My local support comes from God, and one long time friend alone. For three years I have heard "move on, God want's you to be happy, God has someone else for you", and all the other rhetoric.

Jessica's family is very supportive of my standing for God's view of marriage. We talk, but they live across the Midwest, and I am in Oregon.

But, When God is doing the supporting, no arm of man is needed.

From the very beginning of this, God made it clear what he wanted. I don't really have a choice, even if I didn't want to see Jessica saved and our marriage restored. The thought of even trying to spend my life with another woman screams of adultery/idolatry against Christ.

God's grace has enabled me to be committed to fighting till He wins the battle.

May He be glorified in all that He does for Jess and I.
Christ be praised, for she is coming home, we just wait upon His timing.

Jason

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Jason Smith

Jason,

There is a professional that visits our brotherhood frequently from a nearby university. After he came to the LORD his wife divorced him. In his studying of the WORD the LORD showed him he cannot remarry.

He moved to a university town and has since been heavily involved in ministering to international students, including those from the far east. And the LORD blessed him with souls. In time the local 'Christians' encouraged him to move on and he eventually became engaged to marry another lady. Just before this happened the LORD stopped him in his tracks. He later said he felt so stupid.

I am sharing this to demonstrate to you that the pressure can be overwhelming, at times.

This past summer this fellow attended one of Joseph Webb's seminars on marriage/divorce/remarriage. This fall Webb is scheduled to come to our church and then go to this university town to minister there.

Jason, I do pray for the restoration of your marriage. In the meantime, there is work you can do, be used of God to bring in the harvest, just as he is doing in the life of the brother mentioned.

Let me share more what this brother is doing. He has a PH.D in physics so he does make good money but uses it for the furtherance of the kingdom. He invited reps from ICR to minister at the university; he knows the Muslin community, the Indian one. Jason, the Lord is using this brother in a way totally unimaginable - literally.

God go with you, Jason. Life is not over for you. Just keep trusting the LORD and each day ask him what he would have you do for him today! A walk with the LORD is an adventure.

Blessings
ginnyrose

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Sandra Miller

Ginnyrose,

The pressure can get intense. And I am not going to say that temptation can not arise. What I will say is that God kept me waiting 4 years to marry Jess, after He told me that she was the one for me to marry. We had a very interesting friendship in those 4 years. I now know that He was preparing me even then for this time of separation. With advanced training, and God's grace, there will always be a way out of temptation. He is the strength that keeps me pure. He has also separated me from social scenes of any kind and the wedding ring He keeps on my hand deflects a vast majority from me.

I do know that life is not over for me. Really, its just begining, as God has been using this time to clean me up.

God has already begun using me in the lives of others around me. There are friends who are drawing closer to Him. They say it has something to do with my faith in Him building their faith in Him. I know it to be nothing less than the Spirit working in them. I am happy to be a witness to Christ's working in my friends.

God bless you all,
and thank you saints, brethren, for your prayers to God for Jess and I.

Jason

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Jason Smith

Small update:
Praise God, for He is faithful to answer prayer, even when we have given up praying for a specific thing.

There is progress. Small to the eye of the world, a big step in the eyes of those praying for Jess' salvation and our marriage restoration.

God is moving. May the Lord Jesus Christ be glorified in the salvation of my wife, and the restoration of our marriage. To our Father be glory and honour forever.
Amen

Jason Smith
Oregon

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Jason Smith

Brother. I am moved to tears by your testimony. Your faithfulness and dedication to the Lord is to be celebrated. May He recieve the glory for your sufferings.

I am praying in tears for you and your wife brother.

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Christiaan

Miccah,

I thank you greatly for your tears and prayers. Know that God is hearing them. I thank you for standing with me in this battle for the soul of my beloved wife.

But think not more highly of me than you aught. It is only by the grace of God that I stand. My faithfulness and dedication is so small a thing. I have failed Him over and over, yet God has never failed me, nor been anything less than completely merciful and gracious to me. At best, I am indeed an unprofitable servant.

But we serve the mighty, living, thrice holy God. I am blessed to continue to see His faithfulness to His children, no matter our circumstances.

God Bless you brother Miccah, and all those who are standing for the sanctity, and permanence of marriage.

Jason Smith
Oregon

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Jason Smith

9/22/10: Update.

I am not currently at liberty to describe the situation at the moment. God is moving. God will be glorified.

In this hour, some would say that things have never been darker. But God has given me great peace, and I am not alarmed nor worried.

If you have been praying for Jessica's salvation, and the restoration of our marriage, I thank you. may Christ bless you for your faithfulness to Him, and to the brethren.

I would covet continued prayer for her. And while the restoration of marriage is a goal, it is more important to focus on her salvation at the moment. That is the greater of the needs.

May God bless you all, and strengthen your faith through Christ.

Jason Smith
Oregon

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Jason Smith

Thanks for the update. I was wondering how things are going for you and Jessica.

These situations are hard. My brother is in a similar one except his wife has not remarried but has multiple boyfriends - swaps them like some do cars. He tells me how the LORD has given him an infusion of love for her that he never dreamed possible.

God bless you and I do pray for you as the Holy Spirit reminds me.

ginnyrose

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Sandra Miller

Thank you Ginny.

And God has blessed me. I love Jess more now, than the day she walked down the isle on the arm of her earthly father. And He has given me such peace...

God bless you, and overflow your cup.

Jason

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Jason Smith

Update: 10/21/10

About a month ago, Jessica and the other man moved from Oregon to Texas, where we first met him. She has an aunt and uncle in the area.

This weekend her Father, mother, and sister are going down to visit the aunt and uncle. Jess has seen none of these family members but her father since our separation.

Her family is asking for prayer that God would give them grace to show His love to her when they see her this week. That Father would use this as an opportunity to draw her to Christ.

Their home church and friends are in prayer this week for this situation.

God is moving, though so few of the circumstances provide visual evidence.

May God be glorified, and may those praying for us be richly blessed of the Lord. Your faithfulness to Him is an encouragement to me.

In Christ,

Jason Smith
Oregon

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Jason Smith