I gave the following witness in church this morning, and felt the need to share it here.<P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Three years ago today, I felt my life had ended.<P>My W left me.<P>I spent a great deal of time fighting and crying and screaming.<P>It took over six months for us to even begin to try and rebuild our marriage.<P>After that we spent a great deal of time trying to work things out.<P>It was not until the beginning of this month that I finally reached a point when we could no longer control what was happening. I turned to Christ and asked him to come back into my life and help me with this problem.<P>Through Christ all things are possible.<P>We all have anniversaries, both good and bad which we live through.<P>Today with Christs help is the first time, this day, this anniversary has not filled me with dread.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Many of you know the history which my W and have gone through, culminating in my W's attempted suicide early this month.<P>With my encouragement she has sought out counselling and is on medication to help address the depression she is dealing with. We have both devoted our lives back to Christ and through him to each other.<P>We still have a ways to go . . . but for the first time I can feel that a positive begining has taken place.<P>Perhaps I will tell you all more sometime, but felt the need to share this with all of you.<P>God Bless

Dear Empty Shell,<P> Gods peace and comfort be with you on this anniversary.I too have asked God into my life,as I have found that, on my own, I really messed it up,everything seemed to be out of my control.I surrendered my "trying to control" to Christ.<BR>God bless you and your wife.<BR> <BR> beth

I'm so happy to read your update. Please do write again soon!<P>------------------<BR>terri<BR><B>Courage</B><P>Whatever course you decide upon,<BR>there is always someone to tell you<BR>that you are wrong.<P>There are always difficulties arising<BR>which tempt you to believe that your <BR>critics are right.<P>To map out a course of action <BR>and follow it to an end <BR>requires courage.<P><I>Ralph Waldo Emerson</I>

Empty Shell<P>My thoughts and prayers are with you and your wife. I've been to the level of despair that your wife experienced. For me, I couldn't even fathom that God still loved me - especially after all I had done. It wasn't that I doubted God's power, or that I even doubted His existence, but I did doubt that He loved me. For me, this was the lowest possible point in my life - doubting God's love and mercy was like being in hell -it was hell. <P>But somewhere, along the line, I prayed that God fight this battle for me - that I was too weak, too tired, and that's when my life really changed for the better. And, now, I no longer doubt God's love for me, I no longer fear, I no longer worry, I am greatly humbled before Him - but I no longer feel guilt and shame, I no longer feel desperate. I have hope again - and that is a priceless gift. <P>Please tell your wife, for me, that God loves her just the way she is - but He refuses to leave her that way. Pray for His guidance and His strength, because, as you said, all things are possible through Him. God bless you both.

Oh, ES, it's so good to hear from you...<P>I'm not always here and I missed the thread concerning Hopeful's depression, I think. Please give her my love.<P>Love and prayers for both of you.<P>Lori

My prayers to you both.<P> <P>Jim

God is good and He alone can bring hope from hopelessness, beauty from ashes. My prayers are with you both.<P>------------------<BR>"They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:31

Lots of prayers and hugs<P>------------------<BR>di<P>