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c1ners

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Before I start, let me tell you that my friend is a wonderful woman. She is kind hearted, beautiful, and has a very deep love for God.

Several years ago her husband moved the family out of the state where she had grown up. Once gone, her husband started doing unspeakable things. She was very miserable, and very lonely. She eventually had enough. She could take it no longer. So she packed up her children, and she moved back home. She thought that maybe the seperation would do them good.

She worked hard. Both day and night. She struggled to make ends meet, but yet she always put her children first. She lived for those kids. She doesn't believe in Daycare, so she took on a job where she could also bring them. She didn't make much money, so on the weekends she would take on odd jobs of catering, or cleaning someone elses house. Always the children would pitch in. The three of them were one happy family, and when you were around them, you could feel the love they each had with each other.

One day my friend sat in front of me and told me that she had met a man. Mind you, she is a christian woman, and this is totally out of her character. But yet this man made her happy. When she was with him her eyes woud sparkle. She would laugh. And you could tell that they were very much in love.

But yet, she was a Christian. And when she wasn't with this man, she was consumed with guilt. So when the year was over, she packed up her bags, and she went back to her husband. Never seeing her lover again. But she never stopped loving him. Sometimes she would just sit staring out the window with this far away look on her face, and you could tell she was thinking about him. But she stayed true to her husband, and never once looked up this other man.

Years later they moved back to her home town. The kids are grown now. All she has is her husband and her love for God. But she is very unhappy. Her husband leaves her constantly. At least five nights of the week he is out with the guys. Sometimes not even coming home until the wee hours of the morning.

The other day I was over at her house, and her telephone rung. It only rung once. Just a very short ring. When I looked over at her she had this wistful smile on her face, and tears were coming from her eyes. When I questioned her about it, she informed me that she had found this man that she once loved. She hadn't seen him, nor did she talk to him. All she did was call him and let the phone ring once. It was always there way of letting the other know that they were being thought about. When one was busy at work, and couldn't talk, the other would call and let the phone only ring once. It was silly, but it was there thing.

My friend is totally unhappy. Her husband treats her with utter disrespect. She misses her children, and she just found out that she is sick. She made a committment to God years ago to never betray her husband again. And she has stuck by that committment through thick and thin. But she is so unhappy. She lifts up her arms, and she praises God, but there is no joy in her eyes. She's totally given up everything for what she believes in.

I want my friend to be happy. She has always been her for everyone. She has (almost) always done the right thing. She constantly puts others first. And everyone seems to constantly put her last.

I myself don't believe in divorce. Nor do I believe that cheating on your spouse is something one should do. But it breaks my heart to see her so unhappy. And it breaks my heart to know that the man she loves is still out there, and he still loves her. I want so bad to tell her to go to him, but yet that would go against everything we both believe in. So what should I do? How can I help her? Right now she is battling right and wrong, and I just don't have the answers for her. Please help, and please don't judge my friend. Like I said, she is one of the most wonderful women I have ever had the pleasure of meeting.
 

artjack

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she does not need a sparkel in her eye as god does the sparkling now, perhalps you need to love the new person your friend is, follow her, or get a new friend,your friend may have changed and you must accept that and support her the best you can, she knows she is not perfect most likly, she sounds like she could be tired of her old ways and has ajusted to a new way.
 
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jon1

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Hello c1ners.
I won't even pretend that I know the answer to your post, but as I was reading it I felt a sadness for your friend. God only gives us one life on this earth and I sincerely believe that he wants us to be happy. So from a christian perspective we can only pray that God will come into this situation and change things for the good. I can't comment on the situation as it's not our place to judge. I do know though, that Jesus does answer prayer and he will help your friend if you ask him to.
Sorry I can't help more but I will now pray for you.
God bless
John.
 
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c1ners

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I'm sorry, I don't understand what you are trying to say. I will love my friend no matter what she decides. She has stood by me through thick and thin, and I am ready to do the same for her. Yes, she knows that she is not perfect. No one is. As far as adjusting.....Adjusting to what? What is she adjusting to? She hasn't done anything wrong except call this other guy and allow the phone to ring once. She hasn't even talked to him. She's just thought about. She's lonely. she's sick, and she's sad!

This next thing that I'm about to say didn't come from you, so please don't take any offense to it. But someone else said that if she truly believed in God that she wouldn't be sad, hurt, or lonely. I'm sorry, but that's just not true! Life hurts! And we're allowed to be sad! For the person who sent me that PM.....when something hurts you, do you really smile and thank God for it? Do you truly honestly ALWAYS do this? When you're hurting to the depth of your core, do you really shout "Praise the Lord"? When someone is mean to you, do you not stand up for yourself? I'm sorry, that Pm did have some good information in it, but it also made my friend out to seem like she doesn't believe enough in God. Like I said before, she is one of the most wonderful women I have ever met. She is a very strong believer. But she is also human. She has moments when she acts in the flesh, and anyone who is true and honest would admit to the same thing. None of us are perfect. No, not one!
 
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c1ners

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Thank you john, but could you also pray for my friend? I really don't like to see her so sad. When my late husband passed away, everyone kept telling me that I was being selfish for crying so much. This friend took me away, and TOLD me to cry. When no one else would let me, she did. She let me cry alone until she knew that I needed someone to cry with, and she was there. She hugged me, and she cried with me. And that's what I want to do for her. I want to be as good to her as she was to me. But I also don't want to bring her further away from God. I don't want to give her bad advise. Do you understand?
 
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jon1

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I have prayed for your friend and asked Jesus to come along side her at this difficult time.
I know what you mean about giving bad advice, people are to quick to to say whatever comes into thier heads but if people slowed down a little and looked in thier hearts for an answer and put themselves in thier place, I think it would save a lot of anguish, don't you?
I would just like to comment on the advice you were given when your husband passed away. Being told not to cry was the wrong advice, to put it mildly.
My wifes first husband died in a motorcycle accident and for the first five years of marriage she used to cry on the anniversary of his death. for the nex five she would just be very quiet but I knew why.
A few comments were made in the family but because she married someone else does not mean that you can just forget someone else that you loved just as much.
If that makes sense.
Anyway, it will take time, but this problem will come to a conclusion and your friend will smile again with you beside her.
God bless
John
 
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c1ners

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Thanks John. I guess that's really all I can do right now. Just be there for her. Allow her to cry if she wants to cry, scream if she wants to scream, or just sit and hold her hand when she would just rather be silent and stare out the window. Thanks for the advise (and sounding board). It's helped tremendously!

Edited to add: And pray. Praying for her is probably one of the most important things I can do!
 
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BelindaP

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Her story brings tears to my eyes, and it is a testimony to me at a time when my own marriage is having its difficulties. It makes me realize how good I have it.


My advice to you would be to love her. Love her with all your might. She is a saint on earth for all she has been through.

When you say that she is sick, are you referring to her being terminally ill? If so, it is very sad. And yet, she will soon experience perfect healing and perfect happiness. Her suffering on this earth will be rewarded in heaven many times over.
 
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CShephard53

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I don't know how bad he treats her, but does seem to constitute marital unfaithfulness. Which is grounds for divorce. I'm not one to know matters of the heart. But I do know that no husband should be treating their wife as you have described. She has a right to be treated with love by her husband. I don't know what else to say. I don't know what I would do if I were placed in your shoes, other than what I just said. Be Christian friend towards her. Listen. Remind her and encourage her of God's Word. My heart breaks for injustice, and I will be praying for you and your friend.
 
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c1ners

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Thank you all for your support, and advise. I think she's going to be okay. In fact, I know she's going to be okay. She's being faced with temptation right now, but I know she's strong enough to avoid it. She reminded me the other day that she is really not all alone. God is always with her. She had the wind knocked out of her when the doctor told her of her cancer. And it didn't make matters any better when her husband wouldn't even be there for her, but she'll be okay. She's a survivor, and she'll fight the good fight until the very end.
 
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c1ners

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You seem like a very wonderful, understanding, thoughtful husband. Your wife should feel very blessed.
 
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jon1

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c1ners.
Thanks for your kind words. I think being part of a prayer ministry team helps us to understand what other people are going though, and also how our own personal views differ from others given the same circumstances. We will never stop learning will we.
God bless
John.
 
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artjack

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our brother jesus was perfect,he was flesh and he is real, try to follow him.if one sins, there is a forgivness proceedure one can follow, one can also fast, thats why we must practice our faith, keep looking for him in the sky from time to time and you will be your rewarded.
 
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