Bond_Servant
Member
- Joined
- Oct 4, 2005
- Messages
- 24
I grew up in a Christian home, attended church and was active in youth group. I then met my wife, Kim, got married, had a son, and went to work for my father-in–law. Life was pretty good, I had everything I wanted. I was making a 6 figure income, could really buy anything that I desired, but spiritually I was drifting away from God.
After 10 years of living the “good life” I needed more adventure in my life, but instead of looking to the Lord, I looked to the world for my adventure. I became heavily involved into bodybuilding, in fact I worshiped the sport, and it became my idol, my god. I did well at the sport, after some years of doing it; I wanted to take it to the next level. So I became involved in steroids, which lead to heavy steroid use along with recreational drugs (GHB, ect.) After awhile of lifting and steroid use, satan presented the opportunity to start selling steroids, and I took it.
Right now I thought my life was pretty good, I was very important in the gym and well known in the bodybuilding world, but I was still searching for that adventure. I found that adventure in another woman. In James 1:14-15 it states the temptation leads to lust, lust gives birth to sin, sin brings forth death. That is so true, I saw another woman, which lead to satan tempting me, I gave into the temptation, which lead to my lust which lead me to full blown sin. I was involved with her for about 1 year.
During this time, I knew this was wrong. I turned my back on God, and told myself that I deserved this, that I would do this for awhile and then I would go back to living the Godly life. But sin captures you and holds you prisoner; it starts out so small, and so harmless. But once you give into that small sin, it has you, then you sin again, seems so harmless, I mean after all, I did that little sin and I am OK, right? WRONG! I have found that with any temptation you must turn your back on it, and have the spine to resist it. 1Corinthians 10:13.
Sometimes for The Lord to save you, he has to bring you down to your knees, because some of us do not learn as easily as others. I hated who I had become, I could not let go, due to pride, and facing the consequences of my sin. You are always forgiven for your sin, but you still have to face the consequences of your actions.
My life began to crash down on me, in looking back a lot of bad things could have happened to me, I now see God’s hand at work even when he was chastening me. I was confronted by 2 officers who told me that I was going to be arrested and put into jail, but first I had to testify against my dealer who was supplying me. I said this is it…I am done, but the Lord saved me. My dealer died 2 days later from a drug overdose, the case was dropped.
I could not go on with the affair with the other woman, so I told my wife, Kim. Being the incredible woman she is, she agreed to stay with me and work it out. But, as it says in Proverbs 26:11 Like a dog that returns to its vomit, Is a fool who repeats his folly. I could not let go of it, I went back, again and again. Finally, Kim had had enough, and she served me with divorce papers, I lost my job that I had had for 15 years. This was the lowest time of my life, I could not take anymore. I fell down on my knees and told the Lord, I need you and I can’t do this without you!!!!
Jesus rushed in and picked me up, he has taken me on the most incredible adventure of my life. The most important part of my restoration is he saved my marriage! I am living proof that with the Lord’s help there is life after an affair. I found another job, but we were still living in the same state, we needed to move. We prayed about it, I asked my boss if there was ever an opening in the northwest I would love to move. He called me a week later and told me that there was an opening in Washington. Trusting God we put our house up for sale and sold it in a week, with a lady that paid cash. We moved to Washington, where I found another job at Family Christian Store. God lead us to a great church, and I started a pastor training course.
There are many more little details of God’s mighty hand at work in our lives to tell. Looking back on everything I am amazed at how God has work in our lives….this is the adventure, trusting God 100% with every aspect of your life, and watching him come through and lead you.
The passion that God has laid on my heart is to help people; I know that I did not go through this to be quiet. God wants to use my story to help others!! I know that this is not the last chapter of my life, it is training for something else God has planned for me. Jeremiah 29:11 comes to mind! I was so excited to see what God has planned for me!!
Well, what God had planned for me I did not expect!! Job 23: 8-9 "But if I go to the east he is not there; if I go to the west, I do not find him. When he is at work in the north, I do not see him; when he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of him.” He disappeared!!!
In November of 2004 I was diagnosed with Dermatomyositis a painful auto-immune disease that destroys your muscles. It is a rare disease that has no known cure. This was very confusing for me; the week I started the pastor training is the week I was diagnosed?? Immediately people started to pray for me, lay hands on me, and anoint me. I thought for sure, and to be honest I expected for God to heal me. He did not….in fact I become worse. I lost my ability to walk, get out of chairs, swallow, speak, my weight dropped from 200 to under 140, I was forced to leave my job, and to put the pastor training on hold. My and my family’s life crashed!!!
I became angry at God. I mean here is God that holds the entire universe in balance, and he could not heal me. After struggling with this for a couple of months the Lord layed 3 verses on my heart: Job (chapters 38, 39, 40) Isaiah 55:8-9, 2 Corinthians 12:9. Slowly my heart began to soften again, and during a prayer time at church where people were laying hands on us and praying for healing. I told Jesus of course I want to be healed, but I am OK if you do not heal me, I love you and trust you, immediately I felt a peace come over me.
Today I am still not healed, I still live in pain, and I am limited in the things I can do. But, I trust and love Him completely. My faith has never been stronger, and I know God will use this for His glory!!
After 10 years of living the “good life” I needed more adventure in my life, but instead of looking to the Lord, I looked to the world for my adventure. I became heavily involved into bodybuilding, in fact I worshiped the sport, and it became my idol, my god. I did well at the sport, after some years of doing it; I wanted to take it to the next level. So I became involved in steroids, which lead to heavy steroid use along with recreational drugs (GHB, ect.) After awhile of lifting and steroid use, satan presented the opportunity to start selling steroids, and I took it.
Right now I thought my life was pretty good, I was very important in the gym and well known in the bodybuilding world, but I was still searching for that adventure. I found that adventure in another woman. In James 1:14-15 it states the temptation leads to lust, lust gives birth to sin, sin brings forth death. That is so true, I saw another woman, which lead to satan tempting me, I gave into the temptation, which lead to my lust which lead me to full blown sin. I was involved with her for about 1 year.
During this time, I knew this was wrong. I turned my back on God, and told myself that I deserved this, that I would do this for awhile and then I would go back to living the Godly life. But sin captures you and holds you prisoner; it starts out so small, and so harmless. But once you give into that small sin, it has you, then you sin again, seems so harmless, I mean after all, I did that little sin and I am OK, right? WRONG! I have found that with any temptation you must turn your back on it, and have the spine to resist it. 1Corinthians 10:13.
Sometimes for The Lord to save you, he has to bring you down to your knees, because some of us do not learn as easily as others. I hated who I had become, I could not let go, due to pride, and facing the consequences of my sin. You are always forgiven for your sin, but you still have to face the consequences of your actions.
My life began to crash down on me, in looking back a lot of bad things could have happened to me, I now see God’s hand at work even when he was chastening me. I was confronted by 2 officers who told me that I was going to be arrested and put into jail, but first I had to testify against my dealer who was supplying me. I said this is it…I am done, but the Lord saved me. My dealer died 2 days later from a drug overdose, the case was dropped.
I could not go on with the affair with the other woman, so I told my wife, Kim. Being the incredible woman she is, she agreed to stay with me and work it out. But, as it says in Proverbs 26:11 Like a dog that returns to its vomit, Is a fool who repeats his folly. I could not let go of it, I went back, again and again. Finally, Kim had had enough, and she served me with divorce papers, I lost my job that I had had for 15 years. This was the lowest time of my life, I could not take anymore. I fell down on my knees and told the Lord, I need you and I can’t do this without you!!!!
Jesus rushed in and picked me up, he has taken me on the most incredible adventure of my life. The most important part of my restoration is he saved my marriage! I am living proof that with the Lord’s help there is life after an affair. I found another job, but we were still living in the same state, we needed to move. We prayed about it, I asked my boss if there was ever an opening in the northwest I would love to move. He called me a week later and told me that there was an opening in Washington. Trusting God we put our house up for sale and sold it in a week, with a lady that paid cash. We moved to Washington, where I found another job at Family Christian Store. God lead us to a great church, and I started a pastor training course.
There are many more little details of God’s mighty hand at work in our lives to tell. Looking back on everything I am amazed at how God has work in our lives….this is the adventure, trusting God 100% with every aspect of your life, and watching him come through and lead you.
The passion that God has laid on my heart is to help people; I know that I did not go through this to be quiet. God wants to use my story to help others!! I know that this is not the last chapter of my life, it is training for something else God has planned for me. Jeremiah 29:11 comes to mind! I was so excited to see what God has planned for me!!
Well, what God had planned for me I did not expect!! Job 23: 8-9 "But if I go to the east he is not there; if I go to the west, I do not find him. When he is at work in the north, I do not see him; when he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of him.” He disappeared!!!
In November of 2004 I was diagnosed with Dermatomyositis a painful auto-immune disease that destroys your muscles. It is a rare disease that has no known cure. This was very confusing for me; the week I started the pastor training is the week I was diagnosed?? Immediately people started to pray for me, lay hands on me, and anoint me. I thought for sure, and to be honest I expected for God to heal me. He did not….in fact I become worse. I lost my ability to walk, get out of chairs, swallow, speak, my weight dropped from 200 to under 140, I was forced to leave my job, and to put the pastor training on hold. My and my family’s life crashed!!!
I became angry at God. I mean here is God that holds the entire universe in balance, and he could not heal me. After struggling with this for a couple of months the Lord layed 3 verses on my heart: Job (chapters 38, 39, 40) Isaiah 55:8-9, 2 Corinthians 12:9. Slowly my heart began to soften again, and during a prayer time at church where people were laying hands on us and praying for healing. I told Jesus of course I want to be healed, but I am OK if you do not heal me, I love you and trust you, immediately I felt a peace come over me.
Today I am still not healed, I still live in pain, and I am limited in the things I can do. But, I trust and love Him completely. My faith has never been stronger, and I know God will use this for His glory!!
