The Testimony of a Praying Wife
This is a precious promise from the Lord, and one that is personal to me, as I claimed the verse for my husband"s salvation.
Jim was eighteen and had graduated high school the year before in a nearby town. I knew he was unsaved, but I thought he probably would get saved soon. He attended church with me once or twice, but soon I stopped attending myself. I preferred to have my time free to spend with Jim. We married two days after my nineteenth birthday. From that time I determined to be a "good" wife and although I was not living for the Lord, He blessed us with three beautiful children. I did pray and occasionally read my Bible. I was not consistent enough to allow the Lord to speak to my heart though.
In 1988, my oldest son Chad was ten years old and began riding a church bus to King's Kids at my former church. One night he came home and told me he had been saved! I began to cry, both from happiness and also from conviction for not raising my kids in church. It took about six months, but eventually I rededicated my life to the LORD Jesus Christ. I vowed to live for Him and to raise my children for Him.
When I shared this with Jim, he was less than enthusiastic. He said I would not be allowed to force our children to attend church. (He had been forced to attend Catholic services as a child.)
The Lord worked this out so that my two younger children, Jared and Leah got saved within the year. Leah later received assurance of her salvation, having only been 3½ at the time of her original decision. I never had to force any of them to attend church. They wanted to go!
For many years the children and I prayed for Jim's salvation. The Lord provided many miracles, including Jim allowing the children to attend Christian school for a time and Chad being allowed to go to Bible College at Fairhaven Baptist College in Chesterton Indiana.
During Chad's freshman year, 1996, we visited the college several times. On October 6, 1996, we attended the morning service because of a promotion for a family portrait. During the invitation at the end of the service, Chad asked Jim if he was ready to be saved. Jim went forward and was met by a man in the church who took him to a private place. We all prayed and waited. Jim got saved! After 25 years of our relationship! We never did get that family portrait. We got something much better..... A Christian family!
On May 9, 1998, our family was blessed by a new addition. My thirteen year old nephew, Nick, came to live with us. I had always wanted another child. Another desire of my heart met by God's Grace! This would have been impossible before Jim's salvation, but God's timing is always perfect!
If you are a Christian with an unsaved spouse, do not give up! God does indeed keep His promises!
Serving the King,
Janelle Delhotal
*****
Author Info: Janelle Delhotal is the aunt of Nicholas Cardot, the founder and author of the Baptist Muse. He is the one mentioned in the story who came to live with them in 1998.
"Delight thyself also in the LORD and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." ~ Psalm 37:4Let me start my story from the beginning of my relationship with Jim. I was sixteen years old, attended church, and participated in my youth group, having been saved at the age of nine at church camp. Although I went to church and enjoyed the company of my friends there, I was still very much a baby Christian.
Jim was eighteen and had graduated high school the year before in a nearby town. I knew he was unsaved, but I thought he probably would get saved soon. He attended church with me once or twice, but soon I stopped attending myself. I preferred to have my time free to spend with Jim. We married two days after my nineteenth birthday. From that time I determined to be a "good" wife and although I was not living for the Lord, He blessed us with three beautiful children. I did pray and occasionally read my Bible. I was not consistent enough to allow the Lord to speak to my heart though.
In 1988, my oldest son Chad was ten years old and began riding a church bus to King's Kids at my former church. One night he came home and told me he had been saved! I began to cry, both from happiness and also from conviction for not raising my kids in church. It took about six months, but eventually I rededicated my life to the LORD Jesus Christ. I vowed to live for Him and to raise my children for Him.
When I shared this with Jim, he was less than enthusiastic. He said I would not be allowed to force our children to attend church. (He had been forced to attend Catholic services as a child.)
The Lord worked this out so that my two younger children, Jared and Leah got saved within the year. Leah later received assurance of her salvation, having only been 3½ at the time of her original decision. I never had to force any of them to attend church. They wanted to go!
For many years the children and I prayed for Jim's salvation. The Lord provided many miracles, including Jim allowing the children to attend Christian school for a time and Chad being allowed to go to Bible College at Fairhaven Baptist College in Chesterton Indiana.
During Chad's freshman year, 1996, we visited the college several times. On October 6, 1996, we attended the morning service because of a promotion for a family portrait. During the invitation at the end of the service, Chad asked Jim if he was ready to be saved. Jim went forward and was met by a man in the church who took him to a private place. We all prayed and waited. Jim got saved! After 25 years of our relationship! We never did get that family portrait. We got something much better..... A Christian family!
On May 9, 1998, our family was blessed by a new addition. My thirteen year old nephew, Nick, came to live with us. I had always wanted another child. Another desire of my heart met by God's Grace! This would have been impossible before Jim's salvation, but God's timing is always perfect!
If you are a Christian with an unsaved spouse, do not give up! God does indeed keep His promises!
"Now unto him that is able to do exceedingly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us. Unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen" ~ Ephesians 3:20 & 21
Serving the King,
Janelle Delhotal
*****
Author Info: Janelle Delhotal is the aunt of Nicholas Cardot, the founder and author of the Baptist Muse. He is the one mentioned in the story who came to live with them in 1998.
Labels: Guest Blogger
posted by Janelle Delhotal at
2:00 AM
1 Comments:
Greetings!
I have wondered how it was that Jim came to Christ. I was Janelle's first boyfriend and I came to claim Christ as not just my savior but also as my Lord in July of 1970 at church camp. I was told by a mutual friend that Jim and Janelle were not living for the Lord. I knew Jim was not saved but I was saddened to hear that Janelle had left the saviors side. So I began to pray for both of them and especially for Jim's salvation as I knew it was key to both of them being in the right relationship. I was so thrilled many years latter to hear that Jim had come to the Lord and that both of them were living for God.
It is key for the wife to pray for the husband and the husband to pray for the wife, but also for ex boyfriends and friends and family all to pray for God to touch hearts. He truly is a great and wonderful God of great love, grace, and mercy!
By
Unknown, At
8:55 PM
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