Story from Bethany.
Three years ago, I was ripping apart at the seams. I was losing my engagement, my family relationships, my friendships, my heart, and my dreams. I was anxious and withdrawn. That was not the worst of it though, I was 33 years old, and I could not make a decision about my engagement. I was angry with my God; hadn’t He led me this way? I had to call a friend to talk through the fear of going to counseling that morning. It was supposed to be premarital counseling. Now I was driving there alone, disillusioned, and despairing. “Hadn’t I come from a good strong family? I shouldn’t need counseling,” I thought. But I did. That day in Roger’s office I let down my walls of denial, and for hours tears racked my body while my prayer partner, prayed. My fiance and I had gotten more physical that I had wanted. We asked Jesus to cut the cords of moral failure that the enemy had wrapped around my heart. I realized that my engagement was filled with devaluing aggression and inhibited anger. I found the strength to break it off. God’s comfort was greater than my pain. Psalm 68:6 struck me. “God makes a home for the lonely, He leads out the prisoner into prosperity, only the rebellious dwell in a parched land.” I was tired of parched land. The Lord helped me turn a tight corner out of depression.
Three years later, I came to Roger’s office again, but this time…I was cautiously optimistic. I came on the arm of a strong, faithful, and loving man named Kevin. Kevin had won my heart. He had loved me for six months. I felt very loved through our dating. Kevin is an expressive, sensitive leader. He was ready, but was I? We watched a video about locked hearts and then Kevin led us in prayer for Jesus to help us care for each other’s hearts. My tears began to flow unhindered. We held each other and cried. The next morning, as Kevin spoke about the loss of his wife Tracy, I felt a strong empathy for his heart-wrenching experience. Roger helped me ask Jesus to send fear to the throne of God. God would send it away. Not by might, not by power, but by the Spirit of the Lord, I would water the seedling of love. My love for Kevin was growing. I knew that the baton was being passed to me. The baton was a symbol of love and ownership passed from Tracy to myself. Through Christ I can embrace the new hopes and dreams whole heartedly. When Kevin proposed to me in the Restoration Ministries office, I realized that his proposal was perfect for me!
Story from Kevin
My name is Kevin. I am 47 and a widower.
I was married in 1990 to Tracy. We were married for 16 years. During the last year of our marriage, Tracy was diagnosed with breast cancer and passed away after treatment and complications. Tracy and I had two kids, Megan-10 and Wiley-8, who are very precious to me. I was very hurt by the loss of Tracy. We had a very close and loving marriage. I remember the time when I had to accept her death as a reality about to arrive. My parents held me tight in the arms of Jesus as I wailed my loss in the hospital. I spent many days crying out my pain to God. I often wondered how God could bring any happiness back into my life. It did take awhile before I realized "He hath dealt bountifully with me" Psalm 13:6.
After four years, God sent a lovely woman in my direction. He had been preparing her all along. When I met Bethany, she was very precious and cautiously cared about my heart. And intellectually Bethany accepted me. At times she was willing to talk about Tracy and the associated pain. When we desired an experienced outside opinion on our relationship, we came to Roger and we spent time discussing even more things that I had felt and experienced during and after Tracy's illness. Bethany and I spent time in prayer for ourselves and for each other. Many tears were shed by us equally. A new appreciation and love grew immensely during that session. When we finished that precious time together, I was so moved that I asked Bethany to marry me.
We felt that Roger helped us in many ways to see God's love working in our lives. When we had sin or hurt in our past we needed to confess it to Jesus and wash it away with His shed blood. Then we came to new understanding and love for each other. We thank Roger tremendously for his help.
And most of all, we Praise God for His generous spirit in preparing us to be together while we prayed individually. And for providing us with His unbelievable love and care. James 1:2-5
Three years ago, I was ripping apart at the seams. I was losing my engagement, my family relationships, my friendships, my heart, and my dreams. I was anxious and withdrawn. That was not the worst of it though, I was 33 years old, and I could not make a decision about my engagement. I was angry with my God; hadn’t He led me this way? I had to call a friend to talk through the fear of going to counseling that morning. It was supposed to be premarital counseling. Now I was driving there alone, disillusioned, and despairing. “Hadn’t I come from a good strong family? I shouldn’t need counseling,” I thought. But I did. That day in Roger’s office I let down my walls of denial, and for hours tears racked my body while my prayer partner, prayed. My fiance and I had gotten more physical that I had wanted. We asked Jesus to cut the cords of moral failure that the enemy had wrapped around my heart. I realized that my engagement was filled with devaluing aggression and inhibited anger. I found the strength to break it off. God’s comfort was greater than my pain. Psalm 68:6 struck me. “God makes a home for the lonely, He leads out the prisoner into prosperity, only the rebellious dwell in a parched land.” I was tired of parched land. The Lord helped me turn a tight corner out of depression.
Three years later, I came to Roger’s office again, but this time…I was cautiously optimistic. I came on the arm of a strong, faithful, and loving man named Kevin. Kevin had won my heart. He had loved me for six months. I felt very loved through our dating. Kevin is an expressive, sensitive leader. He was ready, but was I? We watched a video about locked hearts and then Kevin led us in prayer for Jesus to help us care for each other’s hearts. My tears began to flow unhindered. We held each other and cried. The next morning, as Kevin spoke about the loss of his wife Tracy, I felt a strong empathy for his heart-wrenching experience. Roger helped me ask Jesus to send fear to the throne of God. God would send it away. Not by might, not by power, but by the Spirit of the Lord, I would water the seedling of love. My love for Kevin was growing. I knew that the baton was being passed to me. The baton was a symbol of love and ownership passed from Tracy to myself. Through Christ I can embrace the new hopes and dreams whole heartedly. When Kevin proposed to me in the Restoration Ministries office, I realized that his proposal was perfect for me!
Story from Kevin
My name is Kevin. I am 47 and a widower.
I was married in 1990 to Tracy. We were married for 16 years. During the last year of our marriage, Tracy was diagnosed with breast cancer and passed away after treatment and complications. Tracy and I had two kids, Megan-10 and Wiley-8, who are very precious to me. I was very hurt by the loss of Tracy. We had a very close and loving marriage. I remember the time when I had to accept her death as a reality about to arrive. My parents held me tight in the arms of Jesus as I wailed my loss in the hospital. I spent many days crying out my pain to God. I often wondered how God could bring any happiness back into my life. It did take awhile before I realized "He hath dealt bountifully with me" Psalm 13:6.
After four years, God sent a lovely woman in my direction. He had been preparing her all along. When I met Bethany, she was very precious and cautiously cared about my heart. And intellectually Bethany accepted me. At times she was willing to talk about Tracy and the associated pain. When we desired an experienced outside opinion on our relationship, we came to Roger and we spent time discussing even more things that I had felt and experienced during and after Tracy's illness. Bethany and I spent time in prayer for ourselves and for each other. Many tears were shed by us equally. A new appreciation and love grew immensely during that session. When we finished that precious time together, I was so moved that I asked Bethany to marry me.
We felt that Roger helped us in many ways to see God's love working in our lives. When we had sin or hurt in our past we needed to confess it to Jesus and wash it away with His shed blood. Then we came to new understanding and love for each other. We thank Roger tremendously for his help.
And most of all, we Praise God for His generous spirit in preparing us to be together while we prayed individually. And for providing us with His unbelievable love and care. James 1:2-5