As Valentine’s Day looms again, a true story with a happy ending
By Sandra Fernando
If you’re one of the thousands of singles and divorcees NOT booking a table for two on February 14, be encouraged by the story of a couple who married, divorced, and remarried. Benzer and Sandra Fernando featured in HEART this time last year and now Sandra reveals what’s keeping their marriage solid
We have been married for 13 years, divorced for five and a half years and now remarried to each other for seven years!
It is such a miracle of emotional healing that we knew we had to share our testimony of how Jesus healed our broken hearts and reconciled our marriage.
What we have learned is that even with the best intentions there are many reasons why marriages fail, but nothing will prepare you for the heartache and devastation you face.
What was missing from our first marriage, we realised, was prayer. Even though we were already going to church, we didn’t pray together as husband and wife for our marriage or for each other.
So second time around we began to pray together when faced with challenges, big or small, in our daily lives. In doing so we discovered a togetherness, as the necessary honesty in prayer brought fresh unity into our hearts.
We also needed to be mindful of attitudes, behaviour and character that we brought into our marriage and the need to break patterns of learned behaviour. We found we can only do this through the supernatural power of Jesus Christ our Saviour.
Sandra has been inspired to write a book, The Light On My Wall, about their experiences
This is what Benzer and Sandra told HEART last year:
“Divorced left me lost and emotionally cold”
(Benzer)
“Divorce left me deeply sad, devastated and traumatised.”
(Sandra)
Whether you’re a single or a double, why not try Sandra and Benzer’s prayer for marriage:
Father God, we pray for marriages that are damaged to
be rescued, healed, restored, saved and blessed.
- for broken marriage to be reconciled, for healing balm to be poured into devastated and ruined lives
- for the lines of communication in troubled marriages to stay open
- that no bitterness, anger or unforgiveness seeps into marriages that are in trouble
- for each person, as they look at their own heart attitude, behaviour and character
- for forgiveness, patience and understanding to be at the heart of each marriage
- for your strength, resilience and fortitude within marriages
- for love, honesty and truth to dwell in all marriages
- for kindness, care, friendship and peace to be in all marriages
- for married couples to always give and receive every word from each other with love
- that couples come to know Jesus and pray together for all things within their marriage
- for your grace and divine protection on all marriages. And we pray for you, Jesus, to be at the centre and the head of all marriages
All this we pray for in Jesus’ name. Amen.