Michael and Selena lived lives marked by anger, control, and addictions. When affairs led to separation and Michael’s pursuit of divorce, God intervened in both of their lives. Through Christ, Michael and Selena can now leave their kids with a legacy of reconciliation, not one of divorce.
Doug and Dyann Kierstead |
Ben and LK Ortiz |
Bobby and Shari Johns |
Monte and Marsha Dunn |
Julie and Mark Nicholson |
Jerry and Lori |
Steve and Amie Bradley |
Marcus and Carol Brown |
Nancy and Mark Rovenstine |
Kyle and Lucina Thompson |
David and Cait |
Mandy and Leonard Bagdanov |
Michelle and Nate Ball |
Nate and Megan Mickish |
Wes and Angie Talley |
Jen and Alex Lesko |
Alissa and Shane Mauldin |
Daniel and Cynthia Costa |
Sheri and Brett Johnston |
Robert and Linda Green |
John and Jeanie Cox |
Wade and Betsy Nowlin |
David and Tara Jensen |
Jim and Judy Wimberley |
Jimmy and Michelle Comeaux |
Kevin and Kelli Mainz |
David and Manuela Acosta |
Rob and Haley Thomas |
Robbie and Teri Vedrenne |
Rick and Michelle Howard |
Matt and Jenn Farlow |
David and Lauren Kinney |
Jared and Leigh Anne Sullivan |
Markus and Mary Kay Jabek |
Neil and Jody Curran |
Scot and Michelle Buchanan |
David and Cait |
Wes and Angie Talley |
Tobin and Christina Miller |
Michael and Melinda Parisi |
David and Denise Renken |
Bobby and Shari Johns |
John and Debbie Wingfield |
Mark and Nancy Rovenstine |
Todd and Julie Anders |
LaDale and Cynthia Buggs |
Chris and Katie Sherrod |
Kyle and Lucina Thompson |
Simon and Katrina Saugier |
Willie and Gigi Hornberger |
Mark and Julie Nicholson |
Nate and Michelle Ball |
Robbie and Teri Vedrenne |
Paul and Kelly Rutherford |
David and Tara Jensen |
John and Jeanie Cox |
Steve and Amie Bradley |
Chris and Michelle Dishman |
Kevin and Kelly Mainz |
Jim and Judy Wimberley |
Dean and Tawney Macfarlan |
Rob and Haley Thomas |
Shane and Alissa Mauldin |
David and Lauren Kinney |
Markus and Mary Kay Jabek |
Ryan and Callie Nixon |
Alex and Jen Lesko |
Jared and Leigh Anne Sullivan |
Selena and Michael Thompson |
Russ and Karen Fleig |
Phil and Beth Brinkmeyer |
Leonard and Mandy Bagdanov |
Glenn and Desiree Newblom |
Michael and Melinda Parisi |
Bobby and Shari Johns |
Brett and Jan Bruster |
Wes and Angie Talley |
Mac and Sophie Macfarlan |
John and Debbie Wingfield |
Brett and Chrisey Billman |
Nate and Michelle Ball |
Mark and Nancy Rovenstine |
Divorce Panel |
Trey and Shera O'Neal |
LaDale and Cynthia Buggs |
Shane and Alissa Mauldin |
David and Tara Jensen |
Jared and Leigh Anne Sullivan |
Jim and Judy Wimberley |
Steve and Amie Bradley |
Griffin and Kami Stroope |
David and Lauren Kinney |
Rick and Michelle Howard |
Glenn and Desiree Newblom |
Markus and Mary Kay Jabek |
David and Tara Jensen |
Brett and Jan Bruster |
Bobby and Shari Johns |
Ryan and Callie Nixon |
Steve and Amie Bradley |
Testimony- Brian and Morgan Buchek |
Testimony - David & Tara Jensen |
Blended Family Panel |
Testimony - Greg & Jennifer Sutherland |
Testimony - Jacob & April Neely |
Troy and Julia Bussmeir |
Nick and Rachel Klein |
Mike and Shelly Ahlemeier |
Matt and Andrea Walker |
Luis and Kaylee Caceres |
Graham and Stacey Robbins |
Andy and Jenny Marsh |
Jared and Leigh Anne Sullivan |
Griffin and Kami Stroope Testimony |
Testimony |
Divorce Panel |
Testimony |
Testimony |
Testimony- Glenn and Desiree Newblom |
Michael and Selena Thompson |
Testimony- Greg and Emily Goodin |
Re|Engage Large Group Testimony |
Re|Engage Large Group Testimony |
Brandon and Brittani Travelstead |
Re|Engage Large Group Testimony |
Re|Engage Large Group Testimony |
Re|Engage Large Group Testimony |
Martin and Lenore Gao |
Testimony - Shera and Trey O’Neal |
John and Debbie Wingfield |
Alex and Jen Lesko |
Tim and Kalyn Gereg |
Jimmy and Michelle Comeaux |
Jason and Mandy Castro |
David and Robin Howard |
Robert and Linda Green |
LaDale and Cynthia Buggs |
Markus and Mary Kay Jabek |
Brett and Jan Bruster |
Greg and Emily Goodin |
Charles and Karen Bundren |
Testimony |
Testimony - Jared and Leigh Anne Sullivan |
Bobby and Shari Johns |
Testimony - LaDale and Cynthia Buggs |
Re|Engage Spanish Night Testimony - Manuel & Elvia Lemus |
Testimony - Alex and Jen Lesko |
Simon and Katrina Saugier |
David and Denise Renken |
Testimony - Robert & Linda Green |
Testimony - Martin and Lenore Gao |
Shane and Alissa Mauldin |
Testimony - Markus and Mary Kay Jabek |
Testimony - Charles and Karen Bundren |
Testimony - Bobby & Shari Johns |
Testimony - Ivan & Martha |
Testimony - Tim & Kalyn Gereg |
Greg & Tonya Gilmer |
Testimony - Ryan & Callie Nixon |
Paul and Kelly Rutherford |
Nate and Michelle Ball |
Kevin and Kelli Mainz |
Testimony - Greg and Emily Goodin |
Testimony - John and Debbie Wingfield |
Testimony - Shane & Alissa Mauldin |
Brett and Chrisey Billman |
Todd and Alex Wagner |
Teaching - Community |
Teaching- Completion |
Testimony - Markus & Mary Kay Jabek |
Testimony - Dave & Denise Renken |
Robert and Liz White |
Testimony- John and Pam McGee |
Testimony- Charles and Karen Bundren |
Testimony - John & Debbie Wingfield |
Testimony - Greg & Tonya Gilmer |
Testimony - Ryan & Callie Nixon |
Kyle and Lucina Thompson |
Testimony - Jared & Leigh Anne Sullivan |
Testimony - Bobby & Shari Johns |
John Paul and Rena |
Testimony - Paul & Kelly Rutherford |
Trey and Shera O'Neal |
Testimony - Kevin & Kelli Mainz |
Erick and Gina Frank |
Martin & Lenore Gao Testimony |
Tyler and Jenny O'Neal |
Mark and Kathy Thomas |
Peter and Eleanor |
Testimony - Shane & Alissa Mauldin |
Eric and Catherine Couch |
Bill and Ann Daly |
Testimony - LaDale & Cynthia Buggs |
Testimony - Nate & Michelle Ball |
Michael and Stefanie Santiago |
Steve and Natalie Hamm |
Testimony - Brett & Chrisey Billman |
Chris and Charece Robbins |
Testimony - Charles & Karen Bundren |
Klein and Holly Swannie |
Dean and Tawney Macfarlan |
Mark and Nancy Rovenstine |
Testimony - Kevin and Kelli Mainz |
Testimony - Robert & Liz White |
Testimony - John & Debbie Wingfield |
Testimony - Mark & Kathy Thomas |
Testimony - Bobby and Shari Johns |
Testimony - Simon & Katrina Saugier |
Testimony - Shane & Alissa Mauldin |
Teaching - The Importance of Fun in Marriage |
Testimony |
Teaching - Sexual Intimacy |
Rick and Michele Howard |
Scott and Laura DeBow |
Zech and Kim Lumpkin |
Tyler and Jenny O'Neal Testimony |
Scott and Kristen Kedersha |
Bill and Ann Daly |
Bobby and Shari Johns |
Newly and Karen Spikes |
Jon and Kathy Flaming |
Brett and Jan Bruster |
Kyle and Lucina Thompson |
Chris and Charece Robbins |
Brett and Chrisey Billman |
Dee and Roddy Elliott |
Derek and Stacy Braziel |
Greg and Tonya Gilmer |
Adam and Brooke Fish |
Shane and Alissa Mauldin |
Everett and Emily Alexander |
Mark and Kathy Thomas |
Divorce Panel |
Matt and Amy Levy |
Robert and Liz White |
Bryce and Elizabeth Erickson |
Greg and Tonya Gilmer |
Chris and Charece Robbins |
Dru and Amanda Guillot |
Dee and Roddy Elliott |
Warren and Angie Wright |
Derek and Stacy Braziel |
Chris and Dana Adamson |
Jeremy and Mindi Patty |
Bobby and Shari Johns |
Jim and Judy Wimberley |
Kevin and Kelli Mainz |
Brett and Chrisey Billman |
Jason and Mandy Castro |
Kyle and Lucina Thompson |
Greg and Tonya Gilmer |
Dee and Roddy Elliott |
John and Meredith Hall |
Ryan and Callie Nixon |
Adam and Brooke Fish |
Shane and Alissa Mauldin |
Bobby and Shari Johns |
Bobby and Shari Johns |
Greg and Tonya Gilmer |
Robert and Liz White |
A.C. and Debi Ndindjock |
Mark and Nancy Rovenstine |
Bryce and Elizabeth Erickson |
Bill and Kathryn Buntyn |
Nate and Teresa Graybill |
Robert and Lou Ann McMillen |
Dee and Roddy Elliott |
Kirk and Cathy McJunkin |
Adam and Jackie Tarnow - Re|Engage Testimony |
Kyle and Lucina Thompson - Re|Engage Testimony |
Joey and Christian Rider - re|engage Testimony |
Jason and Mandy Castro - re|engage Testimony |
Jeff and Martha Sharrock - re|engage Testimony |
Scott and Kristen Kedersha - re|engage Testimony |
Zech and Kim Lumpkin - re|engage Testimony |
Chris and Charece Robbins - re|engage Testimony |
Robert and Linda Green |
Everett and Emily Alexander - re|engage Testimony |
Bobby and Shari Johns - re|engage Testimony |
Neal and Ann Holford - re|engage Testimony |
Les and Desi Brown - re|engage Testimony |
Simon and Katrina Saugier - re|engage Testimony |
Mark and Nancy Rovenstine - re|engage Testimony |
Chris and Dana Adamson - re|engage Testimony |
Rick and Michele Howard - re|engage Testimony |
Divorce Panel - re|engage Testimony |
Bryce and Elizabeth Erickson - re|engage Testimony |
Dee and Roddy Elliott - re|engage Testimony |
Mike and Laura Labunski |
Robert and Liz White - Re|Engage Testimony |
Eddy and Rachel Badrina - Re|Engage Testimony |
Shane and Alissa Mauldin - Re|Engage Testimony |
David and Denise Renken - Re|Engage Testimony |
A.C. and Debi Ndindjock - Re|Engage Testimony |
Joey and Christian Rider - Re|Engage Testimony |
Scott and Kristen Kedersha |
Jeff and Martha Sharrock |
Neal and Ann Holford - Re|Engage Testimony |
Wes and Brandy Butler - Re|Engage Testimony |
Andy and Jennifer Bailey - Re|Engage Testimony |
Lance and Mandy Sisco - Re|Engage Testimony |
Leonard and Mandy Bagdanov - Re|Engage Testimony |
Blake and Rebecca Holmes - Re|Engage Testimony |
Chris and Dana - Re|Engage Testimony |
Catherine and Tom - Re|Engage Testimony |
Angie and Warren Wright - Re|Engage Testimony |
Teri and Robbie Vedrenne - Re|Engage Testimony |
Tawney and Dean Macfarlan - Re|Engage Testimony |
Brooke and Adam Fish - Re|Engage Testimony |
Judy and Jim Wimberly - Re|Engage Testiomony |
Kim and Zech Lumpkin - Re|Engage Testimony |
Mary and Ted Randall - Re|Engage Testimony |
Katie and Brandon Lokey - Re|Engage Testimony |
Mindi and Jeremy - Re|Engage Testimony |
Lisbeth and Hil Bowman - Re|Engage Testimony |
Meredith and John Hall - Re|Engage Testimony |
Tanna and Rick - Re|Engage Testimony |
Cathy and Kirk McJunkin - Re|Engage Testimony |
Crystal and Anthony Obey - Re|Engage Testimony |
Rachel and Eddy |
Lucina and Kyle Thompson - Re|Engage Testimony |
Adam and Aleks Stewart - Re|Engage Testimony |
Linda and John Berry - Re|Engage Testimony |
Lora and Jeff Strese - Re|Engage Testimony |
Julie and Todd Anders - Re|Engage Testimony |
Cheryl and Jeff Scruggs - Re|Engage Testimony |
Jackie and Adam Tarnow - Re|Engage Testimony |
Ann and Matt Piper - Re|Engage Testimony |
Cindy and Mike Homsher - Re|Engage Testimony |
Julie and Scott Sedberry - Re|Engage Testimony |
Rebecca and Chip Dickens - Re|Engage Testimony |
Missy and David Leventhal - Re|Engage Testimony |
Carrie and Troy Patterson - Re|Engage Testimony |
Sheri and Brett Johnston - Re|Engage Testimony |
Tanna and Rick Wisner - Re|Engage Testimony |
Anna and Kavon Moradi - Re|Engage Testimony |
“No one other than Christ could have changed our broken lives and turned it all into something wonderful.”
“I had no idea how couples could ever survive the pain of infidelity,” said Selena Thompson. “I had never really seen a godly marriage or a watched a couple reconcile through Christ’s work in their lives. But that changed when we came to re|engage at Watermark. I’ll never forget hearing for the first time that our problems were not unique or seeing couples who had made it through to the other side together after unfaithfulness and betrayal. If those couples could survive, maybe God could help us through.
“My own parents split up when I was a kid, and afterward, I felt neglected and acted out to get attention. Angry and rebellious, I engaged in inappropriate relationships and used drugs. By the time I was 18, I was an unmarried new mom. I developed a severe methamphetamine habit and slowly lost my home, car, and everything else to drugs. When I realized I would soon lose my daughter, too, we packed up and moved to Lubbock with my mother so I could get clean. I look back at those years and realize that I should be dead, but for God’s protection.
“I had only been sober for 90 days when I met Michael. He was so different from other guys I had dated, and I fell for him. I had lived a difficult life and had developed a hard heart, so sharing life with someone was not easy. When we got married, life seemed good, but we relied on our own abilities, rather than God, to make our marriage work. Fear and not trusting the Lord were huge struggles for me, and that played out in our relationship through control and anger.
“I never looked at what I needed to work on because I spent all my time trying to fix my husband. I controlled our money, the discipline of our daughter, and everything in our house. When I didn’t get my way, everyone paid the price. To make things worse, we didn’t know many people who were actively walking with the Lord, and we didn’t get much discipleship through church. So, we just focused on our jobs and making money while our relationship suffered.
“Michael got a promotion which required us to move to a different city, and I had to commute a long distance to work every day. The Enemy used that distance to drive us farther apart. I became insecure and was worried that Michael might have a relationship with someone at work. Instead of confronting him with these thoughts, I confided in a male friend at work with my concerns. An emotional affair began, and eventually it became physical. Soon I was secretive, anxious, and living in sin.
“When Michael and I separated, I moved back to Lubbock and wrestled with a lot of guilt and shame. Fortunately, I got involved in a local Bible study, and met women who were willing to pray for my marriage and me. In his anger, Michael had begun an affair, which made it such a difficult time for me. These women prayed for me and reminded me to wait on the Lord because reconciliation was possible. Even when Michael filed for divorce, I refused to give up. I studied Psalm 37 and felt convicted that God wanted me to fight for our marriage.
“To get farther away from me, Michael applied for a transfer in his company, and he was moved to Plano. The Lord was doing work in Michael’s heart, and after three months he eventually asked me to move to Plano with him. We found Watermark and joined re|engage, Watermark’s marriage ministry.
“We often describe our first time through re|engage as God’s opportunity to put out the dumpster fire in our marriage, and the second time was for God to show us what started the dumpster fire in the first place. The Lord did so much work in both of our lives through re|engage and re:generation, Watermark’s biblical recovery ministry. Reintegrating into the same home was not easy, but the Lord was faithful to help us look at the gaping wounds in our relationship and allow us to heal. God helped me see my own sin and depravity and reminded me how He had been with me over and over again. Even in my disobedience, God saved and protected me.
“Today, we are involved in the Watermark Plano campus, and we’ve led four groups through re|engage. Every time we meet couples who are in the same place our marriage once was, it’s a reminder of God’s faithfulness to us. With every group, we end up with more great friends who love the Lord like we do.
“I don’t know if there are words to express how much God has blessed us. No one other than Christ could have changed our broken lives and turned it all into something wonderful. But He did this for both of us, and it is worth the wait and the hard work to be in a marriage that God designed. We can now leave a legacy of reconciliation instead of divorce for our kids. Now we get to walk our daughter, Skylar, down the aisle together as one. I can see God’s hand throughout our relationship, and if you let Him, the Lord can work in yours, too.”
“The grass is greener where you water it. If I had put more effort into being a godly man and investing in our marriage, it would have changed things.”
“I believed so many lies about my marriage,” said Michael Thompson. “I bought the lie that there was too much damage for our relationship to work. I believed that we could never recover from infidelity. But I had forgotten one thing: God can change anything.
“Years ago, when I worked up the nerve to ask Selena out, I asked her if she’d like to go have coffee, even though I hate coffee. We started dating after that. Selena was a believer in Christ, and when she asked me about my faith, I didn’t know if I believed in God, Buddha, or the Kool-Aid Man. So, I just told her I believed in ‘something.’
“Despite our many core differences, we moved in together. Our relationship was difficult because I was an avoider and would appease Selena until I was so frustrated that I exploded in anger. I observed that same pattern in my parents’ marriage and brought that baggage into our relationship. I adopted another of my parents’ patterns when we married in 2007. Selena controlled the house and many other aspects of our life, which I was fine with until something went wrong. Then I’d get angry about not having any control.
“Selena was very driven in her career, so I pushed myself to get promoted to keep up with her. When I took a better job out of town, the conflict in our marriage increased, and we quickly drifted apart. Eventually, Selena began an extramarital relationship. The news of her affair left me in a blinding rage, and I tried to hurt her as much as I could. I turned to alcohol to help with the pain and later turned to a woman at work with whom I had my own affair. I believed the lie that since Selena hurt me first, my infidelity was justified.
“After nine months of destructive living, I was pulled over by the police for drinking and driving and spent the night in jail. The only bright spot in that whole incident was getting to connect with my son, who was 20 years old at the time. He was the first person to share the gospel with me and demonstrate what a real Christian man looked like. He told me about the forgiveness and free gift of grace that God offers everyone, including me. Although I loved reconnecting with him, I was not able to fully understand the forgiveness he described.
“I moved to Plano and intended to divorce Selena. But instead, the Lord used the words of a coworker to show me that my marriage was worth fighting for. I called Selena, and together, we found our way to Watermark and to re|engage, Watermark’s marriage ministry. I’m still amazed by all the Lord did after that.
“I was still stubborn at first and could not see why I needed to seek Selena’s forgiveness. But I read the words of Ephesians 4:32, and the Lord showed me how true forgiveness works. The son I had abandoned for 15 years had forgiven me and was willing to pour God’s Word into my life. Each week at re|engage I met people who trusted the Lord enough to extend forgiveness to one another. The more I looked at myself, the more the Lord showed me my part in the mess of our marriage.
“Romans 3:23 says, ‘for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.’ At re|engage I took a look at my sin, and although it was a bitter pill to swallow, I realized I was just as much at fault for the destruction of our marriage as she was. Because of my son’s example I finally understood what true forgiveness looked like. Because of God’s grace at work in my life, in May of 2016 my entire family was baptized, and my son was there to baptize me."
This series contains teachings and testimonies of God's transforming power in marriages at re|engage. re|engage is designed specifically to address needs in marriage by helping couples move towards oneness in their marriage through stories of grace, teaching and small groups. Whether your marriage needs to be reignited, or is in need of a complete resurrection, re|engage is a safe place for couples to reconnect. It is a 16-week experience which includes a time of praise and worship, a teaching or a testimony by a couple who has experienced victory in the midst of hard times, and small group time which follows a specified curriculum. We meet every Wednesday night, 6:30-8:15 p.m. in The Loft (7540 LBJ Freeway @ Park Central, Dallas). Kids Ministry is available with advance registration.