“For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven. And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds — yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach.” (COLOSSIANS 1:19-22)
Last week, we shared a handful of stories from people who made public professions of their relationship with Christ by being baptized at Watermark’s baptism service on Sunday, May 1. This week, we meet several individuals whose lives and marriages have been transformed by the grace and power of the Lord. To read more stories of restoration, reconciliation and redemption, visit us at watermark.org/blog/stories.
“My life before Christ was all about how I could fit God in and be protected from the destruction I was causing. I grew up in church, but my idea of God was that He expected the impossible and the only way to get what I wanted was to trade and bargain. The truth was that I didn’t know God at all, and I didn’t know how to know Him. My life was marked by isolation, anger and anxiety. The more I made life about me, the less I could focus on healing in my own heart or my marriage. My wife and I separated, and this was the pivot point for me. Getting in community with guys who were running after Jesus was just what my heart needed. I learned that I am perfected in Christ because of His great love and His work, not because of anything I could do. I learned that God’s laws and commands were not rules to keep me from life, but rather promises to protect and bless me. It was in this time of restoration from the Lord that my wife and I were able to reconcile and heal our marriage. Hurt people hurt people, but His ways are better than mine and I’m learning every day to trust in His goodness.” – Stephen Prince
“I trusted the Lord with my life at a young age, but I didn’t know the extent of His goodness or His love for me. I sought life in partying, relationships and anything outside of God’s goodness. Four years after marrying my husband, I filed for separation and later divorce. However, this left me utterly broken and in the darkest of days. I became uncomfortable with my choices and finally realized and admitted I was in desperate need of a Savior. God was faithful to show me just how great His love is, and I was able to see clearly that a life and marriage centered in Christ was the answer. It is solely because of Christ’s saving grace that my husband and I were able to reconcile and remarry. I no longer desire to seek fulfillment outside of Jesus; my past has been forgiven and I have been set free.” – Jessica Prince
“The threat of losing my marriage shook me to the core and caused me to reexamine my entire life. I had experienced a lot of heartache in my life, the death of a parent, rape, and other tragedies, but this was a new low. For most of my life I blamed God for every bad thing that happened and was far from trusting or knowing Him. I was hollow and the only place left to turn to was God. I grew up in the church, but it was out of duty and expectation that I attended, not out of love for God. Seeking answers and help, my husband and I started attending Watermark and the re|engage ministry. I learned about a personal relationship with Jesus. I have come to recognize my daily dependence on Him, trusting Him and bearing witness to His miracles daily. I had to get to the lowest of lows to recognize that God was all I needed. God was waiting for me with outstretched arms, just like His Word tells us. He is still writing His Word on my heart.” – Cassey Scales
“The night I surrendered to God I was immediately filled with peace, but prior to that I was completely broken. My marriage had crumbled and all of my achievements seemed meaningless. I was in chaos. During the time of the separation from my wife, a couple began to minister to me, inviting me to church and sharing the goodness of God. After one particularly bad fight with my wife, I looked up to the Lord. My life has changed and healed over time through the peace, assurance and joy of being in a relationship with Christ. My life is no longer centered on achievements or keeping score, but rather living in obedience to the Father, knowing Him more intimately and carrying out His will. My marriage is being restored, and the focus is no longer ‘you and me’, but rather ‘us’. The Lord’s prayer starts my day, reminding me of His forgiveness, promise and deliverance.” – Kenny Kwong