Waiting For His Heart: Lessons From a Wife Who Chose to Stay
God tells us to love our enemies. But what about loving and honoring a husband who chooses to walk away from his family, setting up residence in a prison of addiction? Seldom is there a faith with the tenacity that the author displayed during her twenty-two years of praying, enduring tremendous trials and sorrow.
“I will honor my vow, no matter what,” were words spoken by this young bride, believing in the promise of new life and vows spoken. The “no matter what” took this family on such a seemingly discouraging journey that even Christian family and friends believed restoration was impossible. Joy learned to place her complete hope in Christ alone, believing that God’s mercy and grace is sufficient to reach even the darkest and most hardened heart – including her own.
A beautiful, transparent portrait of redemption as marriage is viewed as a living, breathing example of Christ and His bride. Readers will be encouraged and equipped to persevere through deep marital waters.From the Back Cover
“No Matter What”
Joy intended to keep her vow to remain with her beloved Mark “no matter what.”
But on her wedding day she could not have known that “no matter what” would include Mark’s years-long struggle with alcohol dependency and its resulting turmoil.
Joy recounts her family’s journey through these troubled times of fighting, disappointment, embarrassment, and legal separation. But she and the children never gave up on Mark as they waited for his heart to return to them.
Joy is refreshingly candid as she walks us through how she parented virtually alone, found employment, learned to share her needs with discretion, saw God’s provision, and even created happy family times.
Your story might not be similar to Joy’s, but you have a friend or a neighbor whose loved one is battling an addiction. Hear it from Joy—as well as from Mark himself and the couple’s children—and never give up.
Introduction
Part One: Giving Your Heart Away
- Marriage - Divinely Designed by God
- Do You Trust Me?
- Just Who's Bride Am I?
- He's the Problem!
- Proverbs 31 Woman...In Your Dreams
- A Broken Vessel
- God Didn't Walk Out the Door
- Across the Atlantic - Refreshing My Soul
- How Long, Oh Lord?
- Battle on My Knees
- Plan Your Wedding!
- In the Darkest Hours, Just Before Dawn
- Forgiveness and Restoration
- Day of Redemption
Part Two: I Will Repay Your For the Years the Locusts Ate Away Joel 2:25
- No Longer Afraid?
- The Children Speak
- My Beloved's Journey
Part Three: Lessons Learned Along the Way
- Your Maker is Your Husband
- Under Mercy - Choosing to forgive
- It Wasn't Supposed to be Like This
- God Loves Me
- The Promises Are For Me Too
- Guard Your Heart
- Keeping Your Marriage Private
- Lord, Send Me!
- The Word of God
Part Four: Walking it Out: Examining Your Own Heart Personal Study
One of the most challenging assignments I've ever seen a wife embrace is that of loving well in a spiritually mismatched marriage. Joy McClain authentically shares the depths of the challenges of her marriage and how she experienced God in the midst of her valley. This is a must-read book for every wife who faces the daily heart ache of a spiritually mismatched marriage. ~ Dr. Dennis Rainey, President, FamilyLife
This is a story of disappointment, addiction, and family pain but more so it is a story of God's sustaining hope. Months turn to years, hope turned to tears but Joy remained faithful to her covenant. She never gave up on her God dream. She truly learned what it means to wait upon the Lord. In the end we all witnessed a miracle. Her children saw their mom transformed by suffering and their father transformed by grace. The beauty of this amazing story of forbearance, forgiveness, and redemption is how long suffering the Lord is and how personally He answers prayer. When you read this book you will praise God afresh and renew your hope in God 's providence and provision. I was thankful to have a front row seat to see God at work. ~ Dr. Garrett Higbee, Executive Director Biblical Soul Care, Harvest Bible Chapel
You can always tell when a book has been written out of the depths of experience versus intellectual insight. Joy has written and rewritten this book from years of experience, wrestling with the Lord, and staying in the trial. As a result, she has gained a completeness and maturity to her life that readers will find rich, deep, encouraging, and practical. This is a great resource for women struggling in less-than-perfect marriages and the friends who walk beside them. ~ Robb Besosa, Executive Director, Twelve Stone Ministries
Product Details
- Title : Waiting For His Heart: Lessons From a Wife Who Chose to Stay
- Author: McClain, Joy
- Publisher: Moody Publishers
- Publication Date: 2012
- ISBN: 9780802483737