Don't Be Surprised to Be Surprised
In November of last year, I received two phone calls from my husband, who lives in the same town as I do. He was going to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, to visit our daughter and her family, who live there, for his annual trip. He was inviting me to come at the same time to celebrate our granddaughter turning four. I was shocked! I said to the Lord, "If I'm to go, please have him ask me one more time!" Thirty minutes later, the phone rang. It was my husband calling to ask, "Did you book your ticket yet?"
After running it by my daughter for her agreement, she said, "Mom, surprise Dad. He loves doing the surprises; it's his turn to get one. He must want you here if he's asked two times." I immediately booked my ticket.
So a day after he arrived, I arrived. I believe He was pleasantly surprised. He kept saying, "I'm so glad you came. I couldn't understand how you kept stalling." Maybe I'm not used to my prodigal husband inviting me on vacation!
Puerto Vallarta is a place we celebrated our last 15 anniversaries while we were together. We both love it equally! Our last time, celebrating our 25th, is when the enemy started the "STEAL" in our marriage! I wounded my husband deeply with harsh words of accusation of not loving me the way I needed. We never got the help we needed, and two years later, we separated. Unforgiveness had dug in its ugly roots.
1 Peter 5:8 Be alert and of a sober mind. Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone (even a marriage) to devour.
God used this horrible experience to bring my children to Christ, and in turn, they prayed me back into the kingdom. Shortly after this, I found Covenant Keepers, and the healing began.
The angry relationship between my husband and me started to soften as I began to heal and see my husband in a new light. When my heart posture changed, we finally became able to be together for family birthdays and times together with the grandchildren at our recreational home. I always called out to my group for prayer support to carry me through these times.
So here we are in Mexico together; coffees in the morning, breakfast on the beach, preparing our granddaughter's party together. Pinch me; is this really happening?
God was showing me my husband's true heart, that family matters, that he wants to be in his grandchildren's lives, and that my prayers were being answered. He was reminiscing about old times, the good ones, and I pray the old bad ones have been erased. God gave us reruns of past trips and previews of how it can be now and in the future. God is STOPPING the lies.
The U.S. election had just taken place, and he loved discussing it with my daughter and me. The phrase, "Stop the Steal," was heard often, and that's when the Holy Spirit very clearly spoke to me, saying, "Your stand is saying to the devil, I'm STOPPING THE STEAL! THAT'S ENOUGH! You can't steal marriages either!
My daughter-in-law had told me a few years back that watching my stand and the restoration of my husband's relationship had encouraged her to stay with my son through a difficult time when she wanted to run. We cried together and gave God the glory. The enemy had been STOPPED in their marriage.
My stand has been long, with many missed opportunities for reconciliation on my part. The enemy had me in so much fear that I could not trust restoration as long as the non-covenant was alive. I have asked God for forgiveness and received more healing in these areas. On this trip to Mexico, I felt feelings for my husband I haven't felt in a very long time. It was like old times. When we stand with the Lord, and we get the opportunity to be with our husband, we're ready. It's like, yes! This is the kind of restoration that Jesus wants; let's go!
It's not so simple for our prodigals who are entangled in their mess, especially if their lives are not surrendered to God. But I got to appreciate him treating me respectfully as his wife, buying my dinners, carrying my suitcase, throwing balls at me in the pool like years ago, telling my grandkids nice things about grandma in front of me, BABYSITTING TOGETHER, so our son-in-law could take our daughter out for their ANNIVERSARY. It was so enjoyable and exciting! He kept saying, "It feels like HOME here," something we had always talked about for our retirement.
God proved to me that even with long stands, He could pop up these surprises and plan times that I wasn't expecting; He is ALWAYS at work in our prodigals' lives through our prayers. We can't limit God because it has been a long stand. HE IS GOD. HE IS A WAYMAKER, MIRACLE WORKER, PROMISE KEEPER, LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS!
John 10:10 The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy, but I have come to give you LIFE and give it MORE ABUNDANTLY.
Every night for years, I've prayed Job 33:14-18, that God would speak to my husband as he lays on his bed at night… Being together daily for three weeks, I saw God's work before my eyes. My husband so wanted to talk about end times, an indication, I believe, that God is drawing him back to himself.
After three weeks, it was time for me to return home. My husband was staying one more week.
He came along with the rest of the family to take me to the airport. We reminisced about all the fun dinners, excursions, and parties we had enjoyed together as we drove. The love in the car was evident. Only God could orchestrate this.
My husband got out of the car, and as he lifted my suitcase down for me, I couldn't resist telling him I loved him and that I'd had the most beautiful time. I saw a tear in his eye as he said goodbye and to have a safe trip.
Something had really shifted on this vacation. God used our old romantic get-a-way in a NEW WAY many years later. I believe my husband also felt a FREEDOM that I know he doesn't have in his other life.
Since I've been home and looking back, I believe the Holy Spirit has shown me to pray against our voices that have been STOPPED, the many things that could not be discussed on both our parts. You could feel that words were there but could not be spoken. That may be the NEXT STEP in our healing. It's a huge process, but God is more than ABLE.
WE ALL ARE STOPPING THE STEAL WITH OUR STANDS. WE CANNOT GROW WEARY IN WELL DOING. IT TAKES TIME, BUT GOD IS FAITHFUL.
The verse He has given me is Isaiah 43:18, But forget all that— it is NOTHING compared to what I am about to do, something new. See, I have already begun.
POST SCRIPT: In my next blog, I will continue the story of how it is now back at home. One clue - it's been another big lesson in laying it all down and surrendering everything to the Father. Thanks for reading; I'm working on being open and vulnerable for God's Glory.
After running it by my daughter for her agreement, she said, "Mom, surprise Dad. He loves doing the surprises; it's his turn to get one. He must want you here if he's asked two times." I immediately booked my ticket.
So a day after he arrived, I arrived. I believe He was pleasantly surprised. He kept saying, "I'm so glad you came. I couldn't understand how you kept stalling." Maybe I'm not used to my prodigal husband inviting me on vacation!
Puerto Vallarta is a place we celebrated our last 15 anniversaries while we were together. We both love it equally! Our last time, celebrating our 25th, is when the enemy started the "STEAL" in our marriage! I wounded my husband deeply with harsh words of accusation of not loving me the way I needed. We never got the help we needed, and two years later, we separated. Unforgiveness had dug in its ugly roots.
1 Peter 5:8 Be alert and of a sober mind. Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone (even a marriage) to devour.
God used this horrible experience to bring my children to Christ, and in turn, they prayed me back into the kingdom. Shortly after this, I found Covenant Keepers, and the healing began.
The angry relationship between my husband and me started to soften as I began to heal and see my husband in a new light. When my heart posture changed, we finally became able to be together for family birthdays and times together with the grandchildren at our recreational home. I always called out to my group for prayer support to carry me through these times.
So here we are in Mexico together; coffees in the morning, breakfast on the beach, preparing our granddaughter's party together. Pinch me; is this really happening?
God was showing me my husband's true heart, that family matters, that he wants to be in his grandchildren's lives, and that my prayers were being answered. He was reminiscing about old times, the good ones, and I pray the old bad ones have been erased. God gave us reruns of past trips and previews of how it can be now and in the future. God is STOPPING the lies.
The U.S. election had just taken place, and he loved discussing it with my daughter and me. The phrase, "Stop the Steal," was heard often, and that's when the Holy Spirit very clearly spoke to me, saying, "Your stand is saying to the devil, I'm STOPPING THE STEAL! THAT'S ENOUGH! You can't steal marriages either!
My daughter-in-law had told me a few years back that watching my stand and the restoration of my husband's relationship had encouraged her to stay with my son through a difficult time when she wanted to run. We cried together and gave God the glory. The enemy had been STOPPED in their marriage.
My stand has been long, with many missed opportunities for reconciliation on my part. The enemy had me in so much fear that I could not trust restoration as long as the non-covenant was alive. I have asked God for forgiveness and received more healing in these areas. On this trip to Mexico, I felt feelings for my husband I haven't felt in a very long time. It was like old times. When we stand with the Lord, and we get the opportunity to be with our husband, we're ready. It's like, yes! This is the kind of restoration that Jesus wants; let's go!
It's not so simple for our prodigals who are entangled in their mess, especially if their lives are not surrendered to God. But I got to appreciate him treating me respectfully as his wife, buying my dinners, carrying my suitcase, throwing balls at me in the pool like years ago, telling my grandkids nice things about grandma in front of me, BABYSITTING TOGETHER, so our son-in-law could take our daughter out for their ANNIVERSARY. It was so enjoyable and exciting! He kept saying, "It feels like HOME here," something we had always talked about for our retirement.
God proved to me that even with long stands, He could pop up these surprises and plan times that I wasn't expecting; He is ALWAYS at work in our prodigals' lives through our prayers. We can't limit God because it has been a long stand. HE IS GOD. HE IS A WAYMAKER, MIRACLE WORKER, PROMISE KEEPER, LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS!
John 10:10 The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy, but I have come to give you LIFE and give it MORE ABUNDANTLY.
Every night for years, I've prayed Job 33:14-18, that God would speak to my husband as he lays on his bed at night… Being together daily for three weeks, I saw God's work before my eyes. My husband so wanted to talk about end times, an indication, I believe, that God is drawing him back to himself.
After three weeks, it was time for me to return home. My husband was staying one more week.
He came along with the rest of the family to take me to the airport. We reminisced about all the fun dinners, excursions, and parties we had enjoyed together as we drove. The love in the car was evident. Only God could orchestrate this.
My husband got out of the car, and as he lifted my suitcase down for me, I couldn't resist telling him I loved him and that I'd had the most beautiful time. I saw a tear in his eye as he said goodbye and to have a safe trip.
Something had really shifted on this vacation. God used our old romantic get-a-way in a NEW WAY many years later. I believe my husband also felt a FREEDOM that I know he doesn't have in his other life.
Since I've been home and looking back, I believe the Holy Spirit has shown me to pray against our voices that have been STOPPED, the many things that could not be discussed on both our parts. You could feel that words were there but could not be spoken. That may be the NEXT STEP in our healing. It's a huge process, but God is more than ABLE.
WE ALL ARE STOPPING THE STEAL WITH OUR STANDS. WE CANNOT GROW WEARY IN WELL DOING. IT TAKES TIME, BUT GOD IS FAITHFUL.
The verse He has given me is Isaiah 43:18, But forget all that— it is NOTHING compared to what I am about to do, something new. See, I have already begun.
POST SCRIPT: In my next blog, I will continue the story of how it is now back at home. One clue - it's been another big lesson in laying it all down and surrendering everything to the Father. Thanks for reading; I'm working on being open and vulnerable for God's Glory.
Posted in For Standers By Standers
Posted in unforgiveness, forgivenes, anger, 1 peter 5:8, heart change, prayer, stop the steal, reconciliation, Covenant, healing, standers journey, surprises
Posted in unforgiveness, forgivenes, anger, 1 peter 5:8, heart change, prayer, stop the steal, reconciliation, Covenant, healing, standers journey, surprises
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