Brad and Melissa Johnson know the power of our God to heal. On this edition of Live the Promise they join Susie to tell their story. Listen as they share how the great Reconciler brought them back together after a 28-year marriage, a painful divorce, and a season of beautiful restoration.
Brad and Melissa raised four children together. Melissa explains her perspective as they had very different ideas and styles of parenting.
“It was really difficult. They did play us against each other sometimes but I never really saw [difficulty] in the early years. I always felt in some way that I was covering for him. They kind of got used to that. They noticed that we did discipline differently.”
Over the years more challenges arose. Melissa felt the strain. “What I didn’t realize was that he was feeling a lot of pressure but he needs his alone time.” Melissa shares how her heart started to close. “The two things I always felt were less than and I felt like I wasn’t worth the effort.” The marriage ended and Brad and Melissa each did soul-searching. God was at work.
Brad shares what he went through in what he calls a three year “desert season” after the divorce.
“It became a gradual descent into a grief I had never known before… [But] God was working. This time alone was time when the Holy Spirit was doing things [in my heart].”
After this season of growth and repentance, Brad returned to Melissa and asked for her forgiveness. After months of healing and mutual forgiveness, the two were remarried on their original wedding date.
Brad offers final words of wisdom to those who are in the valley.
“I couldn’t see the end and I couldn’t imagine what He was preparing for us. Then this reconciliation happened. He exceeded even my wildest expectations.”
Key Scriptures: Ephesians 3:20-21
Theme Song: Glorious Unfolding by Steven Curtis Chapman
The power of God to heal a marriage
This program has been pre-recorded.
