of my gifts, when GOD spoke to me, it was a picture frame that said, "Faith in God includes Faith in HIS Timing"--WOW--I got so emotional that night sensing He was telling me to trust Him.
Then came New Year’s Eve--no communication with Leron whatsoever since Christmas Eve. It was freezing cold outside, very unusual for my part of country, my garage door wouldn't close and my parents were out of town so I had no one to help me. Luckily, my neighbor was just leaving and he came by to fix it for me--THANK YOU LORD, So, New Year's was also very hard for both my daughter and I but He brought us through.
Mia, what was the "turning point” of your restoration?
The turning point in my restoration was, as I said earlier, when I finally "let go and let GOD" deal with it all--I finally said, "GOD, let this be Your will and not mine"-- so I stopped praying for my restoration entirely and started focusing on the LORD. And, I began to dedicate my entire afternoons to HIM. I would get home from work and just start reading the bible, reading and reading your books, listening to sermons and your videos. This help me stop obsessing over my restoration and I just started living for the LORD.
Tell us HOW it happened, Mia? Did Leron just walk in the front door? Mia, did you suspect or could you tell you were close to being restored?
In January, he invited me on a date. We had dinner and drinks that night. We had a great time. On Sunday, I went to help his parents move a wall in their garage that they were going to invert into an efficiency apartment. I didn't hear from him until later that night when he text me telling me that he missed me and our daughter. I replied by telling him that our house was his house and that he could come back whenever he wanted. He said that he was afraid of coming home because he was afraid I was going to be the same person I was when he first left. I told him he needed to trust me but to trust IN GOD. He said "we'll see"--he said, Good night and that was the end of that night.
On Monday, he text me again wanting to know what we were going to do after I got off of work (meaning my daughter and I). I told him that we had no plans. Since he tints commercial buildings and automobiles, he had to go measure a store at the outlets and he invited us to go with him and then to have dinner afterwards. So we did.
We had a wonderful time together. When he was dropping us off, my daughter went inside and I stayed in his truck and I told him I had a great time, kissed him on the cheek and he said, "I will be back." Even though the evening was nice, I didn't think he would be back so I started getting ready for bed. I went to my daughter's room, (since my husband left, I was not able to sleep in our room so I would sleep with my daughter in her room). As I lay there, starting to pray to THANKING Him for a wonderful time and all HIS blessings, I heard the truck pull up. He rang the doorbell and he walked in like he had never left. We talked for a while in the living room and then he said, "Let's go to bed" and that my dear ladies, was the beginning of my marriage restoration that the good LORD did for me. I am so blessed beyond words and it is all due to OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST and your teachings. So thank you!
Yes and no. I really thought times before were the turning point to my restoration but they were just blessing from GOD inching us closer together. I had gone through some really hard times right before GOD restored our marriage where I would say to myself, "What else could go wrong", well lots of things did go wrong, let me tell you. But all of those trials and awful things happening to us were for a good reason, for both of us. They were trials GOD set for us to show us that the grass really isn't greener on the other side as we once believed.
Would you recommend any of our resources in particular that helped you, Mia?
The book, How God can and will Restore your Marriage was my marriage saver! If I had not read this book, I would still be thinking all of this was my husband's fault. I would have not seen all the awful things I had done and said were the cause of my marriage crumbling. Erin's Be Encouraged eVideos were also so helpful. All that she talks about is how it really happens. I love the one where she talks about the stages of restoration. That really was the way it was for me. Thank you Erin for sharing your testimony with us all and thank you for showing us how to be a woman of GOD.
“Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26 (NIV)
This has always been my favorite verse. This verse says it all--God can do anything He wants. No matter what you see or hear from anyone, even from your husband, don't believe it. God can and will restore your marriage. You just have to have faith and believe that what the LORD says, He will do for you. I did that and look at me now, HE has blessed me with my family back together again. The mighty power of our LORD JESUS CHRIST cannot be defeated by man. BELIEVE and you shall receive.
Would you be interested in helping encourage other women, Mia?
Yes, I would.
Either way, Mia, what kind of encouragement would you like to leave women with, in conclusion?
Never give up. God can do the impossible. You just need to let go of all the worries and give it to GOD, focusing on the LORD. Once I did this, this is when I saw everything begin to turn around. Oh, and when I started tithe and Surrendered and Trusted Him with my finances—Immediately I saw the blessing coming. Ladies, please please, please, give what you have to GOD, HE will work for you. If I would have done this at the beginning, I think I would have seen a change sooner but like I said, all the trials, tears and mistakes I made were for a reason. The trials taught me a lot. It taught me that I needed to change before GOD would turn Leron's heart back to me. And I know GOD is not done with me yet. I still have many things I need to work on, but it's in God's hand and His timing. When HE is ready, HE will do it and change me even more. Ladies, trust in HIS timing.
~ Mía in New Mexico
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