My Marriage Was Restored By God, Diane Bustamante's Story

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Hey friends, welcome to the Her God Story Podcast where you will always hear a good

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story to build your faith and equip you in your walk with the Lord.

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I'm your host, Jodie Chiricosta, ministry leader at Somebody Cares America and International,

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author and traveler on this journey of faith.

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Psalm 13 in the New Living Translation reads, Oh Lord, how long will you forget me?

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Forever?

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How long would you look the other way?

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How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart every day?

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How long will my enemy have the upper hand?

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Turn and answer me, oh Lord my God.

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Restore the sparkle to my eyes or I will die.

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Don't let my enemies gloat saying we've defeated him.

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Don't let them rejoice at my downfall.

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But I trust in your unfailing love.

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I will rejoice because you have rescued me.

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I will sing to the Lord because he is good to me.

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My guest today, Diane Bustamante, could have written that Psalm.

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She has a story of rescue, restoration and rejoicing.

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Diane and her husband Ben have lived in Italy for many years, sharing the gospel, starting

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churches and helping people grow in their faith.

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They've gone through some trials individually and as a family that would have ruined them

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but for God.

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Her story is real, it's challenging and it reveals the power of God to not only restore

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but to make things better than they were before.

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Welcome Diane.

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Thank you.

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You live in Italy now but you are originally from the States.

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Can you share a little about where you were born and how you were raised?

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I was born in California but three days later I was taken to Texas because I was adopted.

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I was raised in a Christian home, wonderful parents, Jack and Rosemary Gossett.

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They're both gone on to heaven now.

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What led you to Jesus?

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How did he become real to you?

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I was raised in a Christian home like I said and in a church that the pastor was really

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one of great faith and prayer and I believe fasting as well.

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He made an altar call and I went down to the altar and I remember asking Jesus into my

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heart.

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I remember actually feeling something lift from me and I did not know it was the weight

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of sin.

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You say well how much sin can you be in at six years old but yeah it was amazing.

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I know I received Jesus when I was six and I still remember kneeling down by the couch.

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We had a family friend that had come over and shared Jesus with my whole family actually

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and we one by one all got saved.

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I was the youngest at the time and probably the last one to do it but I remember at six

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thinking I need to do this.

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The Lord can move in the hearts of very young and call us for a life of following him.

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Something happened obviously when you were in your preteen years as with all of us, Satan

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tries to get us off track but something happened that put you on a bumpy road during your teen

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years.

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Can you tell us about that?

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Yeah well let me just say that a few weeks later I received the power of the Holy Spirit

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at six years old and so when this at 12 years old I found a butt of a cigarette of my uncle

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in a bathroom and I thought it'd be cool to light it up and little did I know that one

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act of rebellion was going to lead me to eventually two and a half packs of cigarettes a day and

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drugs and drinking and of course you know the enemy was trying to kill me because that's

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what he does.

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This one cigarette led to drugs?

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Not just immediately but it just led to more cigarettes and then more vices and whatever

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my parents said not to do I was determined you know just rebellion and of course that's

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witchcraft and I don't know what was in my background being adopted but I did go for

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a terrible ride downhill.

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What caused you to re-surrender your life to the Lord?

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That's one reason I wanted to say about the Holy Spirit.

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No matter what I was doing I kept hearing the Lord say you know I'm real come back to

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me.

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You know I'm real come back to me and I'd say yeah when I get really old and when I

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get through partying I'm coming back to you.

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So at the ripe old age of 19 I surrendered so that one real old but you know the Lord

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is persistent so.

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Well you know I had a similar in my teen years.

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I grew up in military family.

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In my teen years we moved right before high school so we moved to a new place and you

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know my new friends in you know a neighborhood you're looking for friends and my new friends

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weren't Christians.

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You know they like to go out and drink and they like to party and so I kind of got swept

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along just looking for friends.

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Fortunately I did not get into the drug scene but you know I rebelled during that season

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as well.

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I always knew in my heart that this was the wrong thing for me to be doing.

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I always felt you know even in the midst of when I was having fun in my head my heart

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was heavy.

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You know when I got to college I kind of continued that lifestyle a little bit but always with

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the knowledge that God was watching and he knew.

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I mean I would even still go to church.

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I remember going to church one Sunday and I had gone out partying the night before you

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know I had been drunk.

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I was sitting in church and I heard the Lord speak to me.

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I was out of the Psalms.

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I'm going to put a new song you know a new song on your in your lips a song of praise

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my God and I was sitting there thinking Lord I just did horrible.

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I mean I just acted horribly to you last night but his love was constantly drawing back to

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him.

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Yes I did you know yeah in my college years re-surned to the Lord and it was like night

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and day.

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I mean I remember kind of after making that recommitment to the Lord I went you know out

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with some friends.

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I mean by this time I was of legal age so I could legally go into these places but I

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was sitting there and I just I could see the darkness in that place.

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I mean I didn't want to be there anymore.

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I left as soon as I could and never have gone back.

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It was just like night and day to me how the Lord closed the curtain on that part of my

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life and made me see there is nothing that active in sin and the devil's way.

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I mean obviously I'm not sinless but you know it's like that scripture that talks about

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you know when we die to the flesh so that we can be raised to live with Christ we're

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no longer under the dominion of sin.

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To me it was for me for my life it was it was like that.

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One day I was dead to sin and the next day I rose and it was like nothing about that

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attracted me anymore but I'm sorry back to you.

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Oh because that's a similar story because immediately the chains broke.

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I was instantly delivered of cigarettes.

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I was instantly delivered of drugs of men and so like you it was like night and day

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and that's why I fell in love with the Lord.

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I thought who can change me like that.

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Yeah you can do that.

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It's like the blinders come off and all of a sudden what was I thinking.

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So after you really fell in love with Jesus who are on fire for the Lord you headed to

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Christ for the Nations Institute for Bible training and then on to Ramo Bible College

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and that must have been a glorious season in your life.

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I mean everything just becoming alive you know the Lord is revealing so much to you

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so what did he do in you during that time that set the course of your life.

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If we could just live at Christ for the Nations or Ramo it would be wonderful wouldn't it

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but you can't.

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You know what the Lord did he gave me such a heart for worship which led me to a heart

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for loving people which led me to a heart for loving all the nations which led me to

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wanting to really give my life more to the Lord.

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Yeah just wanting to reach those people that they would show us videos of and it was a

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heart transformation but even to a deeper level I guess.

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So a lot of us think about missionaries being sent to the developing world you know Africa

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you know some of the poor countries in Asia but God called you to Italy.

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So how did that happen and you know what was that process like?

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I'm sure you know that was a head scratcher initially but.

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Yeah and especially the fashion capital but anyway no he first called me to Rome because

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I was at Christ for the Nations I was just sitting in class and one of the teachers got

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up and they were talking about missions and he said we are thinking about taking for the

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first time a group to Italy would anybody be interested in going and my spirit jumped

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and before I knew it my hand was up and I thought what is my hand doing up because I

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went to Bible college not thinking anything about doing anything for the Lord I went because

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I wanted to know him more.

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I did not know I remember going in and someone would ask me are you going to be an evangelist

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are you going to be a pastor are you going to be I said nothing I just came here and

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little did I know God had different plans.

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Yeah well you know he has a way of doing that moving us right into position I have realized

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over my life that God knows me better than I know myself and if I will just say yes to

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that next step he leads me to places that I never would have dreamed would be so fulfilling

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and extraordinary in my life.

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Yes.

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That is where he meets us so you know he took you to Christ for the Nation and met you there

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and opened up quite an adventure for your life.

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You went on this initial short-term mission trip to Italy did God speak to you there?

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How did that turn from a short-term to long-term I mean you lived there you lived there for

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years now.

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Well I was there with 11 other kids and I mean some were older and some were younger

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and while I was there it was amazing I could understand what people were saying and that

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was scary because the only thing we learned is like where's the bathroom and things like

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that but people would be talking in Italian I'd say and I would understand what they were

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saying and I was like why do I you know and then also within the group there was one that

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had a word a word from the Lord that one of you will come back as a full-time missionary

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and sure enough that same thing happened my spirit jumped but I said I'm not telling anybody

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because by this time I was really shaking like what is going on.

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Had you taken any language before this I mean like any of the romance languages?

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Oh maybe a little Spanish and high school yeah but I mean I was understanding conversations

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about what people were saying and I had never other than where's the bathroom.

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It really was that gift of the Holy Spirit that it was interpret kind of like what happened

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when all the people gathered in Jerusalem and they could hear what the disciples were

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saying so you went back to Milan did you go by yourself I mean you were a single woman

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did you join a team or I mean no no I went to Rome first Rome first yeah I was single

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I went to Rome actually the very first time I went was in the south of Italy I went with

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another girl that was on that trip we returned there there was a lot of jealousy and things

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and so we went back to the states but then I returned again to Italy the way that happened

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I told my parents I had a call to Italy and they were like yeah yeah and then when I went

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back there with Nina they were a little bit more shocked and when I came back I went to

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Rama you know the Lord said begin to knock that ass seek knock so I begin to knock I

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called David Wilkerson and they didn't need anybody and I called team challenge I got

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the head of team challenge in in the Dallas area that was Paul Ecker and he is the one

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I said I'd like to do something I'd like to help in any way I could and he said well this

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is a men's facility and you know you can't and I said well I'll do anything and you don't

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have to pay me and he said I'd like to meet you and I said okay so I did and as we were

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talking he just said I have a very good friend in Rome and he needs a worship leader and

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you would be perfect and he doesn't even know if I can sing I'm like huh he said and you

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would just be perfect and he said do you have a resume and I said no and I'm just looking

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at him like what he said and he contacted Terry Hoggard which is out of the assemblies

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of God before I knew it I was there and the Gulf War broke out I just led worship a couple

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of times and God just opened the door he said it would be very hard for you to be here as

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a single and there's no place for you to live and but God worked out a miraculous thing

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with a family Terry and Dina Dreier where right before I left we were invited to a dinner

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we went over to their house they began to show us the house begin to show me the house

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and they said this is the room where the exchange the Chinese exchange student is supposed to

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stay but you know what we haven't heard from her in months if you come you can stay right

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here with us bam the door open and I mean just door after door open and so I was there

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you know for three and a half years before I married working in the international church

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in the Bible school and it was quite amazing had you ever led worship before I think I

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had led worship but maybe on a very small scale not in a big international church with

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20 different nationalities it was it was but that's the way it is when like you said God

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just does amazing things and before you know it you're led into an amazing situation so

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you met your husband there was he Italian I mean how did God orchestrate that you know

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he would come in for meetings we were in I was in the mother church the Rome church he

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was in a daughter church the Milan church so he was there and the pastor one time for

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a meeting said you see that girl she preaches you ought to have her for a meeting so he

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did he asked me to come hold for not revival and I did and he said that God moved on here

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go month we fell in love fell in love and that's making it short yeah well tell us

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a little more I mean you know we love love stories so before I left there that revival

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one of his friends said he's gonna call you he's gonna visit you and so I called my dad

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and I said dad pray because anyway he had called me and said did you make it home okay

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and there was something about his voice one time he left a message on the recorder and

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I went all the way to the floor on my knees it was just the Lord yeah and I knew it was

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the Lord except I said I had told him because by this time he had come he had visited me

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he had told me he loved me and I said you what that was on the first time we went out

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he said I love you and I said you don't even know me he said yeah but I know God and I

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thought you know what a line but nevertheless it nevertheless he was right but I told my

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parents and I told my pastor back in Dallas I said if y'all have any kind of a check any

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kind of a red light I am not gonna do this they didn't and one time my dad called and

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he had you know we talked very often and I'd say has God said anything to you and he'd

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always say no but this time he said yes and I said what and he said and I had just gotten

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off the phone to Ben Ben was in Milan I was in Rome he said God said I'm gonna use them

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I'm gonna bless them and this is of me and so when I was crying and Ben called back and

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he knew what I had said if there's any kind of check if there's any kind of and he knew

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that I had just talked to my dad and I was crying and he said what is it and I said it

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was dad and he called and he said what is it and I said he said that God said this is

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of me and I will use them and I will bless them and I was so he started crying we got

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married wow so you were dating I mean you were kind of long distance from Rome to Milan

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yes and over how long of a period did this courtship happen four months oh it was quick

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it was very quick so what I tell young people is I would have never done it except for the

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fact that my parents nor I nor my pastor because I like those you know those checkpoints they

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had no or at least they didn't say they had any kind of check in their heart about me

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marrying him so you then moved from Rome to Milan where he was pastoring was he actually

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pastor of the church there actually we tried to move to a place in Milan but we ended up

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going to back to Christ for the nations because you know that scripture that says you should

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take off a year oh yeah so he took off a year we both I took classes as well but I was itinerating

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as well but he was in the school full time and went a whole year that was one of my things

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I wanted him to go I had prayed I said whoever I marry if there if there was any way Lord

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that they could go to that deliverance class it was a certain class I wanted someone to

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go to yeah that I married well you know that is important to kind of take care of past

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hurts and pains in our life my husband and I have both and I really sought the Lord about

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that as well and and had some ministry you know so that we could deal with the past and

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it's allowed us to to walk together in unity in the future so you went after Christ for

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the nation you went back to Milan been helping establish churches and discipling believers

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so we know what did you see God doing I mean he said he was going to use the two of you

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together so how did you see him actually doing that we just saw a harvest of souls we just

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we started in his sister's apartment and then it just continued to grow till we get to a

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hotel and then we had a church and then two years later a friend wanted us to start another

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church in Brescia and we started in a house they all started in houses and before you

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knew it we had six churches back up a little bit tell us about the situation in Italy obviously

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the Vatican is there there's a lot of historical Christianity in Italy but what's the situation

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there now is there a hunger for the Lord do you find them kind of cold toward God what

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what's he doing there Italy is a very religious country the thing we had and even now it is

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really just the anointing on the worship on the people that is are in the churches I remember

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even from the beginning when we would have worship we had Italians coming in the church

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but we didn't have translation so they would come in because they sense the presence of

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God when the service started they couldn't understand anything so we eventually just

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had such a burden that those young people the kids that was raised you know in the church

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they began to translate the services the services were in English English and Tagalog because

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they were mostly Filipinos that would come even to this day it's mostly Filipinos that

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are in the churches because my husband is Filipino wow so the younger people that learned

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Italian by living there they started translating and that's kind of how it spread to the local

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population even that's right you know the Lord works in mysterious ways doesn't he

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yes he does so you and Ben were serving in Milan a few years later your daughter was

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born and so how did you manage that being a mom you were serving in ministry you're

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far from family at least your family I guess Ben had some family close by but that's you

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know kind of different having a child in a different nation and different culture and

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just having a child period you know your first child you want your mom or somebody there

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with you but the thing about the Filipino culture there's such a giving loving culture

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that everybody took Hannah to raise I mean everybody would hold her while I'm I mean

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I was I had Caesarian and the very next Sunday I was leading worship so somebody was watching

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her and somebody was holding her and the Filipinos are that way very serving yeah community around

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you right then things were going really well but you started to see some changes in Ben

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that ultimately led you to some really tumultuous times in your life what were the first signs

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that you saw that something was off he would look at the computer at night of course I

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thought he was studying I'm a morning person he's an evening person so I just figured he

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was studying but sometimes when I would come in he would immediately close it and I'd say

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what are you doing and he'd say nothing so I just okay I left it but then as he went

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on it would happen more than once and I'd say Ben if you are doing anything do you realize

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that we could lose the ministry you could lose us everything I'm not doing anything

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okay I just leave it how long did this go on I mean eventually it it spiraled into a

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crisis yes I couldn't really tell you that it had been going on a long time we were married

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after four months and we didn't we weren't really together I was in Rome he was in Milan

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yes he would come to visit but as far as really spending a lot of time together getting to

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know each other so our times together it was more like lust instead of love even after

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we were married it really wasn't sharing and it was more like we were roommates the more

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I saw that the more distant we became what brought this to a head I mean when did you

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realize what was really going on and what happened how did that transpire I mean the

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Lord is faithful to call us out of sin and if we don't turn privately he tends to make

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it a little more public what happened in your family there that brought everything to light

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well Hannah had become a teenager I was always telling her Hannah you need to get off that

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phone you're always on the phone it's not good for you you're on the phone and so she

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said do you ever look at daddy's phone do you ever look at daddy's phone I said I'm

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not talking about daddy's phone I'm talking about your phone let's not talk about daddy

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and she just went on and on about daddy's phone because she had seen something she finally

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told me her and her cousin and then her cousin's brother told me that different things making

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me know that there was something going on I called the pastor in Dallas our pastor and

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I said you know Hannah says this and and Randall heard this and he said well unless you have

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evidence so that very night I got all three of his phones and it was a terrible scene

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the way I got him the way I took him his response which it was just open blown strife and an

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argument and I'm sure it had a very ill effect upon Hannah because she realized she was the

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one that uncovered it but it was God's love that was trying to get to the bottom of everything

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so you actually uncovered an affair is that right yes well once I went through the phones

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I saw the numbers and the lady and so I actually called that number and I didn't know somebody

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was going to answer it but it was a lady and I didn't know what to say so I just said is

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Arlene there and she hung up because of course she was thinking it was going to be Ben and

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it wasn't I'm sure that was it so you discovered this and obviously at that point you're in

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a crisis your family's in a crisis we're ahead of a ministry really what do you do in that

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kind of situation you are in the middle of personal crisis family crisis and ministry

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crisis well I called my pastor again and he said you should go to him you should confront

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him and if he will not confess then you bring him before others you know that scripture

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and so I did and he denied it the Lord just gave me the wisdom to get him before the board

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not knowing what was going to happen church or the board of the mission or what no the

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board of the church so they came and I said well and I began to tell them the story and

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I said but he denies it he says there's nothing to it but the fact is I called the lady and

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the minute I said that he stood up and he began to say it's all my fault and and he

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began to take all the guilt I failed you I failed because he didn't know that the lady

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didn't say anything but just for the fact that I said I called the lady where do you

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go from there I mean now you've got this admission of an affair I mean that can be the end of

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marriage that can be the end of everything and you here you are in in Italy what happened

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I mean obviously you're back now in Italy you're still married right or there's a lot

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that transpired in the middle I mean if we're and how would you get from that crisis point

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to now well you're talking about eight years yeah I'm sure there's a lot going on eight

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years so I called the head of world missions and they said is he willing to admit it and

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I said I believe he is and he said yes he admitted it so in three days they took him

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out that was September 14th of 14 they took him out of Italy they flew him back to the

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state so he could have counseling so he could get help and they were going to take the whole

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family of course Hannah was in school and we had these churches so they didn't really

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mention about the whole family but they eventually they did but what he proposed to me was do

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you want to stay there and take care of the churches which was crazy I should have never

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said yes but by this time my mind wasn't working my mind was not worketing probably

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oh it was short circuiting I was like how could you have done this serve communion

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and and been living like this it was just too much for me but I did I said yes and so

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I began to pastor the biggest church and look over the five other churches I mean never

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again but of course the enemy was trying if he can't get you in sin he'll just get you

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to wear out and wear down and yeah lose it so Ben is gone you're leading the ministry

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you're dealing with your sense of betrayal and your daughter's sense of guilt and betrayal

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did you have anyone to turn to nobody really knew everything they knew he had betrayed

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because the head of world missions they told us to send a letter to all the churches his

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letter of confession and it was known what had happened but they did not know what I

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was going through you know as pastors we tend to not be friends with our members so it was

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like I did not have friends that were physically here I could call people and I did but it

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just is not enough things really went from bad to worse for you and for Hannah yeah and

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what what happened there Hannah saw that I was shutting down she saw that I was getting

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sick even though I didn't really notice it I mean I was up like two three in the morning

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trying to clean the house because everything else was just on me and so I wasn't getting

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enough rest and I was trying to do all this ministry and trying to cope with all the thoughts

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anyway she saw that I wasn't hitting on all cylinders and she just wanted to run away

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and she did and that took me to another level of just to a complete breakdown of exhaustion

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emotionally mentally I mean she was gone three to four days and I didn't know if she was

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alive I didn't know where she was who she was with not knowing that she had just run

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to family his family and nobody let me know yeah they didn't tell you where she was no

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which is another thing that tried to put bitterness yeah more bitterness in me you know and always

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have something against his family I'm telling you this was layered just layered in me the

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enemy knew he was orchestrating something trying to take me out but he lost how did

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you find her and you eventually went back to the states right I mean yes Church of God

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released Ben to come here I'm say here because I'm in Milan in fact this is very surreal

350
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to be talking about this here in Milan but anyway released him to come here and to get

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Hannah because Hannah wouldn't come with me she wouldn't get near me so it had to be him

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to come here to tell her no we're going to go to the states I'm going to take you and

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everything's going to be okay now she did not want to leave and I don't think she knew

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that she was going to be taken to the states but he was just telling her everything's going

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to be okay and then when she found out she was going to have to leave and that I was

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going to go with them well they stayed separate from me the whole trip except for when we

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were in the hotel and then it was just a nightmare it really was and when you got back to the

358
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states you were at this point just totally exhausted mentally physically and you ended

359
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up in a hospital I mean did you have a physical breakdown how did you get into a hospital

360
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it was mental and emotional hearing things and seeing things and because of lack of rest

361
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and just everything I had gone through I was put in a hospital and you know I was put in

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several hospitals and I don't think they knew how to diagnose me because I was diagnosed

363
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with just about everything you can imagine I have since realized that a lot of times

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when I was in the hospital I was praying in the spirit I was singing that'll throw anybody

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off that's an unbeliever oh they didn't know what you were doing no you know I can understand

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and and I do understand those were unbelievers I mean I was mistreated at a couple of those

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hospitals and but I don't hold anything against them because they in all probability they

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were unbelievers and those places are taxing enough and I can't imagine what they go through

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just working with people like that all the time in fact while I was there you know after

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getting rest eventually I got rest it was a series which is just too long to go into

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you know they wouldn't feed you unless you took the medicine they would only give you

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a little water per day which would send me into a UTI because I would become dehydrated

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then they would rush me to another hospital I mean it was you talk about the Psalm you

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picked God rescued me I mean you're in this hospital you've just been swept up in a horrific

375
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scenario not of your choosing not of your doing what were you thinking or what was God

376
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saying to you during all of this time I mean there must have been a really deep work he

377
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was doing in you that you had to cooperate with I just kept thinking the thought just

378
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kept coming to me they said we were coming in for family restoration what is going on

379
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why am I here what this has nothing to do you know because you know the medicine would

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make me worse I would even yell it out because I knew some people were listening and I'd

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said they said it was for family restoration and the only way I got out of those hospitals

382
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was I began to fast because I didn't want to take the medicine the medicine was making

383
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me worse you know if you don't you didn't have to take it if you didn't eat and I knew

384
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I was in a place of danger I know that when we're there's danger you fast and so I did

385
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the Lord led me on a fast and the people did not like that I would get out of the hospital

386
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so were you able to check yourself out of the hospital or how did you eventually leave

387
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no they eventually just released me to Ben because he would come and visit me how long

388
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were you in the various hospitals a period of like three months so when you got out there's

389
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still a lot of hurt and pain there yes how did that restoration happen a lot of getting

390
00:35:06,480 --> 00:35:14,400
before the Lord and just asking him point blank what happened Lord I was just so close

391
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to you and but through counseling finding out about Ben's past you know Ben is a wonderful

392
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man of God he really is but something happened to him in his childhood where he was molested

393
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several several times by one person in particular but there were other times of other people

394
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knowing this you know it's as happy as the man that has understanding yeah and I began

395
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to understand that's where the enemy bruised him even at an early age that's why he began

396
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to look at things that's what led him down the path that he went on that's how he got

397
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trapped for all I know he was trapped our whole married life I don't know all that for

398
00:36:01,440 --> 00:36:07,920
a fact but I would think so so God really gave you spiritual eyes to see what was going

399
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on there that allowed you to get beyond the hurt of your heart yes and that really is

400
00:36:15,360 --> 00:36:21,080
you know to give you God's love for him I mean I was first Corinthians 13 today you

401
00:36:21,080 --> 00:36:26,280
know about love and and one of the things that you know a little further down in in

402
00:36:26,280 --> 00:36:33,920
first Corinthians 13 it says we see things imperfectly like puzzling reflections in a

403
00:36:33,920 --> 00:36:39,440
mirror but then we'll see everything perfectly clear I'm sure you probably don't have full

404
00:36:39,440 --> 00:36:45,360
understanding even now of what this was all about but God started giving you some of the

405
00:36:45,360 --> 00:36:52,640
puzzling reflections yes some perfect maybe understanding of the deep things he was trying

406
00:36:52,640 --> 00:36:59,060
to do in you and in Ben and Hannah she was probably confused and hurt by all of this

407
00:36:59,060 --> 00:37:04,600
as well I mean what were some of those truths or principles that your family had to walk

408
00:37:04,600 --> 00:37:11,320
in or embrace to receive restoration well I think one of the things that we really guard

409
00:37:11,320 --> 00:37:19,520
against right now and will always is strife strife in the home because you know James

410
00:37:19,520 --> 00:37:27,060
316 says we're striping envy is there's confusion and every evil work so the night that everything

411
00:37:27,060 --> 00:37:34,240
blew was the night that the enemy really came in and even Hannah began to look at things

412
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that she would never have looked at and I think it's because she had seen her daddy

413
00:37:38,320 --> 00:37:45,640
looking at things you know we're all connected and like I said I think giving this testimony

414
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which I did a few years ago and Hannah and Ben both have seen it and I did my best to

415
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protect both of them yeah and they were both pleased with the way it was handled and I

416
00:37:58,360 --> 00:38:04,200
think it gave light to her to let her know that you know God used her as an instrument

417
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because if Ben had not have been stopped we could have still been here all these years

418
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and Ben would have missed heaven he would have gone to hell because as I read my Bible

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adulterers end up in hell and so thank God for his mercy yeah you know and even me you

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know the Bible says you were talking about first Corinthians pays no attention to a suffered

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wrong well I was paying attention all right I was counting them up and I mean I was hot

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I was angry I was bitter I was resentful and to this day God is still doing a releasing

423
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you know being back here in Milan it's triggered a lot of things than you can imagine and I

424
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just have to take control of my mind cast down imaginations I have to slap down the

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wrong thoughts I have to continue to believe the best about him and he has been free for

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years now yeah but you know when you return to the scene of the crime the enemy will try

427
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again because he never lets up yeah but I believe God is greater and he's brought us

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here for such a time as this to refine us and to make us his gold you it's very remarkable

429
00:39:27,940 --> 00:39:34,480
Diane and it's what God calls us to do to release hurt to forgive to not hang on to

430
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bitterness but it's so difficult to do when we're in the midst of the pain and really

431
00:39:42,460 --> 00:39:48,760
it's the power of the Holy Spirit it is making the decision and releasing it to God my listeners

432
00:39:48,760 --> 00:39:55,740
who listen to several podcasts know that I am just inspired in life by the story of Cory

433
00:39:55,740 --> 00:40:02,560
ten Boone suffered so much at the hands of you know the Nazis in a in a concentration

434
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camp and had to make decisions when she faced even the same guards you know one of the same

435
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guards that was abusing her and her sister to forgive right in the spot when she was

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in front of their face and she didn't know how she would do it but she made that decision

437
00:40:17,200 --> 00:40:21,860
to allow the Holy Spirit to work through her and then forgiveness flowed that's the miraculous

438
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work of God in our lives I can't explain it it's just been an amazing grace that has been

439
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upon me to just forgive and to continue to forgive and for him to forgive me you know

440
00:40:33,240 --> 00:40:39,400
because I was just as much as in the wrong I paid attention to the suffered wrong I counted

441
00:40:39,400 --> 00:40:47,720
it you know and you're not supposed to love doesn't sin is sin that's it we as humans

442
00:40:47,720 --> 00:40:53,120
categorize sin you know this is a sin that's bigger and you should have to pay more consequences

443
00:40:53,120 --> 00:40:58,320
and this is a sin that we can you know kind of sweep under the rug but not in according

444
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to God that's right he wants to be purified of all sin the internal sin and the sin that

445
00:41:05,240 --> 00:41:12,520
we can see yes and Jody you know I don't know who wrote the vows to getting married but

446
00:41:12,520 --> 00:41:18,360
they did say for better for worse and they did say sickness and in health or at least

447
00:41:18,360 --> 00:41:25,440
when I got married and you know he was sick because he was bound by pornography and God

448
00:41:25,440 --> 00:41:30,120
has given me the grace and then I got sick and he's given him the grace to take care

449
00:41:30,120 --> 00:41:38,160
of me at times so I can just see how God is writing this story and he never makes a mistake

450
00:41:38,160 --> 00:41:44,040
he is a good God and he's going to make this story beautiful I do want to just point out

451
00:41:44,040 --> 00:41:51,000
and Diane you can comment on this more if you want but Ben was repentant there are situations

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00:41:51,000 --> 00:41:58,280
where the offender is not repentant that's right and so there's no place for someone

453
00:41:58,280 --> 00:42:07,680
staying in an abusive relationship yes that's exactly right so God works amazingly when

454
00:42:07,680 --> 00:42:14,800
both parties are repentant yes and yes I'm glad you said that yeah we don't want there

455
00:42:14,800 --> 00:42:19,680
to be any condemnation for someone who's been in an abusive relationship or a relationship

456
00:42:19,680 --> 00:42:25,800
where there was unrepentance long-term unrepentance I mean we can pray for those who are in those

457
00:42:25,800 --> 00:42:30,640
situations and are not willing to repent pray that God will soften their heart toward him

458
00:42:30,640 --> 00:42:37,360
but so I'm sure you've had time to reflect what are some of the biblical and even practical

459
00:42:37,360 --> 00:42:41,280
truths that you could share with other women to help them in their journey it doesn't necessarily

460
00:42:41,280 --> 00:42:47,260
have to be just women who have experienced what you have but just you know all of us

461
00:42:47,260 --> 00:42:52,440
are going to face challenges in our walk with the Lord what are some of those truths that

462
00:42:52,440 --> 00:42:58,840
we can all apply to any challenge we face keep strife out of your home the minute we

463
00:42:58,840 --> 00:43:06,120
start to argue I'll say I'm done I will not argue because I know that is a door that the

464
00:43:06,120 --> 00:43:12,040
enemy can come in and just wreck havoc and also you know just to continue to believe

465
00:43:12,040 --> 00:43:19,280
the best and continue to pray and to speak over your husband he's a good man he's faithful

466
00:43:19,280 --> 00:43:26,440
he's kind and and you say well you know he's not but faith calls those things which be

467
00:43:26,440 --> 00:43:33,640
not as though they were so we continue to speak positive towards our children towards

468
00:43:33,640 --> 00:43:39,080
our towards our loved ones because we know God is doing a work and he will finish the

469
00:43:39,080 --> 00:43:45,360
good work he's begun in them I think that's a big one and not to you know I think I was

470
00:43:45,360 --> 00:43:53,560
in rebellion that maybe even you know stemmed from a childhood even coming back to him you

471
00:43:53,560 --> 00:44:00,200
know there's times we as wives can even punish our husbands by not kissing them or whatever

472
00:44:00,200 --> 00:44:06,800
you know because we're feeling something hurt towards them and and that's stubbornness being

473
00:44:06,800 --> 00:44:14,920
stubborn and so you know that's listed right there with rebellion which is witchcraft and

474
00:44:14,920 --> 00:44:19,320
this is something that just came to me because of one of the sisters in our prayer group

475
00:44:19,320 --> 00:44:25,560
on Tuesdays that shared something and so the Lord is changing me even more so I know there's

476
00:44:25,560 --> 00:44:32,840
going to be a part two to this and three and four it's just going to go on and on until

477
00:44:32,840 --> 00:44:39,520
I see Jesus but I'm glad because you know we see songs about purify my heart and yeah

478
00:44:39,520 --> 00:44:46,000
refiner's fire we see songs like that but when it starts happening we're like uh that's

479
00:44:46,000 --> 00:44:51,360
that's enough and you know we stop well Diane thank you so much for sharing your story I

480
00:44:51,360 --> 00:44:56,040
know it's not an easy one to share but God has really restored and brought you joy and

481
00:44:56,040 --> 00:45:00,880
returned you know restored you to the ministry I mean not yes it doesn't always happen you

482
00:45:00,880 --> 00:45:07,280
know sometimes God takes us to a different place but God's restored you to the place

483
00:45:07,280 --> 00:45:12,000
that you were before as a family and even better because now those hurts those covered

484
00:45:12,000 --> 00:45:20,000
wounds they're gone the Lord's yes covered them to heal them and you know all that pain

485
00:45:20,000 --> 00:45:24,800
it's like you know I mean we hear we hear these analogies you know well you got to uncover

486
00:45:24,800 --> 00:45:30,320
you know the bruise and you are that the cut and you have to scrape out all the infection

487
00:45:30,320 --> 00:45:35,560
and it's painful but that's the only way it can heal it's true spiritually as well so

488
00:45:35,560 --> 00:45:42,040
those emotional and spiritual wounds God uncovered them roughed them up got the infection out

489
00:45:42,040 --> 00:45:48,800
to heal them so now your ministry really can be pure and joyful and move forward in a way

490
00:45:48,800 --> 00:45:55,320
that it couldn't have before yes thank you there's a sweetness in our marriage now we

491
00:45:55,320 --> 00:46:00,480
serve each other we go on dates we didn't really date those four months now we're just

492
00:46:00,480 --> 00:46:05,320
now dating so it's like we've we've been married for 27 years but the last two have been the

493
00:46:05,320 --> 00:46:11,680
happily ever after happily married you know the the marriage that I've seen in other people

494
00:46:11,680 --> 00:46:16,840
now we've still go through rocky times but but it's there's a sweetness there there's

495
00:46:16,840 --> 00:46:24,040
a friendship there that wasn't it was more like just roommates but now and I'm sure that's

496
00:46:24,040 --> 00:46:31,400
how your marriage is and anyway it's it's just it's wonderful now so I thank God for

497
00:46:31,400 --> 00:46:37,680
that then I always like to ask my guests as we close what woman of the Bible has inspired

498
00:46:37,680 --> 00:46:42,320
or encouraged or taught you something during your journey I was likely more than one obviously

499
00:46:42,320 --> 00:46:47,520
you're a woman of the word you know who's been most significant to you now right now

500
00:46:47,520 --> 00:46:54,680
in your life I guess you know worship has taken on a whole deeper meaning to me and

501
00:46:54,680 --> 00:47:01,400
the woman that was forgiven much and she loved much because she was forgiven much yeah and

502
00:47:01,400 --> 00:47:08,560
that's that's who I see myself to be I've been forgiven a lot and because of that my

503
00:47:08,560 --> 00:47:14,320
worship has deepened yeah sometimes when we walk with the Lord a long time we forget how

504
00:47:14,320 --> 00:47:21,120
much we've been forgiven because it's so long ago it's so distant thankfully praise God

505
00:47:21,120 --> 00:47:25,320
that we forget how much we have have been forgiven and when we're reminded of that I

506
00:47:25,320 --> 00:47:32,080
know those there are times when I'm reminded of my sin my feelings and it comes again watching

507
00:47:32,080 --> 00:47:39,760
new like you said the gratitude the thankfulness of all of that Romans 8 28 and 29 says and

508
00:47:39,760 --> 00:47:45,040
we know that all things God works together for good for those who love him who've been

509
00:47:45,040 --> 00:47:51,040
called according to his purpose for those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed

510
00:47:51,040 --> 00:47:55,980
to the image of his son that he would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters

511
00:47:55,980 --> 00:48:00,840
there are times in Diane's story that things looked helpless but as you've heard God used

512
00:48:00,840 --> 00:48:08,200
even those times to shape Diane Ben and even Hannah more into the image of Christ Jesus

513
00:48:08,200 --> 00:48:13,640
it's often in the crucibles of life that were purified those times when we're so desperate

514
00:48:13,640 --> 00:48:20,360
that every word of God is life to us and we're willing to be changed when we yield to God

515
00:48:20,360 --> 00:48:26,280
he brings us through the challenges to a brighter day he restores the sparkle to our eyes that

516
00:48:26,280 --> 00:48:30,920
speaks of his goodness Diane would you take a moment and pray for everyone who listens

517
00:48:30,920 --> 00:48:36,220
to your amazing God story father I just thank you for every person that will ever listen

518
00:48:36,220 --> 00:48:41,660
to this and I pray Lord in the name of Jesus Lord that something that was said today will

519
00:48:41,660 --> 00:48:46,920
become a rama to them I pray in the name of Jesus that you'll give them grace to release

520
00:48:46,920 --> 00:48:52,600
hurts release people Lord so that they can go free as well Lord just like you've done

521
00:48:52,600 --> 00:48:58,520
for me Lord you've been so good to me Lord I am ever so grateful and I pray Lord God

522
00:48:58,520 --> 00:49:04,040
that the homes that are represented on this call Lord would be free from strife free from

523
00:49:04,040 --> 00:49:09,040
envy free from jealousy and contention or God I pray in the name of Jesus that you will

524
00:49:09,040 --> 00:49:15,600
do a work in the lives of families that listen to this message Lord even today and that you

525
00:49:15,600 --> 00:49:20,960
will do a healing work and a restoration work Lord just like you've done in our family Lord

526
00:49:20,960 --> 00:49:28,040
and we'll be sure to give you all the praise and all the glory for it in Jesus name amen

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00:49:28,040 --> 00:49:33,880
amen well thank you for tuning in in our show notes at her God story.org you'll find links

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00:49:33,880 --> 00:49:38,760
to scriptures and other helpful information there you can also find a link to download

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00:49:38,760 --> 00:49:43,800
a free six month devotional on women of the Bible we'd love to pray with you on our 24

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00:49:43,800 --> 00:49:48,600
seven prayer and text line give us a call anytime at eight five five four five nine

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care or you can email us at prayer at somebody cares.org if you enjoyed this podcast please

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00:49:54,600 --> 00:50:00,280
rate it and review it on Apple podcast or whatever streaming service you use we'd love

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00:50:00,280 --> 00:50:04,920
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534
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the podcast so you don't miss an episode and now dear friends I leave you with the blessing

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from Romans 15 13 I pray that God the source of hope will fill you completely with joy

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and peace because you trust in him then you will overflow with confident hope through

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the power of the Holy Spirit her God story is a ministry of somebody cares America and

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00:50:29,520 --> 00:50:48,320
international to find out more about or support the ministry go to somebody cares.org