Marriage is HARD. Bold Prayers #15 But God Won!

Well-loved Bible teacher and president of the women's ministry Proverbs 31, Lysa TerKeurst, announced this week that she is pursuing a divorce from her husband of 25 years.

When I saw this, my heart broke...this was posted back in February or March of 2017.  The following is the rest of the article that I found in doing some research today.  I literally remember praying for her and her family.  Been there.   This is from Lysa TerKeurst. 

The decision comes after what TerKeurst calls the "hardest battle" of her adult life, trying to save their marriage.

"My husband, life partner and father of my children, Art TerKeurst, has been repeatedly unfaithful to me with a woman he met online, bringing an end to our marriage of almost 25 years. For the past couple of years, his life has sadly been defined by his affection for this other woman and substance abuse. I don't share this to harm or embarrass him, but to help explain why I have decided to separate from him and pursue a divorce. God has now revealed to me that I have done all I can do and I must release him to the Savior," TerKeurst wrote on her blog. 

TerKeurst reiterated how seriously she takes marriage, revealing that she and Art made repeated attempts at counseling. 

"But sadly, though I have repeatedly forgiven and accepted him back, he has continued to abuse substances, be unfaithful, and refused to be truthful to me and our family," TerKeurst wrote.

Through it all, TerKeurst says the Lord has been faithful and has now made it clear to her that she has done all she can do.

"I am brokenhearted beyond what I can express. But I am more committed than ever to trusting God, His promises, and His plans, whatever they are from here," she wrote.

TerKeurst says she will continue with Proverbs 31 Ministries after taking some time off to rest and heal. 

"Many people think Proverbs 31 is a picture of a perfect woman; but the Proverbs 31 woman is, at her core, someone who seeks the Lord in everything she does and trusts Him wholeheartedly with her life. Our mission is to meet women where they are in the real, hard places we all experience, and to intersect God's Word right there. We are simply a group of women sold out to saying yes to God—and He truly does the rest," TerKeurst wrote.

I copied and pasted this article into the blog today.  Yesterday I came across an article/blog written telling her ''  I am sorry".  This blogger had blogged about the situation and just reminded everyone that no one was exempt from the enemy .  She has over 1 million followers between her Instagram, Twitter and FB accounts.  

But on Father's Day -- she posted this:  

Her message reads: “A gift. A hard prayed for and fought for, glorious, messy, miraculous, honest, treasured gift of together. Happy Father’s Day, Art! The way you have pursued the Lord, healing, and us… is evidence of God’s supernatural grace and goodness. I’m praying for everyone praying for a miracle today. God has a plan but it will probably unfold in a way you never thought it would.

With this:  

I saw this on Father's Day and READ her post.  Since then, I have been watching and digging.  I don't have 1 million followers, nor do I want them, but today -- I just have to remind every wife seeking....every husband hoping...that GOD CAN win!  

God is faithful and even when our human brain feels and thinks that something is just NOT God's Will....be open!    Please be open.  Amen.  

God is SO faithful.  I remember at the beginning of when stuff within our marriage was revealed, God gave me a vision.  God also surrounded me with wonderful people that prayed into me and guided me.  God also gave me NEW people that would pray for my marriage and my husband with NO judgement.  We have all sinned and come short.  

I remember reading a part of the beginning of Francis Chan's book - Crazy Love and reading about a couple he esteemed with greatness.  It was a couple that had endured 18 years of abuse and addiction and the wife stayed....interceding until her husband because a true seeking of Jesus.  I remember thinking, "if she can stick it out 18 years....I can wait a bit".  

I remember a radio broadcast and hearing a testimony of a man and woman who were being remarried after being divorced 7 years.  It was a great story, but I also remember getting on my knees and crying out ..."I don't want to wait 7 years!!".  But I share that to say ...  waiting on God is what we must do.  

I totally believe that when she fully released and  and felt peace that she should file for divorce, the enemy felt he had won and then God could really begin a work.  

I read today that she has not been able to accept interviews to respond on this.  So is the marriage back on??  Are they divorced?   But I GET that...it takes MUCH time to heal.  And so often, many will try and be an expert or believe all is well...when it TAKES MUCH time to truly heal and move forward.  The enemy is still at work, so as I read her current FB posts or blogs, I say a simple prayer ...Lord, protect them!  

Often because we see some victory-- we believe we can move forward and minister to others and yet....we still need more healing and more time to allow a solid and godly foundation to be rebuilt and we need to be trustworthy and to totally trust God.   I have seen it and have BEEN there...wanting to help so badly and glorify God and yet, what God may want us to do is just be still and heal.  

But today -- today -- I HAD to just share this.  I wanted to GIVE HOPE to those reading this and to those praying with me....God is faithful and His promises are Yea and Yes!   

For the past few days, I have felt , in my flesh, that my blogged prayers were being attacked and that I was just trying to do something that God did not place in order.  It was and is the enemy ...just attacking.

  I got in a quiet spot yesterday  morning and asked God, my exact prayer was, "Lord, I just need human affirmation today ....I need to know that I am in Your will and I will continue being bold and transparent.  But I feel like the enemy has the upper hand and I am not getting the continued human affirmation that I crave.  But Lord...I will trust You, but please...?? I am needy today.".  

God answered.  Within the hour and He is a God of abundance....that I had a 2nd confirmation within the next hour and.....I awoke with a HOT FLASH at 11 pm and got 2 more SWEET SWEET confirmations.  God loves me.  So so often....when we TRULY understand our IDENTITY in Christ -- all the other stuff is NO biggie.  But even when we need that extra human affirmation  - He will grant it.  I have had many times where He did not....cause He has been weaning me from people/public praise and affirmation for over a year...if not two years now...but, in my deepest heart, HE knew what I needed yesterday and then HE just SHOWED off.  

I can't really share the affirmations ....but one of them, was /is a prayer that is still continual but it has been a LONG time coming!!   And with a simple post of a photo on FB - I will continue to pray because GOD will win.  

God is so stinkin- sweet!!   

So, it is time to wrap this up ....   the prayer is simple:  

Lord, for that marriage...for that wife...for that husband...God I pray that the people around them won't give up.  I pray that the hurting ones specifically will read this and find HOPE and I pray for the TerKeurst family as this plays out.  As this continues to heal....may YOU get all the glory.  IN Jesus Name.  Amen!