NOTHING I HAVE EVER POSTED BEFORE OR EVER WILL POST IN THE FUTURE IS AS IMPORTANT AS THIS ONE. IT'S THE STORY OF OUR PRODIGAL SON JARED AND HIS SECOND TIME WIFE.
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| Jared and Grace Draper 2008 |
Three years ago my world was turned upside down when my husband (Jared) told me he wanted a divorce and walked out the door bag in hand. I was shocked and completely devastated. So many things went through my head at that moment but what scared me the most was being alone. How was I going to support and raise our two kids alone? The thing is I wasn't alone. God was, is, and had been with me through it all! He came along side me to be a shoulder to cry on and my strength to stand on. He gave me family, friends, and a loving church to take care of me. He used such a difficult time in my life to grow in my faith in Him. I never stopped loving my husband. I prayed for him often and always held on to the hope that he would come back. Well, a couple months ago God did something amazing! He got ahold of my husband's heart and turned his life around! God brought my husband to himself and in doing that brought him back to his family. We are getting remarried April 12. I can't wait and I'm so grateful for what God is doing in my life and in Jared's life. He's given us such a beautiful story and all of it gives praise and glory to God! It shows His love, His grace, His mercy, His strength, His sovereignty! God is so good!
JARED'S TESTIMONY
I've re written this post a few times trying to get the words right but it's just easier to say what's on my heart! Three years ago I made the decision to divorce my wife (Grace) of almost 5 years. We had two small children but I still thought the best decision was to walk away and not honor the commitment I made to her! I have spent the last 3 years living for myself and trying to justify the decisions I made. I've hurt a lot of people by doing that and my heart breaks because of that! It wasn't until recently that God, miraculously, did a work on my heart and has not only brought me back to Him but has brought Grace and I back together. I am so excited to announce that Grace and I are getting remarried April 12th! Emarie and Austin, our two beautiful children, are so happy that mommy and daddy will be together! I can only claim that this is possible because of the power of prayer of Grace and other people that this is even possible! I am so thankful that she never gave up on me and continued to pray that God would change my heart! I only share all of this to say that God does work miracles and I am so excited that He is giving us an opportunity to get our family back together! I hope that anyone that reads this will share in our excitement and that it will be a testimony that God is a loving God. I'm so thankful for His forgiveness! I'm so thankful for the mercy and grace that He shows me everyday
Jared, Grace and children on their wedding day, April 12. 2014
Jared, Grace and children on their wedding day, April 12. 2014
Sometimes marriages cannot be put back to together for lots of reasons so we prayed for Jared to come back to the God who loves him more then we did. We prayed for strength and courage for Grace as she faced being alone. Then we put ourselves out there to just love on them and build up our relationship with both. Boldly we prayed, God make Jared miserable and ask others to pray the same and then we watched as God brought sweet conviction to him over and over. Loving others as Christ loves us is never a waste and it carries a punch
that our human love does not carry. Their incredible story is not over. The pastor who married them said it was his first time to re-marry someone and he challenged Jared and Grace to share their story of what God has done in their life so others will be encouraged to trust God for their love ones who have strayed from the Lord.
Is there someone you are trusting God for?
Is there someone you are trusting God for?
