Jenn & Jason
Greenville, South Carolina
"In 2018 my husband Jason confessed that he had been having lunches with a female co-worker. We'd already had a very difficult year. My uncle had passed away suddenly, and my mom was diagnosed with cancer. Throughout our relationship, we had talked about infidelity and how horrible it was because when Jason was a teenager, his father cheated on his mother, and he experienced firsthand the relational fallout. I had absolute trust in him that he would never do the same to me. When I saw that these lunches were turning into an emotional affair, I had a team of people around me who tried to pull Jason away from his sin. Unfortunately, in 2019 on August 1st, he packed a bag, told me that there were no feelings left anymore and walked out the door. I explained to our four children, who were 9, 7, 4, and 2 years old, that mommy and daddy promised each other and God that we would love each other no matter what but because daddy was not following Jesus anymore, he did not want to keep that promise. The next month he served me papers. Even in the process of finding a lawyer, God was so kind. As difficult as these next steps were, I also felt them a necessary part of the Lord's justice and protection of me and my family, who were spiritually widowed. At the suggestion of my attorney, I hired a private investigator who confirmed the physical infidelity (Jason had denied it). In December, we signed a temporary agreement. I saw firsthand how the consequences of my husband's actions came at a high cost, both monetarily and relationally. To sustain the cost of child support, his apartment and bills, Jason had to find two new part-time jobs on top of his regular 9-5 hours. On social media, I saw that the other woman had a new relationship within six months of my husband leaving me to be with her. His own parents frequently tried to encourage him not to give up on his marriage. Eventually, our oldest daughter began refusing visits with him. Our son would get anxious and throw up when he had to visit the apartment. We did not talk for the first six months of our separation. I tried to hold back tears when he picked the kids up. It was horrible. My aunt told me, "You have to face it; your marriage is over." My mom thought I should just divorce him and move on. As angry as I was, I knew God wanted me to pray and have a mustard seed of faith that He could do anything. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead could raise my marriage and turn my husband's heart of stone into a heart of flesh. Having watched Jason preach the gospel and baptize our children, I knew that this was not the man he truly was. He was confused and lost, like a sheep without a shepherd. God consistently gave me His heart for my husband. Even more than anger, I was grieved for him and more than anything wanted him to return to the Lord. In my state, you have to be separated for a year before filing for divorce. Whenever I brought up the future, he had very little clarity on what he wanted. I suggested if he wasn't sure, then maybe we could begin hanging out and work on rebuilding our relationship. In the Lord's provision, we participated in a Zoom class during the pandemic for couples affected by infidelity. Jason and I worked through all of our trauma in a way that was based on Biblical principles. He initiated date nights, and I had never been so nervous. I knew that this could not be a restoration based on convenience but that his heart had to be changed. Despite positive signs, I knew it was up to God to bring him to repentance. On October 1, 2020, Jason called me and asked if we could talk in person. Face to face, he broke down crying and apologized for the first time. God had done it! Two weeks later, he moved back in with us. Jason and I have been restored for three years and just celebrated 17 years of marriage.
