1 Year : Happy Re-Birthday Paul

2 Corinthians 5 :17

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

On October 11, 2009 a mere 3 days before our prenatal diagnosis, the most life changing experience happened for Paul and  (Us).

After years of sitting at the edge of my seat during alter calls (down south) praying for his salvation, years of getting on my knees and pleading and begging God, years of regularly dusting my own faith under the rug and finally years of a troubled, spirit-less relationship my husband gave it all up. He gave it all up to the Lord.

That is when the healing began. You see it wasn’t always this good, in fact in February 2009 after 2 months of being split, Paul and I had secured lawyers and were headed towards divorce.  Yes, the D word. I had just about given up on us…my husband and his wordly ways, and myself as well with my inability to just maintian, tolerate and control my own tongue and emotions. I wanted OUT.

Through intense prayer on my part (and others), counsel for both of us (secular and christian), and guidance we reconnected and spent month squandering  life, trucking along, trying to do it on our own. Of course when we try to do anything on our own we fail, until he committed his life and we recommitted.

It was messy, and it truly is Paul’s personal testimony to tell.  But I can speak from a marriage standpoint, the day Paul was Born-Again and made anew in Christ he was fully transformed in the Spirit. It was also the day my life GOT TOUGH in a whole new way, a Godly Good way. I am challenged and convicted as a wife, I am learning about Respect and what Healthy Love looks like according to Scripture. And with each time I am challenged, each time I fail (sometimes miserably) I get up and dust my feet off and Praise Lord for this challenge, for this reward.  I am finally experiencing what it feels like to be a Christian Wife. To me being a Christian Wife means loving my husband when I don’t want to, loving selflessly, and giving Respect all the while I am willfully learning (sometimes kicking and screaming) to let go of control and let him LEAD>

I don’t think you can see his transformation through a picture he was always a stud, but if I could give you a before and after photo of his heart and soul you would be sure to see the difference in him.

With impeccable timing that only God could Orchestrate, I watched my husband lift his hand when asked if anyone wanted to accept ..Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour one year ago today. Three days later we sat in the Doctor’s office and received our prenatal diagnosis of Down Syndrome, and although that rocked our new found world, it didn’t shake us. We had the Lord, Paul was Saved, my faith had been renewed, and this journey could only reveal God more to us. Ain’t that the truth. Give us that Extra Chromosome God, we can do this ((together)).

Mind you, I never said this new year has been anything but easy or we are anything near perfect, but when all of a sudden your Compass becomes the Lord we have been able to navigate through each struggle, each failure, each attack with a steady pace of forgiveness, repentance, healing, scripture and praise… due North.

Someday I will dance with my husband in Heaven, how incredibly freeing that is.

As I shared earlier two weeks ago we were asked to share our Marriage Testimony in front of our Church Family (1200 or s0..) You can find the sermon our Pastor Gave on the link below. Although our testimony wasn’t included (probably for privacy reasons) you can hear the Word delievered. 39 people were saved that weekend.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/rescued-for-change/id367252544?i=88073050

The length of time since you have accepted christ may reflect upon one by their wisdom, discernemnt or knowledge of the word, but the hearts the same. 1 year or a thousand years  in Christ hearts the same. Transformation.

I love you Paul.