RESTORED Marriage Testimony: “He Went to My Father’s House and Gave Me Back to Him”

♕Today's Promise: “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted.” J422

☊ RMT PRAISE

Adeline, how did your Restoration Journey actually begin?

Cooper and I met 14 years ago and dated for 3 years. During our courtship, we had a breakup of 20 days, where I was taken to an evangelical church and there I decided to give my life, and committed myself to serving the Lord there. When we resumed our relationship, I made it a condition for Cooper, I would only accept continuing the relationship if he accompanied me to church. He accepted the Lord and we started our walk with the Lord 3 years later, getting baptized and engaged that same year. We lived in holiness during the time we were waiting for our marriage. 

In September the next year we got married civilly and religiously. We started getting involved in ministries and getting closer and closer to the brothers in the church. Unfortunately, our spiritual maturity was shallow and I was full of religiosity. In addition to being contentious, I was very foolish and took on all the responsibilities of the household. There was no space for my husband to be the head leader. I made the decisions, paid the bills, defined the projects. The last word in the house was mine. Until I started to feel Cooper distant and cold and I went to approach him to understand what was going on and he told me that he didn't want to stay married anymore. A few days later, he went to my father's house and gave me back to him, collected his clothes, left his ring and left, without me even being at home. 

My world collapsed, I couldn't believe this was happening to me. I sent messages in the first days of his departure, asking him to rethink our breakup and in the first few days I found an Restore Ministries International minister on the internet, who sent me the book. I immediately devoured the material and started the courses. All that gave me the hope I needed and the strength to wait. I started to apply the principles, but Cooper disappeared and I couldn't show all the change God was doing in me, but I didn't get discouraged. I believed that God was working somehow. I prayed and fasted constantly. There came a certain time when I started to feel that the situation was about to change and one morning I received a call from the OW's (other woman) husband, wanting to join me in separating my husband from her. At that moment, I froze inside and didn't want to prolong the subject with him. I didn't want to know what he knew and I didn't want to follow up on it. 

That was the turning point, as Cooper contacted me to justify his relationship with OW. I gently reassured him that I was fine and at ease and that he should live whatever he had to live. From then on, his heart began to be inclined towards me. One weekend, I mentioned to my prayer partner that I felt Cooper wanted to talk to me but didn't have the courage to reach out and that I was thinking of calling him. She guided me to enter into prayer and fasting for a sign. So we did the Esther fast for 3 days, praying at all times for God's direction and when I delivered the fast in the same minute, my phone rang and it was my husband calling me to talk. That same day, we met and he decided to go home. I went with him to the other house to remove all the things to take to our house. Glory to God. 

We went through several tests, especially financial crisis. We started trying to have children and discovered some health problems, which prevented us. We lost 2 babies in that time. God has restored our home, our finances, and our ministry. After 6 years on this journey, I got pregnant and finally joy overtook us, because the pregnancy progressed very well, but during that time I was neglecting the principles and going backwards, especially in having God as my Husband and putting Him in his rightful place, and I began to notice Cooper strange and distant. He no longer came home on time and was always traveling. One day I confronted him, I smelled his clothes and that day I noticed him very tense and uncomfortable while we were talking. I was already in the last days of pregnancy, when he sent me a message saying that we were separated, that he would wait for our daughter to be born and leave the house. As I already knew the ministry, I didn't stop him and told him he could go.

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

I began to seek God and went back to practicing the principles with a lot of pain and surprise, because we were spending the most awaited time of our lives apart. Our daughter was born and Cooper was with us, taking care of us naturally speaking, however, his heart was not with us. He rented another house, already intending to move out. I continued to pray and fast and one night he told me he would sleep in the house. It happened for just one night and he came home saying that he wouldn't focus away from the family and that we would work things out. He stayed at home with us, but we didn't live as a couple, but the Lord brought us closer.

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

Letting go was the hardest and most powerful principle I learned and practiced.

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

Dodging anxiety and the enemy's arrows by saying that my situation had no solution, was hard. There were days when I found myself totally without strength and without hope. So I sought the Lord with my face to the ground and practiced the principle of letting go.

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

The turning point was when I truly decided to kill my flesh and let my Cooper go, relinquishing control of the entire situation.

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

One day we were talking and I asked how our situation was, and he replied that we were together. That day we got back together and my heart was filled with hope. But in the first few days I was rushing some things and he backtracked and said that now he would leave the house, that he wasn't happy. I tried to stop it, asked him to rethink, interfering with God's plans, and he agreed to stay. THE other day, it was inevitable, he said that he would leave, but that we would not tell anyone about our separation for now. I told him he could go, I gave him to the Lord and rested. As much as I didn't understand anything that was happening, I was at peace. The other day, he came to visit us to see our daughter with a completely changed mind. Said we should try for our family. At that moment I felt even more peaceful. I knew that it was indeed the restoration and that God will complete it to the end.

Would you recommend any of our resources in particular that helped you, Adeline?

I recommend How God Can and Will Restore Your Marriage, Wise Woman, and Questions and Answers, as well as all the ministry courses, especially course 2.

Would you be interested in helping encourage other women, Adeline?

YES 

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

We will always have tests, but I understood that we shouldn't put our hands on anything and just trust in the Lord, giving everything, absolutely everything to our Heavenly Husband.