RESTORED Marriage Testimony: “OW Beat Him Badly”

Hello! Grace and peace! I almost submitted my restored marriage testimony when my husband first came home, but because he continued to correspond on WhatsApp with OW and I knew he sometimes went to find her because she lives in another state, I decided to wait until God had completed this last part of my restoration journey. And HE did!!!

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

After my husband came home, since his heart was still for the OW, I continued to apply the principles that Erin teaches, such as letting go and winning without words. I continued unceasingly seeking to improve my relationship with my HH. I found our Love Song, and told Him over and over how He was all I needed and wanted. I asked Him (like Erin suggests in Finding your Abundant Life) how we could get closer (me and Him) and sure enough, I began to fall deeply for my HH. No longer did I long, or need, or was desperate for my EH to get rid of the OW. What I did want was for him, for my EH, to be broken from the cords of his sin. “His own iniquities will capture the wicked, and he will be held with the cords of his sin”—Proverbs 5:22 But I no longer wanted it for my benefit. How He went about this was nothing I expected would happen!

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

I learned that I needed to depend on God to be transformed, to give me my makeover and that only God is who will turn the heart. I learned my EH's heart will not turn towards me until God knows my heart was for my HH and my relationship with Him remains first. If we yearn, long, talk about and are obsessed with our marriage restoration and our husbands, God will continue to make us a loathing to them. Above all, I have learned to trust God with my future, to my Husband, alone.

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

The most difficult moment was when I discovered a profile of him with the OW on facebook. He had already come home, and many close friends knew that he was at home. But with that profile of him on facebook with OW it made me look like a fool for praising God for my restoration. It was clearly the enemy trying to take me down, make me stumble horribly. If I had not reactivated my facebook account, and followed the principle to create a new FB with my BNN and begin to focus on ministering to hurting women, like the hurting woman I once was, I would not have seen it. Thankfully God quickly forgave me and gave me the grace to overcome! The hurt was gone and my faith renewed when I followed what it says, made my BNN FB and began reaching out to women who were hurting, sending them to HopeAtLast.com to encourage them to follow their own Restoration Journey.

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

The turning point I believe was the perseverance in following the principles like I just mentioned. I also believe it was once I really began believing in God and knowing that HE began the good work, therefore, HE would complete it, regardless of any circumstances that presented themselves! And as long as my HH was first, and I was reaching out and focusing on others, not myself, soon, very soon this last part of my restoration would be complete. And it was!

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

About six months ago, my husband contacted me, saying that he wanted to return home to be with me. And although he has remained home since that time, and said and showed me that he loved me, I sensed he had not fully let go of the OW.

One day he came to me crying. Since coming home, he had asked me to pray all the time. This time he was asking, begging, that God would break the strong ties he was constantly fighting to go back to the OW, even though, he said in his heart he didn't want to. He even asked me to go to a new church with him.

Then one weekend he up and left to meet with OW. The OW is from another state. Several hours later he contacted me through a cell phone message. He said he needed help. He said he and the OW had disagreed and she beat him badly. He said he contacted his family to get help but they were angry and would not come. So he asked me to help by contacting 2 brothers from the new church, to see if they could go get him. I had no idea how bad it was, not until he arrived. When I met him at the hospital, he had a broken jaw and cuts all over his face. While at the hospital he asked me for forgiveness. He also accepted the visits from many members (including the pastor) who can from the church. There is no doubt that now he is truly broken and wants nothing to do with the OW or any OW. He said he has a real fear of God now and wants the kind of relationship he's witnessed in me!

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

I recommend HopeAtLast.com to everyone and also to purchase the paperback book How God Can and Will Restore Your Marriage. I suggest everyone read the Daily Encourager and follow your free courses offered on the RMI Website.

Would you be interested in helping encourage other women Willow?

YES

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

God is Faithful! He changes the course of the universe when you decide to let Him fight for you. Once you make your HH first, begin to focus on helping other women, and give Him time to work—trust that God works miracles, restoration will happen! He can turn the murky waters of your life into fine wine! As long you strictly obey the Word, follow the principles, there's no reason victory will not come to you. Without a doubt anything with God is possible! God guarantees what He says in His Word!