Road To Redemption
Road To Redemption
Maureen Walker's Journey from Brokenness to Hope
Can profound faith truly transform a life marred by challenges and brokenness? Join us on this compelling journey with Maureen Walker, who shares her moving testimony of faith and redemption on "Road to Redemption." Maureen recounts her courageous move from Ohio to Florida and many trials she endured. Her story takes a remarkable turn when she receives her first Bible and attends a Lutheran church, sparking a spiritual awakening that brought her closer to Jesus and offered her hope and healing. Through the powerful verses of Psalm 119, Maureen found solace and strength, illustrating the life-changing impact of faith amidst adversity.
We also tackle the complex themes of suffering, faith, and the longing for companionship. Reflecting on the struggles of singleness and the natural desire for a partner, we discuss the importance of community, counseling, and patience in these times. By actively engaging in church and small groups, and trusting in God's timing, singles can find resilience and hope. Despite the pain of rejection and unmet desires, we emphasize that both men and women must keep seeking God and His divine plan. We close with a heartfelt prayer for those desiring to find a spouse, asking for guidance, healing, and the perseverance to keep faith alive in their journey. Listen in for an episode filled with hope, encouragement, and the transformative power of faith.
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Welcome to Road to Redemption, a show sharing powerful life testimonies, giving hope to those on their own road to redemption.
Speaker 2:Welcome to Road to Redemption. I'm so excited for our show today I'm getting to visit with Maureen Walker, maureen nice, to meet you.
Speaker 3:Thank you, I'm so happy to be here. It's good to see you in person in person.
Speaker 2:I know We've talked on the phone. We hadn't got to meet in person, but our friend Ashley, who's been so? Nice to recommend her friends to come share.
Speaker 3:She's a dear friend. I've known her many, many years. She has three children and I met her when she was pregnant with her second, so it was about 18 years ago.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and she's going to come on the show. That's what I heard, soon, because I was like why aren't you coming on? Come on, ashley.
Speaker 3:Yes, she's got a beautiful testimony. Her love for Jesus is worth seeing and experiencing because the Lord has used her in my life to remind me who he is.
Speaker 2:Amen. Well, Maureen, tell us a little bit about you and your journey.
Speaker 3:Sure. Well, I'm in my early mid-40s now, but when I was in my 20s mid-20s, I had moved here from Ohio Cincinnati, ohio moved to Destin, florida, and I had been raised Catholic, and so I had a faith in God. I didn't know him, though, and I was married at the time, and at the time I was desperate for my marriage to heal, and I was praying and crying out to God for a restoration in my marriage, cause my husband at the time was struggling with addictions to pornography and he had some trauma from Afghanistan, and so he had some addictions, but also abuse and anger and rage, and had been arrested for domestic violence, and I had heard and seen marriages restored, and that was my hope, but unfortunately that wasn't God's story for me, but, through pastoral counseling and through seeking God, I was invited to a Lutheran church. Danny Warfel and Jessica Warfel were my neighbors. I didn't know Danny Warfel was a famous football player at the time. I just knew them as my neighbors, and they invited me to their church. They gave me my first Bible, me to their church.
Speaker 3:They gave me their first, they gave me my first Bible, and when I opened the word of God for the first time at 26 years old. It the, the word, just. It was like speaking and I opened it and it was a captivating experience and I just fell in love with God and his word began to speak to me through the Holy spirit and I had a radical transformation. My marriage fell apart and we did end up divorcing. I'm a huge advocate for marriage, I love marriage and I wanted our marriage to work. It just wasn't my story. So there was a lot of brokenness but a lot of hope, because God really showed up at that time in my life.
Speaker 2:Amen, wow. So what, what, what? How did? How did your journey continue? I mean, did you um? How did you come to know Jesus as your Lord?
Speaker 3:Um, he used his people first. Um, the pastors and the leaders at the Lutheran church began leading me into Bible studies and it was through the word of God. I mean, I met Jesus through his word and his spirit. Psalm 119 was the first Psalm that he really began to speak to me. I read that from beginning to end and through that it's one of the longest Psalms in the book of Psalms. He just really used that scripture to bring life. It breathed life into my dead body. I was dead and the Spirit of God and the Holy Spirit and the Word of God breathed life into me for the first time. I was so excited I started calling my family back home. I just experienced Jesus for the first time. I was so excited I started calling my family back home. I'm like I just experienced Jesus for the first time in my life and I felt like I was on this honeymoon with God and they thought I was a little nuts, but there was no doubt in my mind that I had known and experienced God for sure.
Speaker 2:Well, like we were talking about earlier, though, just when you become a Christian doesn't mean that things get easy in your life. We face often many trials and talk to us a little bit about that in your life.
Speaker 3:Yes. So I recall in my early journey with the Lord seeing marriages restored. I recall seeing lives changed and having radical testimonies. So I saw the hope in other people. But what I didn't know is his process with all of us is very different.
Speaker 3:And for me, suffering did take place and I heard a message this morning on suffering. That suffering is not getting what you want and sometimes it's getting what you don't want, like if you're diagnosed with cancer or a spouse dies or somebody in your life. You lose them. So for me I didn't get the marriage that I wanted. I didn't get the marriage I had dreamed and hoped to have and that was heartbreaking for me. It honestly it destroyed me in a way.
Speaker 3:But I did know the Lord at that time. But I had to have eight years of just complete celibacy and purity and walking with the Lord. I didn't even hold a hand with a man for eight years after my marriage I was so determined to get with the Lord and have the Lord walk me through and make. Eight years after my marriage I was so determined to get with the Lord and have the Lord walk me through and make him first in my life, because I knew his ways were the way, but that wasn't a perfect journey. I mean, it was definitely a lot of ups and downs, highs and lows, and through programs like Celebrate, recovery and other community groups in the church, I was able to gain fellowship and learn and hold on and cling to the Lord.
Speaker 3:Sometimes it was me and the Lord and sometimes you have to lean on his people too. I think I got into trouble a couple times when I thought I could do it on my own with just me and Jesus, times when I thought I could do it on my own with just me and Jesus, and so I thought I had had this all figured out maybe three, four years into my um Christianity walk and I learned really quick that isolation is not good with God either. So you need the community, you need the people, you need counselors. I'm a huge, huge advocate for counseling and Val Peterson has been one of my wonderful counselors and um and Destin counseling.
Speaker 3:They have great counselors there and I love, love, love the fact that God's given us a toolbox while we're here on earth and we can grab from that toolbox at any time and um, yeah Well, Mari, one thing that comes to my mind just is um, often many folks are walking through, you know, that are single.
Speaker 2:Maybe they've been married, like you, they went through a divorce, or maybe just, you know, have not found their spouse. Spouse, and you know, I, I think I, I know several friends, you know men and women, that that's been a real challenge for them. They're, you know they are, some are in the church, you know, walking with god, some aren't, but they just feel, like you know, their desire is to be married. Um, but then also, you know, when you read the scriptures, um, you know, I believe paul, you know he was not married, jesus wasn't married. Um, so it's also, it's okay to not be married, obviously, but it's, it still doesn't take away the, but it still doesn't take away the struggles. I believe that a lot of men and women are going through that.
Speaker 2:they're single and they're like I'd like to be married, but I'm not. Is there any advice?
Speaker 3:Oh, yeah, I have a lot of big heart for that. I believe. God gave me the gift of singleness for a season, for a season In 2016,. That season ended and I was all of a sudden, this desire to meet somebody became apparent, and so I was open to trying to meet somebody, and it's been a horrible struggle. It has not been fun at all, and each time I have met somebody I had hoped that was it, you know, and it hadn't worked out.
Speaker 3:One thing that has helped set me free is that the desire is good. God put it there for a reason, and in the Garden of Eden, god created man and woman and God was by himself before that. So God thought it was good. God didn't want to be alone, you know. So why should we think that we're supposed to be alone? So I think it helped me not feel guilty for having those desires and wanting to have a partner in life, and it's a good thing. So to hope in it is a good thing. I think what Paul talks about is there's going to be maybe more struggles in a marriage, and when you're single, you can commit your life to Christ more and focus on the lord's work more, possibly. But you know I wrestle with both of those things. I have had such sweet intimacy in times with god being single, but I really do desire to be with somebody and I want to be married and I hope and pray god's plan for my life will happen.
Speaker 3:Um I'm in the process of, you know, meeting, meeting people right now well, you know what's so cool?
Speaker 2:it just came to mind was I was just thinking about one of our guests. Uh, that came on was andrew I'm thinking of, and he it was kind of a similar story, uh, but but he ended up.
Speaker 2:He, you know he now has a fiancee and, um, I don't know if they're engaged yet. Sorry, andrew, if you're listening, but I believe you're going to get engaged, but that you know. It just kind of. We talked about a lot of these very same issues, you know, and he a lot of prayer and all, and he's with someone now and I feel like they're going to get engaged, that's awesome.
Speaker 2:So you know it just it's good to share that we just have to be often patient and wait on the Lord to bring the right person. We don't want to get impatient, you know, and get into maybe an unequally yoked marriage, right into maybe an unequally yoked marriage Right and that's easy to.
Speaker 3:I mean it's easy to compromise in that when you have such a strong desire.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:The desire's there and you want something so bad that when you will justify and be well, maybe because he says he believes in God but he's not going to church right now. You know what I mean. We'll look around and make excuses to try to make it work. But you're right, you want to make sure that person's going to help bring you closer to God, not further away. That's a huge thing for me and God revealed to me. I want a man that's fully surrendered to him. That's my standard.
Speaker 2:Well, and I think too, what I see going on with men and women that are, um, you know, single seeking to get married is, is, is the the spirit of rejection can come in to where they. That spirit of rejection comes on these individuals and makes them just feel yeah another one didn't work out, another one didn't work out, another one didn't work out, another one didn't work out, another one didn't work out. I can relate. And that's from the enemy. I mean, that is a evil spirit that comes over and tries to discourage people and just make them feel like you know I'm just I'm not.
Speaker 2:you know, and you know I want us to encourage those people. If you can invite any encouraging words to any of those listening.
Speaker 3:The encouragement that has helped me is reading a lot of different books, seeking counseling, but also reminding myself how much rejection Christ experienced, and he understands what rejection feels like because he was rejected by so many, even his own people. He was betrayed by the people that loved him the most. But Lisa Turkist wrote a book on rejection and it's helped me a lot, and it's called Uninvited and that book has truly helped me a lot. Rejection can be God's protection. It may not feel like it. It really does hurt. I'm not going to sugarcoat that, but he does have a plan and the most encouraging thing I could probably say is just keep pressing through it. Just feel the pain, acknowledge it's there, but don't give up. Just keep trying. And accountability having Christian brothers and sisters around you praying for you, being honest with them, with what you're going through, helps a lot too.
Speaker 3:The right people can give you the right encouragement to help you see the truth when you're believing lies, like Ashley, for example. She's been a very dear friend of mine through the process of my singleness and she's like you, deserve better. You're worth more than that. You're worth pursuing. You know and reminding me those things that I don't want somebody that's not sure about me. I want somebody who's sure about me, and so just those simple reminders, and I have had to seek out podcasts Christian single podcast, the heart of dating as a Christian singles podcast, and Christian single fellowship just to help us all encourage each other. And the process has not been. In the world we live in, 2024 is not easy and I think after COVID it may have gotten worse with the. With the world out there and people online dating.
Speaker 3:They're coming out of the dark a lot of them.
Speaker 2:Yeah, because it's just, you don't know what you really can trust online. Oh no.
Speaker 3:They can say anything they want to say to help.
Speaker 2:You think that they are a certain way. Well, and that's why people need to go to church and get in small groups that we encourage. On, the show you start by reading the Bible and seeking God through his word and you can read the Bible. We encourage you to have written Bible, hand hard Bibles, but obviously with all the apps are on your phone. The Disciple Me app, the YouVersion Bible, you can easily find open the.
Speaker 2:Bible. We encourage you to do that and then to get into a church, a Christ-centered church, and just go. Don't try to overanalyze, you know, just go. If you're in Northwest Florida, destiny Worship Center has, I think, six campuses now Amazing Christ-centered church. But just, we encourage you to go to church and then to get into a small group. Yes, and as we're talking about people that are single today, that's the thing that comes to me is don't isolate, go to church, get in groups and it might not be that you meet the person in that group, but they might know somebody.
Speaker 2:They might be like oh you know, hey, I have this friend, that's single.
Speaker 3:And God's at work. Yeah, he is at work, even in that I mean we can always see what he's up to, but he's at work in those seasons and we don't understand it and it's very hard and we really want to know more and we ask god, why can't you just send this person now, or why?
Speaker 3:can't you just show me what's going to happen with this person before I have to go through another heartache because I don't want to go through that again, but trusting the process and, um, yeah, the groups do help in compelling each other closer to the lord and you can't go wrong with pushing each other closer to God and staying in fellowship. But that desire for companionship is real and I don't want people to feel guilty for having that desire, because sometimes in the church people will say, oh, you're not praying enough, you should be happy just with God.
Speaker 3:You should just muster up your faith, you're not trusting him enough, and those are things that start to condemn us and make us feel guilty for wanting a companion.
Speaker 1:And I don't think the.
Speaker 3:Lord wants that for us. He has a desire for us to be in relationship, and so don't beat yourself up for having that heart's desire, and it's a healthy desire.
Speaker 2:And yeah, I just yeah, and I think just put, put yourself out there, go to these groups, go to church and just trust God to bring you the person when you least expect it. I feel like a little bit just someone that might be in that situation of seeking a companion. Sometimes, if they're going to that church or that group and they're like I'm going to find somebody here, it's kind of like just being in sales when a salesperson comes across, people can just read that on someone, so really thinking, just go to put yourself out there, don't isolate, because I know a few guys that are in the situation and they're just like kind of resorted, they don't leave their house, they're just like and that's unfortunate because, you know what the women are missing out on those guys?
Speaker 3:Right, exactly Women are wanting to be pursued and we desire to be pursued. And maybe they were rejected, but they can't give up. They can't stop because we've been rejected too. There's a lot of women that have been rejected and we've been hurt by men that have lied to us and told us they were one thing when they were not, and they were interested in cherishing our heart when they were not. Um yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:so just don't give up. We encourage you to go to church, get in small groups, don't go with the mindset that you're going to find a husband or wife, but go to seek God and trust God and get to know Jesus and trust in Him that he will open doors throughout your relationships in church and small groups that you'll meet someone through that process and you're looking for a co-labor, someone to labor with you in Christ is something that's encouraged me not to fall back into the old patterns, because I have old patterns.
Speaker 3:Where I've met they call it missionary dating, where you want to help lead them closer to God. You just have to be careful not to go into it as a missionary dating situation too.
Speaker 2:Amen.
Speaker 2:Well, as we come to the end of the show, I think what I'd like to do is just to pray about anyone that's, you know, in this walk or maybe has a friend or family member, uh, that might you might be listening.
Speaker 2:Uh, so let's just, let's pray.
Speaker 2:Um, dear father, lord, we just, uh, lift up this um, anybody that's in this situation, that's, that's single, um that's been through a lot of, maybe, rejection or the trials of trying to find their mate, their spouse, and, lord, we just ask that you give them hope that your will will be done, you will provide the right mate for them, the right spouse, and that person is out there for them. And, lord, we just ask that you guide them, encourage them to get back up and to not give up and to just put someone in their life that will take them to a church, to a small group Maybe it's a small group first, that's okay Just to put themselves back out there and get to know you, jesus, in a personal way, and you will continue to open relationships for them to find that, that mate, that that spouse possibly, lord. So we, just we, we believe in this. We, we believe that you are going to transform many lives of of folks to come to meet their mate and meet their spouse and have a God-centered relationship.
Speaker 3:We pray this all in Jesus' name Amen, amen, thank you and I'd like to pray for women and men's hearts. Lord, I just ask that you would put your hand over hearts that are hurting and broken. God, you know the brokenness, you see the depths of the heart and I just pray that you would heal hearts that have been wounded in this world through seeking a partner, god, and that you would restore them so that they would be prepared and ready for the one that you do have for them.
Speaker 2:Amen In Jesus' name. Well, this has been so good. Amen. Thank you, maureen. Thank In Jesus name. Well, this has been so good. Amen. Thank you, Maureen. This has been awesome, and I know that we could there's more, but we'll have you back, you know. I really know this talk's going to encourage someone, so thank you so much.
Speaker 3:Good, I'm so thankful. Thank you, both of you.
Speaker 2:Thank you, thank you.
Speaker 1:You've been listening to Road to Redemption, sharing powerful life testimonies, giving hope to those on their own road to redemption. If you have any comments or questions, we would love to connect with you. You can reach out to us at destinyradiolive. Thank you for listening and we'll see you next week on Road to Redemption.