God Rocked the Boat

God Rocked the Boat Hero Image God Rocked the Boat Hero Image

“I live every day now knowing that life with Christ is better than any fairy tale ending of a story here on earth. None of my happiness is set on relationships, work, my accomplishments, or the opinion of others anymore. I am thankful.” – Graham Walton

“I figured there would be time for God later,” said Graham Walton. “So I lived for this life and everything that the world says is good – my beautiful wife who I married in 2010, a solid real estate career, money and status. God was not a priority because my wife was my idol. Whatever she wanted, I wanted to get.

“Then one day, after I had closed a significant real estate deal, I was surprised when my excitement was greeted with her apathy. She told me that she was no longer in love with me and wanted a divorce. There I was with more money in my bank account than ever before, but I felt like the poorest man in the world. I would have given it all back to avoid losing my marriage.

“Every day after that was a living hell. I was not welcome in our house, so I spent a lot of time in isolation with my thoughts. I didn’t want to tell people what had happened because it made it seem more true. One day, I drove out to Bridgeport, Texas to meet with a client about selling his property. About midway through our meeting, the guy asked me if I had a faith. That kind of upfront question caught me off guard. Of course, I had a faith. I definitely believed in God, I went to church as a kid. But did I truly have a faith?

“My client, who had no idea what kind of emotional state I was in, told me to check out Watermark. He even helped me download the Watermark app on my phone. That conversation was the catalyst for a chain reaction in my heart. Although I claimed to be a Christian, nothing in my life reflected Christ. I had led my wife so poorly, never pushing either one of us toward the Lord.

“Since I wasn’t comfortable in my own house, I spent a significant amount of time with my family. I had seen God work in amazing ways in my twin brother’s life so I took my trouble to him. My brother explained God’s grace to me in a way that I had never heard it before. I finally understood that while I was still a sinner Christ died for me (Romans 5:8). God wasn’t waiting for me to be good enough to earn His favor. He’d been right there with me, loving me in spite of my imperfections. What I needed was an abiding relationship with Christ and community with other believers who could disciple me and hold me accountable.

“I started attending Watermark Fort Worth every Sunday and soon after I became part of a community group. For the first time I saw the value of living in authentic community. I know that God’s timing is perfect, because our first community group meeting was the week that my divorce was finalized. Those guys walked with me through the entire process – sticking in there when I was at my lowest low. They prayed for me and shared God’s Word with me. I don’t think there’s any other way to live the Christian life than with a community of friends.

“During that same time, I started listening to Christian music, reading the Bible and applying what I learned to my life. God was taking the investments I’d made in the things of the world and replacing those habits with godly things. I was learning to set my ‘mind on things above and not on the things that are on earth,’ as Colossians 3:2 says.

“Some people claim that when you come to Christ your life or your circumstances suddenly get better. But my broken marriage was not saved after I trusted the Lord. My wife didn’t love me when she left or after I started following Christ. It was very difficult, but because of what Christ had done for me, I knew that I wasn’t going to endure that hurt for no reason. In my pain, I could have run to what the world had to offer. But God called me to Himself and to His people, and it changed my life.

“I hold no animosity toward anyone because my marriage failed. I should have led my wife better. God does not promise me an easy life on this earth. I live every day now knowing that life with Christ is better than any fairy tale ending of a story here on earth. None of my happiness is set on relationships, work, my accomplishments, or the opinion of others anymore. I am thankful.

“If I could do it over again, I would have followed Christ throughout my marriage and led my family better. But since I don’t have that option, I am thankful that God rocked the boat and moved me His direction. If this had not happened, I might still be out there chasing after the world, not knowing that I really was not a Christian. I went from having one friend to having a big community of people who know, pray for, and care about me. I wouldn’t have written my story this way, and I hope I never go through anything like this again. But I have eternal life now, and it’s worth whatever I had to endure to have a relationship with Christ.”