The way I see it, it's a miracle Joel is even here.
18 months after Annalise was born, I left Rich. We were separated for 6 months, had lawyers, were going through the family court for custody of our little girl, not talking, only communicating through legal paperwork and none of that was friendly. It was a mess and I honestly thought we would never be a family again.
For my whole life, I was an Athiest. To me, this life was all we had. No purpose, no meaning, the only things that really mattered were money, fun, material possessions. Rich always had faith that there was a God, and I was happy for him to have that, just don't talk to me about it. I didn't want that in my house. All these bible bashers coming to my door trying to convert me. The church brainwashing people. Stealing money. Abusing kids. Not for me, thanks. All you kooks and fruit loops can have it.
In October 2008, I realised how wrong I was. That my whole life I had been living with my eyes closed and my heart hard. Rich and I were separated and I had flown to Sydney for a conference. There was an optional worship session on the Sunday morning which there was no way I was going to. I had Annalise with me and my mum, our stay at the hotel with an 18 month old had not been restful or easy and if I could sleep those 2 extra hours in the morning, I planned on it. But, 7am on Sunday morning, I was awake and feeling like I'd had 12 hours sleep. Something made me go to that worship session and while I was there, I felt the amazing power of God's love. I knew that I knew that I knew that I knew - I had been wrong for 32 years. God did exist and He LOVES me. I just knew it in my heart. I won't go into details of how I knew it, I just did.
Two weeks before, I had been at a park with Annalise and in her usual fashion, she had adopted another family. A mother and her little boy. We all got talking and she invited me to her church. Ah, she's one of those! I declined the offer, I was doing just fine at this solo parenting, sue your husband, take the house, child, money and never trust a man again business on my own. I didn't know then that God would get me to that church anyway!
When I got back from Sydney, I called this lady. I told her that "something" had happened to me and she was the only "religious" person I knew, can I come over for a please explain. She told me of God's love, that he is in the business of saving people and mayb enow I'd like to come to her church. I said I'd be there with bells on.
After about 6 weeks of going to this church, I really felt I needed to talk to Rich. Not through lawyers, but face to face. I called him and needless to say, he was very surprised to hear from me. What surprised him even more was my invitation to church. He was saying "YOU go to church? What the? I don't get it. Are you serious?" I just said "yes, come". He did. He was saved that night and our family's restoration began.
It's a long sorry of everything that happened next, of all the miracle's God did to restore us, so I will condense it. 2 months after Rich came to church, he moved back home, 2 months after that we were pregnant with Joel. My mum and brother come to church, Rich's mum, sister, her husband, his mum, his sister, her daughter all come. We've had friends saved, we've seen our family get baptised and we've seen my amazing mother in law be healed. She hobbled in on cruches, barely able to walk and in pain. She left jumping, skipping, kneeling and praising God. We know God heals.
I guess what that post was about was just to show me what God has done for us already. If it wasn't for Him, Rich and I wouldn't be together and we would have never had Joel. That is something to be grateful for.
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