We get letters… emails… notes, all kinds of things actually from people God has romanced, healed, delivered… rescued or resurrected to life. Given our propensity for spiritual amnesia we need stories of God. Jeri sent in a bit of her story that I personally found encouraging... and a needed reminder of God.

Since last October nearly everything in my life has changed. I need to back up farther than that to reveal what a change it has been. My husband and I married in 2004 and separated in 2005. He moved out and across town, and I fell apart. My faith has always been there, but very "churchy". We recently moved to a new city, I had no friends, and a new career in a profession that rarely allows me to have anything beyond professional relationships with others.

Through a variety of twists and turns I found myself in a church and involved in a "girls group" that was filled with other  young professional women trying to figure out what this life is about. The very next week after I started this group we began reading Captivating. I was rocked. God carried me. Walked with me. Showed me so many things I thought I had all figured out. One of the girls in the 15-20 women group mentioned that there was a retreat coming up. I flippantly said sure, I will go if someone else will go. The 5 most amazing women "got-in". Honestly, before the trip we new each other, but would never have hung out beyond our monday night meetings.  The day we left all of us arrived at the airport worn out, battled, and barely able to remember why we were going out of town. We had one girl with no wallet, sick kids at home with grandparents, forgotten makeup, wars with loved ones, a house that desperately needed to sell being shown dirty, and frazzled spirits. We were a wreck. I laugh now, but then tears were brimming. Needless to say, our rainbow weekend in CO changed our lives, and formed a bond between the five of us that will last a lifetime.

While in Colorado I was desperately trying to come to grips with my pending divorce and Gods direction for me. He showed me some amazing things. First, He will always be with me, no matter the road I choose, I will find "His Will" in seeking him. Second, He gave me a name and a song. I laid in that bunk all night being romanced by a man that wowed me, and wouldn't abandon me ever.  I got up Sunday morning and ran down to the "book store" after spending the weekend telling God, " I am not buying him that book, I have given him books before, he doesn't read them, I get hurt... forget it"; I bought the book.

I had no idea how I was supposed to walk up to my EX and hand him a book, and tell him, "God told me to give this to you." I kept thinking how hoakie that sounds.

In February he attended Boot Camp. The courts actually lost our divorce papers, and by the time he came home and we could sign them again and re-submit them, we both had a change of heart...:)

Since then, we found a counselor who is grounded in your teachings and he is helping us get our questions answered the right way. It is so wonderful now. I can't even begin to explain the joy we have. My husband calls it his band of brothers... but has started a guys group with the men who are in relationship with my captivating girls. God is building a community all around us. We are so thankful.

Thank you for what you do. God is using you in so many ways. I wish I could somehow show you what your ministry is doing in the lives of so many people around us. It is astounding. Again, thank you. – Jeri