The next couple of weeks stretched out in silence. I sensed the tension growing but was not wanting to start a fire, so I measured my words with care. On July 1 I went to a meeting leaving Mike and Sarah at home.  Later I discovered they’d spent two hours discussing life, fears, divorce, and … Continue reading Fiery Love – More Memorable Than Fireworks

The vision of our oneness lingered in the background forever promising things to come.  But, Mikes’ and my relationship continued on shaky ground.  As our church plant grew, the tensions at home increased as well.  In July 1990, the undercurrent of anger, fear, and distrust erupted.  I felt the first tremors in June.   Here are … Continue reading Storm Warning, Run to the Rock

The folding metal chair at our church gathering creaked as I tried to find a comfortable position.  I never remember them being this hard before.  It was not the chair at all, but my body still tense with the cold sendoff I got when I left home this evening.  Mike and I had not worshiped … Continue reading I Was Hoping for a Sprint, But the Assignment Was a Marathon

The party was over. here The phone that had been ringing without stop grew silent over the next few weeks.  We forwarded all calls to the main headquarters.  We did our best to honor the requests of the officials to keep the details of our departure unspoken. Meanwhile, the pastor pursued a Vineyard church affiliation.  Several … Continue reading In the Midst of Pain, He Brings Peace

 I woke up still wrestling with the issue of where God wanted me to be. The undercurrent from church leadership was growing.  We just finished a summer of great Holy Spirit encounters, but it wasn’t meeting church approval.  The questions loomed. “If You are leading us to freedom, Father, I sure don’t see it happening … Continue reading What to do When God Pulls You Out of the Party

I could hear the phone ringing before I unlocked the office door. I grabbed the keys and added my purse to the pile of books and files already in my arms.  As I fumbled through the door, the message machine finished it’s warm greeting.  Then a pleasant voice said, “This is Sheri from Detroit. Please … Continue reading Sometimes We Get Lost in the Blessings and Forget God’s Ways

We muddled through the next year. How do you restore shattered trust? All of my efforts to be a perfect wife clouded my true identity. We’d been married for twenty-one years. Who was I? In all honesty, I didn’t know. I also destroyed Mike’s image of who I was. He thought I was perfect.  He … Continue reading The Beginning of the Long Road Back