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Testimonies of how Wives Support Group blesses womenLibby’s TestimonyDid God bring this impression to pass this Christmas? Is my husband now walking with the Lord? Did he come to church on Christmas day? Well ladies, my sisters in Christ, the answer is yes, yes and yes! It was so wonderful to sit in church Christmas day and reflect back on this whisper into my spirit a year earlier. As we sat in the service my husband put his arm around me. You know, like you see Christian couples do in church. It was just amazing to be a Christian couple in church together. Why did it take 17 years for us to reach unity in Christ? I don’t know. Why now? Again I don’t know. But what I do know with all my heart is that God is good, merciful, kind and awesome. His ways are better and higher than we can ever imagine. He can be trusted with all your heart (Proverbs 3:5-6). Earlier in October, Mike and I watched the news of the financial markets crashing and the heads of countries coming together to work out a joint plan to globally deal with the crisis. Mike commented that this was exciting as it seemed like an end time event. I looked at him, and said, ‘it is only exciting if you are in the Kingdom of God!’ Well, from there he said that he did believe that Jesus was his Saviour and had paid for his sins. Wow! Just like that I had a Christian husband. After years of doubt Mike had taken the jump into the river of faith. Since then it has been a joy to watch Mike grow in his knowledge and trust of the Lord. We read through the book of Mark together, and Mike comes to church now and enjoys the sermons and fellowship. We recently spent a week at the Creation Super Camp, hearing from scientists who are bible believing young earth Christians. This was a wonderful foundation for Mike’s new faith. Each day I see Mike growing in peace, joy and security. The restoration of his soul is wonderful to watch. So ladies I encourage you to keep persevering in loving your man and completely trusting the Lord. The fruit is sooo sweet! Was there any key to Mike’s salvation, something that I could pass onto you? Well maybe. In the last couple of years I came to a place of loving God first, trusting him with all my heart. To be in that place of, if Mike never came to bow the knee to Jesus, and went to Hell, I would still love God and trust in His goodness. I let go of striving and fear, and learnt to just rest in His arms. Not that I think that I earned Mike’s salvation, for at times when I was being quite ‘unspiritual’ I would see the Lord’s hand at work and be amazed at His great love and kindness. For He is sovereign. But I think that my resting in the Lord did help to free Mike to also rest in Him. Libby Meralda’s Testimony2008 was not without its problems in Meralda’s home. My son, Nicholas 28, who has loved our Lord and had made his Baptismal commitment 10 years ago has undergone such trials in the past 15 months that he wanted the pain to stop. But God and his promise of “And we know, that all things work together for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” intervened. My husband, Ross, had made a confession of faith in January 2000 and September 2005 but no real fruit of his life had occurred. He didn’t come to church but he did endeavour to read his Bible but gave up both times for lack of understanding. Nicholas’s desperation caused Ross to be heartbroken that his beautiful son was undergoing such trials and tribulations. Ross had seen Nicholas going from an optimistic person, loving life, loving God, to a broken boy who felt he had no reason to go on. Boxing day 2008, out of the blue, Ross said “I have to get God into my heart; I can’t cope with the worry of Nicholas”. He said he didn’t know how to pray but just burst into a conversation as if God was in the room with him. We had gone to a Christmas service and Ross was given a Daily Bread. Since then he has consistently read his devotions referring to his Bible and asking loads of questions. He finds the most amazing details and is quite proud of the fact in querying me on what I haven’t seen in the scriptures. Nicholas’s walk with God is deeper and stronger regardless that his personal and professional struggles are ongoing. The situation has showed all of us how God is there in the deepest and darkest seasons of our lives and He will and does use all things to work together for good for those who love God. Our loved ones are all in God’s timing. February 2009 Annie’s Testimony
“Yes, our husbands are wonderful, but we need this kind of Christian relationship. Wives Support Group changed my life tremendously, I was suffering from depression, I'm too shy to open to others. I did not know what to do. I go to church, but did not get involved with any group there. My life had no direction. I was very sad, with too much stress, and couldn't sleep at night, losing weight … “I now look forward to the day we meet as a group. I hear of different blessings that others have experienced. Negative circumstances being changed into positive testimonies, so I told myself that I could share about my life in the group, too. Slowly, I have been able to open up about my situation, and I have received support and prayer from the other women in the group. I am spending more time with God, reading the Bible, and reading the books from the library that help to build my faith in God. “In the two months that I have belonged to the group, I have grown in my faith.
Tina’s Testimony“When I first joined the group I was so hurt, I didn't want to pray for my husband. I told the group this and we agreed that I would pray as much as I was capable, and that they would pray too. “As we began to study “Beloved Unbeliever” by Jo Berry, I began having feelings of anger towards God. I would ask Him, “Why didn't you give me this study years ago, why did I have to go through so much pain?” “I especially was grateful to hear that God does not expect you to talk to your husband about spiritual things, as his eyes are not open to spiritual things the way mine are. This comes only through a spiritual rebirth, when God lifts the veil causing unbelief, from us. (2 Corinthians 4:6). This was such a relief to me and the burden of this was lifted from me, because most of our disagreements were on spiritual things. “The support group is more than I could ever have expected. To have amazing loving support and awesome prayer for our loved ones, to study God’s Word and receive His agape love has been the turning point in my life and in my marriage and in my home. I do believe that this agape love comes from God, then from Lorraine’s devotion and dedication to her Saviour, and all the support groups. The facilitators and also the women in the groups are touched by this awesome love. “I believe that by praying the survival prayer, found in The Key—How to Let Go and Let God by Nancy Missler, I have reached a turning point in my faith. I will be forever grateful to God and Lorraine, answering God’s call on her life, for all of us women who so needed guidance in how to live a godly life.” Another Testimony“It has been so good to be part of this wonderful group of women who share the same longings for their husbands to belong to the Lord Jesus Christ, and know His salvation. To be able to encourage and pray together for our families, so openly, learning how to live, and letting God change me, so I can love my husband unconditionally… as God loves me… . And leaving it in His hands is so freeing. God is so good.
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“Helen is the facilitator of our support group. We are both from the Philippines, and finding Helen here in Australia is one of my blessings, because we had lost contact for 18 years. I wanted to get involved with a small group and had prayed to the Lord about it. When the Lord led me to Helen, I felt comfortable about joining her group. It is the kind of group that really suits me. It is like a dress that suits me nicely and comfortably. My point is, I love this group very much; we have the same needs in common, our unsaved husband, that's why we relate with each other very well.