I am Resselyn Valencia, and I am from the Philippines. I am excited to be experiencing Christian growth and learning the Bible as I study at the Christian Leaders Institute (Learn more about online Bible courses, Click Here).
When I was a little girl, I always wanted to serve the Lord. Since I was Catholic being a nun entered my mind. Because the world has a lot to offer, my attention easily moved to the other side. I married at the age of 19. My husband was 27. At first, it was all lovely. However, when we started having children, things started changing as responsibilities piled up. My husband started gambling, scraping off what we have. But we stuck together because I knew he needed family the most.
Challenges
After some time, my husband, bored with life, drank, partied, and took drugs. He never had time for me, and my life was getting lonely. I felt how unfair life was as I know I have done my best, and I treat him as a king. Instead of focusing on the hurt, I served in the church and taught in Bible studies, but he continuously put me down, and our relationship worsened. We started hurting each other physically. I turned to Jesus and read book after book. Jesus called me to be God’s child. So, I became a believer.
My situation did not get any better, but a tragic thing happened. I discovered my husband had 6 mistresses. He started hurting me physically, and I suffered emotionally. They had vulgar videos. Experiencing all his lies and battery, I decided to leave him. No matter how much He asked for forgiveness, I didn’t have the heart to want him back in our life. It was too much pain for me.
I only saw myself and my hurts until we were invited into a Christian community. They helped us move together as a family. That was another thing that was too hard for me. I had to see my husband every day. Even if I forgave him, all I saw was the pain he caused me for so many years. I cried to the Lord every day so that I could make it through. I took so many courses on forgiveness and asked God, again and again, to take away the hate in my heart.
Christian Growth Through Study at CLI
Then I found the Christian Leaders Institute for Christian growth in forgiveness. After taking the course, Restoring Relationships: Transforming Justice, I started to trust in Jesus totally and not in my own emotions. As Isaiah 26:3-4 says, “You keep Him in peace whose mind is stayed on you, because He trusts in You, TRUST IN the LORD FOREVER for the Lord is an everlasting Rock.”
I have placed in my heart the thought that Jesus bore both the offenders and victims sin in Him even though He had done NO wrong. Accepting and serving my offender, who is my husband, became easier because Jesus is worth it. I saw the fact that no matter how bad I feel, I am a sinner too. I have done countless sins, and Jesus forgave me. As a child of God, I am an ambassador of that kind of love. Jesus’ love surpasses all understanding.
Now we live together with our children as disciples in ministry. “We walk our talk,” for we have killed the lust of our flesh, and Christ is alive in us. Praise the Lord!
