Sunday, July 13, 2008

Just Ordinary People-Part 2

My heart is very sensitive to women who have found themselves hurt deeply over what online affairs, porn, secret phone calls, unaccounted money spent by a spouse, and time without accountability. I found myself in that situation. I had no answers , no one to talk to and prayed that somehow God may use me to support and pray for those who have walked down that same road.

This lovely woman roller bladed into my driveway. She skated around and then found my books. She asked about the Boundaries in Marriage book. I told her that I had actually started reading that after my husband divorced me. It was very helpful to me in my process. She shared how she was searching and very raw from a recent divorce that left her empty. She shared how she woke up this morning crying out to God, or more like screaming in silence and the only way she could relieve her process was to roller blade. She said she was blading in circles and asking God for some sign that she was not going crazy. She needed to know that she was not going crazy. I prayed those words for years as I knew things were more wrong in my marriage that just two people not getting along. I completely understood what she felt and shared.

She said she saw my garage sale signs and decided to check things out. The entire time we were talking not one person showed up in my driveway. I did a lot of listening to her pain, her heart and was very much moved by her love and commitment to God, which she openly shared. She shared about her children and how they were doing. I asked about her children relate now to her ex and she said that her older two would not talk or spend any time with them. She shared a few other things I jokingly said...please tell my your ex's name is not *******. Her face went white as a ghost.

Her ex was a person I had worked with. A person who claimed Christ one day and then would share the details of how he spent his time on the weekends partying, girls etc. I would come home and tell my husband that I was curious why this man had singled me out to share the details of his life. I never judged, I just listened. I never felt it was ever my place to challenge him, or even judge him. At one point I had prayed that God would open up an opportunity to ask how he could be a Christian and then live his life in the manner he did, but God never even nudged me to move forward with that.

I knew the other side of her ex-husband. She was not going crazy. She needed to know that she was not going crazy. All the lies he was living were true, yet she never had any proof. Why the proof? Why is it so necessary to her today/yesterday/next week? Like my situation, I was considered the crazy one who had accusations of behaviors. I was the one that "needed" prayer. I eventually left the church and friends I had spent the better part of my adult life with because I was not going to be viewed in the way he past judgement over me. I kept quiet, even when I did find the proof, many years later. I knew in my heart I was not crazy, and like she shared, she knows that our Heavenly Father is caring and looking after the hearts of her children and her own heart.

Later she came back with some of her kids to thank me. She said she sat down with her older children and shared with them what had experienced in my driveway. She came by to thank me, and we could talk openly about loving that parent who wrongs us, who chooses a path of deceit and destruction, but smiles on Sunday mornings at church. It's a hard love to take hold of, but Jesus loves all of. I was able to pray with them, but she looked more beautiful than when I first met her hours before. She felt this weight lifted from her heart. She felt that God had used a stranger to deliver her from the bondage of beginning to believe that maybe she was crazy.

I truly believe God had me in this work place for the only purpose of helping this stranger understand and have a HUGE faith building moment in her life and in the lives of her children. We are going to continue our friendship. Funny thing, is when she came back with her older kids, they had met my daughter and knew her. Now that is just so amazing. Once she left my driveway was busy with shoppers. I truly know that God kept the garage salers away so she and I could talk.

I have been delivered from the pain and hurts of my past. It took many years and a very tender, caring and loving second husband to teach me how to trust again. Is this just amazing or what?

8 comments:

  1. What a beautiful example of Christ's love. Thank you for sharing.

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  2. I would say that your experience was a miracle. It made me think of the "wolves in sheeps clothing" fable. Some day these people who masquerade as true believers of the gospel of Jesus Christ will have to account for their choices.

    How wonderful that this dear person had her prayer answered through you.

    Gloria

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  3. Oh, what He can do with us if we simply avail ourselves to be used by Him! Praise Him! May my life be open for Him as well.

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  4. Wow. Thank you so much for sharing this. I can barely believe it all. This is so humbling to see the way God uses each of us in His perfect timing and His perfect ways.

    KEEP BELIEVING

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  5. How incredible! It is so amazing how the Lord works in our lives even though we have no idea he is doing so. He had plans for you all along while this man was talking to you about all of this, YOU were to be the reassurance and "proof" this woman needed. What a blessing for her, and you!

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  6. Elizabeth you are such a blessing to this woman and so many of us. I am amazed and in awe of how God worked this all out right in your driveway. Glad to hear that you have a new friend, one who sounds like having a new friend is what she needed, and you are there, just in the right place, reaching out.

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  7. I hear you. Loud and clear. An amazing story indeed! We honor God when we are faithful to his promptings. I'm so glad he gave you this one particular ministry to validate your own struggles and in doing so, alleviate some of hers.

    Our God is way too awesome for us to fully understand. Praising Him today on your behalf.

    peace~elaine

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  8. Wow, what a TESTIMONY!

    Thank you for sharing. (Sorry I'm getting around to it kinda late!)

    I wanted you to know that I'm getting ready to go on vacation on Monday. I'd like to encourage you, if there is any way you can get the A/G Blogs code up before then, to do so. Otherwise, it will be August until I can get you moved to members.

    Once you're in the members, I can have you on the site, and with more ease check your blog (and more frequently- which I'm looking forward to!)

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