Thinking of Divorce? Think Again

Thinking of divorce? This testimony is good for you. It will help you to think twice.

“I am 32 years old. Me and my ex-hubby dated for six years, I started dating him while I was in grade 12, I was 19 years old then. We were best of friends. I waited until he completed college and started work, my family, and his family then met, we got married and had a son. (7 years old now).

My husband was short tempered at times, but our problems started when I wanted to make him feel like he couldn’t control me. Every time we argue, I would pack my bags, go to my family and explain. My sisters would phone my husband and shout at him. If he is controlling me I would always dare him that if he wished to divorce me, he should do so. I never wanted divorce, I just had pride and I never wanted to look a loser in his eyes.

One day, I pushed him so hard that for the first time he beat me and locked me outside. I went to my family; my family took him to police. This happened every time. I would pretend like I was being abused! But to be honest, I used to abuse my husband emotionally.

He was arrested and detained. I was asked by his family to withdraw the case. My husband was never a violent man; he did what he did because I pushed him to the wall. Of which he openly knelt down and apologized. I withdrew the charges, and we reconciled.

After three months, I packed my bags after a small issue, and he remained alone. After two days I received a call that he was in hospital, my family told me that I shouldn’t go there because it would look like I was begging him, and my sisters believed he was faking the illness.

All this time, people felt sorry for me like I was the one being abused. He spent a week in hospital, after he came out, I just received a divorce summon. I wanted to say no to divorce, but because I felt this pride, I wanted him to change his mind and beg me. I called him and said he will get the divorce because I had been living like I was in hell. This, of course, was not true.

When we went to court, I wanted to make him pay, so I told the court that I needed his properties to be shared. To my surprise he openly told the court that whatever he and me acquired together should be given to me, all he wanted was divorce.

We got divorced in July 2009. This Saturday, my ex-husband is getting married again, whilst I am here wasted! My family members are gossiping about me, and I depend on what my ex gives to my son for survival.

I know I wasted my marriage. I am here telling all wives to be careful how you get advice. Don’t be cheated. Even my young sisters are much more respected than me. Those who encouraged me to get a divorce are the ones always bad mouthing me now.

There is no benefit in pride!”

This a perfect example and advice for those dancing in some overrated ego.

Credit: Relationship Matters Forum

Meditation: Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. – Proverbs 16:18 (NIV)

You will succeed because Jesus loves You!!!

Unconditional Love

This is a very moving story about unconditional love.

A soldier was finally returning home after having fought in Vietnam. He called his parents from San Francisco. “Mom and Dad, I’m coming home but, I’ve got a favor to ask. I have a friend I’d like to bring with me.”

“Sure,” they replied, “we’d love to meet him.”

“There’s something you should know,” the son continued, “he was hurt pretty badly in the fighting. He stepped on a landmine and lost an arm and a leg. He has nowhere else to go, and I want him to come live with us.”

“I’m sorry to hear that, son. Maybe we can help him find somewhere to live.”

“No, Mom and Dad, I want him to live with us.”

“Son,” said the father, “you don’t know what you’re asking. Someone with such a handicap would be a terrible burden on us. We have our own lives to live, and we can’t let something like this interfere with our lives. I think you should just come home and forget about this guy. He’ll find a way to live on his own.”

At that point, the son hung up the phone. The parents heard nothing more from him. A few days later, however, they received a call from the San Francisco police. They were told their son had died after falling from a building. The police believed it was suicide.

The grief-stricken parents flew to San Francisco and were taken to the city morgue to identify the body of their son. They recognized him but, to their horror they also discovered something they didn’t know. Their son had only one arm and one leg.

The parents in this story are like many of us. We find it easy to love those who are good-looking or fun to have around but, we don’t like people who inconvenience us or make us feel uncomfortable. We would rather stay away from people who aren’t as healthy, beautiful, or smart as we are.

Thankfully, there’s someone who won’t treat us that way. Someone who loves us with an unconditional love that welcomes us into the forever family, regardless of how messed up we are. That Person is Jesus Christ. He beckons all to come to Him irrespective of their handicap.

– Author Unknown 

Meditation: But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. – Luke 6:32

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Who Do You Trust?

Author Unknown

A man just got married and was returning home with his wife. They were crossing a lake in a boat when, suddenly, a great storm arose. The man was a warrior, but the woman became very much afraid because it seemed almost hopeless.

The boat was small and the storm was really huge, and any moment they were going to be drowned. But the man sat silently, calm and quiet, as if nothing was happening.

The woman was trembling and she said, “Are you not afraid? This may be our last moment of life! It doesn’t seem that we will be able to reach the other shore. Only some miracle can save us; otherwise death is certain. Are you not afraid? Are you mad or something? Are you a stone or something?”

The man laughed and took his sword out of its sheath. The woman was even more puzzled; what he was doing? Then he brought the naked sword close to her neck, it was so close that it was almost touching her neck.

Then he asked, “Aren’t you afraid?”

She started to laugh and said, ”Why should I be afraid? If the sword is in your hands, why I should be afraid? I know you love me.”

He then put the sword back and said, “That is also my answer. I know God loves me, and the storm is in His hands.

“So whatsoever is going to happen is going to be good. If we survive, good; if we don’t survive, good. Everything is in His hands and He cannot do anything wrong.”

Meditation: As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him. – 2 Samuel 22:31

You will succeed because Jesus loves You!

Why God Loves You

Author Unknown

As I gazed up at the mountains, I was awed by their majesty;

I bowed my head and asked myself, “Why should He care for me?

I am not great like the mountains that tower so high above,

What is there about me that God can find to love?”

“Father, I am not strong like the wind that makes your tall trees sway,

I cannot sing sweetly like your birds; will you love me anyway?

But most of all, I am simply me, and often have cause to fear,

In spite of all my weaknesses, do you promise to be near?”

With eyes closed tight against my tears, I wished He could hear me pray.

Then I felt His Spirit tell me, “Child, look up, I have something to say.

“You are simply you, the spirit I love, a part of my great plan.

I put you here to learn of life and to return to me again.”

“You are more beautiful to me than the loveliest mountain I made,

And your strength exceeds that of the winds, so do not be afraid.

I love you not for what you are, but for what I know you will be.

I am always beside you watching you grow, you are very special to me.”

A smile touched my lips – I knew it was true, my Father had always been there

Giving me comfort and blessings and love and my own special talents to share.

So I do my best to make Him proud. I am not afraid, for you see,

He loves me not for what I am, but for what He knows I will be.

Meditation: The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.” – Jeremiah 31:3

You will succeed because Jesus loves You!

The Story of Tommy

The Atheist Theology Student Who Was Found by God

– Author Unknown

John Powell, a professor at Loyola University in Chicago, writes about a student in his Theology of Faith class named Tommy:

Some twelve years ago, I stood watching my university students file into the classroom for our first session in the Theology of Faith. That was the first day I first saw Tommy. My eyes and my mind both blinked. He was combing his long flaxen hair, which hung six inches below his shoulders.

It was the first time I had ever seen a boy with hair that long. I guess it was just coming into fashion then. I know in my mind that it isn’t what’s on your head, but what’s in it that counts; but on that day I was unprepared and my emotions flipped.

I immediately filed Tommy under “S” for strange … very strange. Tommy turned out to be the “atheist in residence” in my Theology of Faith course. He constantly objected to, smirked at, or whined about the possibility of an unconditionally loving Father-God. We lived with each other in relative peace for one semester, although I admit he was for me at times a serious pain in the back pew.

When he came up at the end of the course to turn in his final exam, he asked in a slightly cynical tone: “Do you think I’ll ever find God?”

I decided instantly on a little shock therapy. “No!” I said very emphatically.

“Oh,” he responded, “I thought that was the product you were pushing.”

I let him get five steps from the classroom door and then called out: “Tommy! I don’t think you’ll ever find him, but I am absolutely certain that He will find you!” He shrugged a little and left my class and my life.

I felt slightly disappointed at the thought that he had missed my clever line: “He will find you!” At least I thought it was clever. Later I heard that Tommy had graduated and I was duly grateful.

Then a sad report, I heard that Tommy had terminal cancer. Before I could search him out, he came to see me. When he walked into my office, his body was very badly wasted, and the long hair had all fallen out as a result of chemotherapy. But his eyes were bright and his voice was firm, for the first time, I believe. “Tommy, I’ve thought about you so often. I hear you are sick!” I blurted out.

“Oh, yes, very sick. I have cancer in both lungs. It’s a matter of weeks.”

“Can you talk about it, Tom?”

“Sure, what would you like to know?”

“What’s it like to be only twenty-four and dying?”

“Well, it could be worse.”

“Like what?”

“Well, like being fifty and having no values or ideals, like being fifty and thinking that booze, seducing women, and making money are the real ‘biggies’ in life.”

I began to look through my mental file cabinet under “S” where I had filed Tommy as strange. (It seems as though everybody I try to reject by classification God sends back into my life to educate me.)

To continue tomorrow…

Meditation: And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none. – Ezekiel 22:30

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

The Miracle of a Song

Her parents and doctors were ready to give up, but her brother wanted to sing a song…

Like any good mother, when Kate found out that another baby was on the way, she did what she could to help her three-year-old son, Victor, prepare for a new sibling.

They found out that the new baby was going to be a girl, and day after day, night after night, Victor sang to his little sister in Mommy’s tummy. He was building a bond of love with his little sister before he even met her. The pregnancy progressed normally for Kate.

In time, the labour pains came. Soon it was every five minutes, every three, every minute. But serious complications arose during delivery and Kate found herself in hours of labour.

Would a C-section be required? Finally, after a long struggle, Victor’s little sister was born. But she was in a very serious condition.

She might not make it alive!

With a siren howling in the night, the ambulance rushed the infant to the neonatal intensive care unit at St. Mary’s Hospital, Knoxville, Tennessee.

The days inched by. The little girl got worse. The paediatric specialist regretfully had to tell the parents, “There is very little hope. Be prepared for the worst.”

Kate and her husband contacted a local cemetery about a burial plot. They had fixed up a special room in their home for the new baby, but now they found themselves having to plan for a funeral.

Victor, however, kept begging his parents to let him see his sister. “I want to sing to her,” he kept saying.

Week two in intensive care looked as if a funeral would come before the week was over. Victor kept nagging about singing to his sister, but kids are never allowed in the Intensive Care Unit.

Kate made up her mind, though. She would take Victor whether they liked it or not! If he didn’t see his sister right then, he may never see her alive.

She dressed him in an oversized scrub suit and marched him into ICU. He looked like a walking laundry basket, but the head nurse recognised him as a child and bellowed, “Get that kid our of here, now! NO children are allowed.”

The mother rose up strong in Kate, and the usually mild-mannered lady glared steel-eyed right into the head nurse’s face, her lips a firm line. “Victor is not leaving until he sings to his sister.”

The head nurse obliged Kate.

Karen towed Victor to his sister’s bedside. He gazed at the tiny infant losing the battle to live. After a moment, he began to sing. In the pure hearted voice of a three-year-old, Victor sang:

“You are my sunshine,

My only sunshine

You make me happy when skies are gray…”

Instantly the baby girl seemed to respond. Her pulse rate began to calm down and become steady. “Keep on singing Victor,” Kate encouraged with tears in her eyes.

Victor continued singing:

“You’ll never know, dear,

How much I love you.

Please don’t take my sunshine away.”

As Victor sang to his sister, the baby’s ragged, strained breathing became as smooth as a kitten’s purr.

“Keep on singing, sweetheart!” Kate cried.

“The other night, dear,

As I lay sleeping,

I dreamed I held you in my hands…”

Victor’s little sister began to relax and rest. A healing rest seemed to sweep over her.

“Keep on singing, Victor”

Tears had now conquered the face of the bossy head nurse.

Kate glowed.

“You are my sunshine

My only sunshine

You make me happy when skies are grey

You’ll never know, dear,

How much I love you.

Please don’t take my sunshine away…”

The next day, the little girl was well enough to go home!

It was a miracle, God used Victor.

Meditation: I will praise the name of God with a song, And will magnify Him with thanksgiving. – Psalm 69:30

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Project Smile

I am a mother of three (ages 14, 12, 3) and have recently completed my college degree. The last class I had to take was Sociology. The teacher was absolutely inspiring with the qualities that I wish every human being had been graced with. Her last project of the term was called, ‘Smile.’

The class was asked to go out and smile at three people and document their reactions. I am a very friendly person and always smile at everyone and say hello anyway. So, I thought this would be a piece of cake, literally.

Soon after we were assigned the project, my husband, youngest son, and I went out to McDonald’s one crisp March morning. It was just our way of sharing special playtime with our son. We were standing in line, waiting to be served, when all of a sudden everyone around us began to back away, and then even my husband did.

I did not move an inch. An overwhelming feeling of panic welled up inside of me as I turned to see why they had moved. As I turned around I smelled a horrible ‘dirty body’ smell, and there standing behind me were two poor homeless men. As I looked down at the short gentleman close to me, he was ‘smiling.’ His beautiful sky blue eyes were full of God’s Light as he searched for acceptance.

He said, ‘Good day’ as he counted the few coins he had been clutching. The second man fumbled with his hands as he stood behind his friend. I realized the second man was mentally challenged and the blue-eyed gentleman was his salvation. I held my tears as I stood there with them.

The young lady at the counter asked him what they wanted. He said, ‘Coffee is all Miss’ because that was all they could afford. (If they wanted to sit in the restaurant and warm up, they had to buy something. He just wanted to be warm).

Then I really felt it – the compulsion was so great I almost reached out and embraced the little man with the blue eyes. That is when I noticed all eyes in the restaurant were set on me, judging my every action. I smiled and asked the young lady behind the counter to give me two more breakfast meals on a separate tray.

I then walked around the corner to the table that the men had chosen as a resting spot. I put the tray on the table and laid my hand on the blue-eyed gentleman’s cold hand. He looked up at me, with tears in his eyes and said, ‘Thank you.’

I leaned over, began to pat his hand and said, ‘I did not do this for you. God is here working through me to give you hope.’

I started to cry as I walked away to join my husband and son. When I sat down my husband smiled at me and said, ‘That is why God gave you to me, honey; to give me hope.’

We held hands for a moment and, at that time, we knew that it was only because of the Grace we had been given that were we able to give. That day showed me the pure Light of God’s sweet love.