Mike and I met in Germany in 1973, where we were both serving in the army. We knew we were right for each other, sharing a love for Jesus and each other, so we married a year later.

At first our marriage was happy and we had two lovely children. We left the army in 1980, settled in Nottingham, joined a local church and made friends. Mike became a driving instructor, while I was very happy at home. However, Mike was soon working long hours and we stopped enjoying quality time together. Mike was self-employed and he took on a lady instructor to expand the driving school. Together they focused on building the school.

Business was going well, but suddenly they seemed to be too ‘together’. Within five months our marriage was in tatters. Eventually, in 1983 Mike packed his bags and left. I was devastated and pleaded with him to stay, but he was resolute. I spoke to the elders in my church and kept it under wraps to give Mike space to change his mind. Later we held a week of prayer and fasting for Mike, during which God brought to mind the story of Nebuchadnezzar and his restoration in Daniel 4. I took that as a promise that God would restore Mike.

But two years later, we divorced. Mike remarried, and I wondered how that fitted with God's promise. I had decided not to look for a new relationship and I contented myself with being a mum. I trusted God with my future, letting that seed of faith drop into my heart, and I got on with life.

I then heard that Mike and his second wife had split up, and I began to have hope again. However, Mike moved on to a new relationship with another woman, who he said he wanted to marry. 

But God wasn’t finished with Mike yet, and one day in the car, Mike started praying. He told God he knew his relationship was wrong, but he just couldn’t break up with her. He said to the Lord, ‘If it’s what You want me to do, You’ll have to do it.’ The very next morning, an unexpected argument blew up between Mike and his girlfriend and she told him to leave.

This whole process led to Mike recommitting his life to Christ. God began dealing with Mike, giving him Christian friends and counsellors to encourage him. However, Mike still had no intention of getting back together with me. We were just good friends as far as he was concerned. 

I began keeping a journal, aware that God was doing something special that would bless others. I had been listening to UCB Radio and continuing to read the UCB Word For Today, which I found was like a personal letter to me from God. 

On 1^st August 2001, the UCB Word For Today reading was called ‘Post-dated promises’ and it said this:

‘Even though your promise may be post-dated, remember Whose signature is on the cheque!’ 

Six days later, Mike proposed and I accepted! We re-married on 27^th April 2002. I am so thankful to God for His promise to me and for the encouragement along the way. It helped me to keep trusting and believing that ‘with man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible’ (Matthew 19:26 NIV).