♕ Today's Promise: “Delight yourself in the LORD; and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4
Quinn, how did your restoration actually begin?
One afternoon in August, three years ago, I was sitting on my couch with a victim mentality crying, "Why me God?!” Believing that nothing that was happening was my fault—when suddenly, it was like watching a movie of my life from the moment I turned my back on God. How ugly I'd become! I had become a quarrelsome, contentious woman, who never stopped talking and did not know how to listen. I was the foolish woman who was tearing down her own house! And in the midst of that storm came my Beloved Savior, and immediately my mind came to Proverbs 3. So I ran to my Bible and read that chapter, and verses 5,6 and 7 pierced my soul!
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and turn away from evil” (Proverbs 3:5-7).
I fell on my knees...that day, I thought it was the bluest, greyest day of my life, and then, it changed to become the most colorful and important of all. My Beloved Savior came to my rescue!!
How did God change your situation, Quinn, as you sought Him wholeheartedly?
God invited me on this journey of restoration, which I accepted, and He began to teach wonderful and very important principles. Then came the moment when I felt so good with God; I thought and I said, “All is good, Lord; have Your will in my life. You personally invited me on this trip with You, and I know now that I never want to be away from You anymore. I dedicate myself to being alone with You and falling in love more and more. I am trusting You and Your promises." All along, He was working, even when I did not see or understand it, and soon I began to see changes taking place.
What principles, from God's Word (or through our resources), Quinn, did the Lord teach you during this trial?
1) To give Him the first place in everything.
2) To change things as He taught me from His Word. Read through the Bible
3) To trust His promises, not what I saw or felt. Proverbs 3:5
4) To look only at Him and not at the circumstances surrounding me.
5) To hear Him alone and not the voices that allowed the enemy to frighten me.
6) To give thanks for everything—because my whole life is led by Him, and He always has a purpose in every road that He takes me on. 1 Thessalonians 5:18
What were the most difficult times that God helped you through, Quinn?
It was most difficult when I had to leave my house, especially when the Christmas holidays came and I was away, full of sadness. But God always made me see that everything was directed by Him and His plans are always better. “Many plans are in a man’s heart,
But the counsel of the Lord will stand” (Proverbs 19:21). Besides having had a relationship that failed (something I thought would never happen), I'd gotten so close to Him and learned to rejoice in His presence every moment.
Quinn, what was the “turning point” of your restoration?
I was at my father's house, and, out of nowhere, a guy I had not seen in years appeared in my life. When we were young, he'd said he was in love with me. He had heard that I had separated and was living at my father's house. The next day, my sister told me, “He is now a widower and you are alone.” I said, “No, I am not alone. I know that God rescued me and my life is in His hands and I hope to see His glory in this situation.” Could this be His plan?
The next day, I met up with my sister, and she started talking about this guy’s feelings towards me. Immediately I told her, “No; I do not want to hear this, and I forbid you from ever mentioning him to me again.” I was emphatic, "I do not care; I'm not available; I am on a journey of restoration. God has directed and guided me. I have left my future in His hands. I know my status as separated is only temporary—because my life and my home will be restored.”
That all happened on December 23, and just two days later, on Christmas day, my husband sent me a text saying, "I miss you, and I realized that I really love you"! I just praised God. When reading the text, I knew that without a doubt my faithfulness to Him had let Him take me on the next step in my journey, and everything I endured and my faithfulness was now being rewarded. If I had listened to the voice of the enemy, all would have been lost. But I decided to trust God and His promises!!
Tell us HOW it happened, Quinn. Did your husband just walk in the front door? Quinn, did you suspect or could you tell you were close to being restored?
After he sent the text, he invited me to lunch, and that was my chance to apologize and let him see God in me.
My father's house is remote, far from the city, and in this very cold climate, living at his home was making me sick. So by mid-January, one day, my husband came over and began to pack up my things. I asked, "What are you doing?" And he said, "Today you are coming home."
Could I see or suspected that I was close to being restored? No. I simply trusted God and His promises. Every day, I tell everyone I meet that those who trust in God are never ashamed. My confidence was, and is, placed in Him Who can do everything.
Would you recommend any of our resources in particular that helped you, Quinn?
My first recommendation is to be guided directly by God and accept this journey of restoration and stay consistent to travel this journey with Him.
In particular, I'd recommend all your online courses that taught me a lot, and I know it was God speaking to me through each lesson. I'd make sure it was Him guiding me, because before I started each lesson, I would say, "Show me Your power, as I know this comes from You." Surely God put this material in my hands.
Do you have favorite Bible verses you would like to share with women who read your testimony? Or promises he gave you?
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3: 5).
“Behold, I will do a new thing, now it springs forth, do you not perceive? Again I will make way in the wilderness and rivers in the dry land” (Isaiah 43:19).
“I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined to me and heard my cry” (Psalms 40: 1).
“But I have against you that you left your first love” (Rev. 2: 4).
“Even there shall thy hand lead and thy right hand shall hold me” (Psalms 139: 10).
Would you be interested in helping encourage other women, Quinn?
Yes
Either way, Quinn, what kind of encouragement would you like to leave women with, in conclusion?
First, your goal is to fall in love more and more with your Heavenly Husband. Each day, achieving a relationship with Him as you never imagined that you'd want or would be possible. Next, trust in Him and His promises; His Word does not return void (Isaiah 55: 11). He knows our situations and will handle everything. Lastly, something very important, once you have decided to take this trip, this journey with Him, you must be firmly committed, without hesitation, and you must close your ears to the voices that the enemy will surely use against you. If you believe, you will see His glory.
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