George and Lisa Dalton were both raised in Christian families, and they’ve continued to create a lasting legacy of believers and faithfulness in their family. While they have not been without struggle, the Daltons chose to depend on Christ in the hardest days of their marriage, and He carried them through many seasons together. After reading their story, consider how God has continually pursued you and take time to thank Him for all He’s done.
Lisa: “I had the amazing privilege of growing up in a Christian home. In high school, God introduced me to Young Life student ministries, which had a major influence in growing my faith. George also had the privilege of growing up in a Christian home and a foundation of loving Jesus and knowing the Bible.”
George: “Lisa and I met in high school and dated through college. Our faith was important to both of us, so early in our relationship, we pulled the Bible out to narrow in on what the Bible said and what we each believed. There were some challenging points, but we knew our faith was not our parents’. It belonged to us, and we wanted to prioritize Christ in our relationship.
“After college, I went through many years of being angry at God. My life followed the ‘right’ path, and I did all the ‘right’ things, but God didn’t give me the career I thought I deserved. Therefore, I thought if God weren’t going to give me the empire, I would build it myself. I began to pour myself into work, striving to make a successful career. I was so focused on myself and self-centered with my perceived failure and lack of accomplishments.”
L: “The years of raising three children and both of us in full-time jobs – me as a high school dance drill team director and George running a small business – were the hardest. Our family was so busy with youth sports and dance competitions. It is hard to keep your marriage the priority when there are many other things going on. We felt like roommates instead of husband and wife. Christ was not the center of our marriage anymore.”
G: “In 2009, God really got my attention. I had always known Him, always had faith in Him, and always read my Bible, but I wasn’t thinking about my wife or family at all. When we finally hit a breaking point, Lisa sat me down and asked me to stop living the way I’d been living.
“For the first time in my life, I went down on my knees and said to God, ‘I quit.’ I surrendered it all and decided to give everything to God.”
L: “From there, we learned to grow together toward God. We learned that if only one person in a marriage is walking toward God, you’ll never meet in the middle. But God protected us. When I sat George down and told him I was done, he said, ‘I’m not done. Give me and God a year to fix this.’ He could have easily walked away, but God helped him stay.”
G: “I started going as hard as I could after Christ and pursuing Lisa again. We also started looking for a new church. Some high school friends of ours were members at Watermark, and when we came to visit, we immediately knew it was where God was leading us.
“Through membership, Bible studies, and serving, we continued to grow much closer together in our marriage and our individual relationships with Christ.
“God has really changed me in terms of my heart and my desire. I am hungry for the Word and to know Him more. God is continuing to change both of our outlooks. I have a greater peace because my faith and trust in Him have grown. God has surrounded us with a loving community of friends who encourage and challenge us. Because of what the Lord has done in us, we’ve also seen a change in our kids, and it’s extended as our family has grown.”
L: “My relationship with Christ has changed everything! My intentionality, what I value, how I spend my time, how I invest in relationships, and my priorities have all changed.
“For us to survive that season is an absolute God-given miracle. Through God’s grace, we are on this side of it, and I am so thankful! Now, we enjoy spending time with each other, our kids, and our grandchildren under our favorite names, Gigi and Papa. You can also find us around Watermark on Sundays. When we’re not shepherding younger married community groups, I lead the Sunday morning coffee team once a month, and George helps with Sunday morning baptisms. We want to give back to Jesus and this church because Jesus has done so much for us, and we want to make Him known!”