RJN “Brave Through the Fire” Lota Joel – EPILOGUE

Lota Joel My Restoration Journey Real Life Novel

Chapter 11

EPILOGUE

We are ready to celebrate our third child’s 20th birthday. I can’t believe two decades have passed. Wow, how time has gone since my restoration journey began. Each day God shows me how He keeps each promise He gave to us, our family, and every area of our lives. We have 3 beautiful children and one granddaughter named Alina. In February of 2022, Marco asked me to remarry him on our anniversary weekend. We had never been married through the church and it was a desire of my heart for a very long time. He has shared his interest in getting closer to God again, re-engaging his relationship with Him, since for some time he was distant. In April he asked to meet with the Pastor of our church. After his meeting, he announced that on Easter Sunday of 2022 he was getting baptized and he did. In February 2023, we set the date to have our renewal ceremony. Our Pastor will be marrying us at our home with family and close friends present.

During these 20 years, I would love to say all our trials ended, but we are always a work in progress and each one brings us closer to God. Marco and I continue to grow, have our falls, and sometimes struggle to get back up. There have been times we have strayed but God has always been faithful to bring us close to Him. He is our strength and rock. We live a joyous and fulfilled life because of God. Our only desire is for others to know Him in an intimate way also. So, whatever path He has for them or leads them through, I hope they will know they are never alone and always loved. All things are POSSIBLE with God.

“And I will give them one heart and mind to worship me forever, for their own good and for the good of all their descendants. And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, promising never again to desert them but only to do them good. I will put a desire into their hearts to worship me, and they shall never leave me. I will rejoice to do them good and will replant them in this land with great joy.” Jeremiah 32:39-41 LB

It was a new year and I always loved how this time of the year gave the vibe of new beginnings. After much time in prayer, I felt like God showing me not to pursue my master’s degree. I had completed one semester, the time Marco first mentioned to me about Ivette, and although I was taught that the higher the education the better, I knew God asked me to let go of it. I don’t have anything against it, but I understand that each of us has our unique walk, and ultimately what is important is to always seek God about everything and ask for His guidance. So, instead of pursuing this degree, I pursued my studies in His word and the many books He lead me to read. It's funny because I was never a “reader”, but in this short time, I read more books than I did in my whole lifetime.

I also concentrated on educating my children about God and His word. Any opportunity I had I shared about Him and His love. Always with the hope that they too would find their own personal and intimate relationship with Him. Remember how I said in the very beginning I loved music? Well, I made sure every Christian concert that was in our area we were there. They were my partners and I loved spending time with them. I truly enjoyed motherhood.

Even things with Marco were getting better by the day. I kept my distance and gave him his space knowing he was still in a relationship with Ivette. I assumed all was going well with them, but there was one day I remember clearly that showed me otherwise. Marco and I were with the kids at a store purchasing some items. Marco’s phone rang, he answered it and walked away. I didn’t pay any mind to it and continued with the kids. Then it happened three more times, his phone rang, he would walk away and then return. Finally, it happened for the last time, but with this phone call, he didn’t walk away and was clearly arguing with the person on the other line. Then I heard him say her name, Ivette, and I knew he was talking to her. I didn’t want to hear the conversation, but it just happened that way. For the first time, God was showing me that things weren’t as good as I thought or as they seemed and their relationship was struggling. God was making changes and fulfilling His promise that this relationship would one day end.

Though the lips of the forbidden woman drip honey and her speech is smoother than oil, in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a double-edged sword.…Proverbs 5:3-4

Within weeks later, I saw Marco’s heart turning back to me slowly. He started to become more loving and caring. Although we were friendly, he hadn’t shown any affection for quite some time, so this was all new to me. One day he came to me out of nowhere and asked me why I loved him so much, after everything he has done to me. I didn’t answer him, but just smiled and shrugged my shoulders. The most vivid memory was when he called me on the phone one day saying, “Lota, I know what I am doing is wrong and I want to come back fully to you. I realized that you are the only one that will love me and the kids the way we need to be. I want you to know that soon I am breaking it off with Ivonne.”

That didn’t happen right away and at first, I was discouraged. God was showing me that although he was changing Marcel’s heart toward us again as a family, He still had more work to do in him. There were ties to her that only God could break, so I had to wait patiently for God to finish what He started.

I can’t share many details about how it finally came about. There wasn’t this definite time or day that I can say GOD restored my marriage just the little events of Marco’s heart returning home and becoming my husband again. The phone calls stopped and his outings became fewer and fewer until it all ended. He was now fully committed to me and his family.

I knew there was something different about Marco. It didn’t happen overnight but gradually changes occurred. I really knew things were different with him when his sister came to me one day saying, “Hey, what’s going on with my brother?” I said, “What do you mean?” Then she said, “well remember when he took my friend and I to Miami Beach because we needed a ride? I was a little shocked because the whole time he didn’t look once at a girl or make a comment about one. Now that is not like my brother. He has really changed.” At that moment it hit me. I knew things were different with him in front of me, but I had no idea if he was that same person when I was not around. For the first time, I felt this big sigh of relief that finally, it was real!! God really did change his heart. Things that once grabbed his attention just didn’t matter anymore. God had his heart and He turned it back to me.

In February we celebrated our wedding anniversary together. God was slowly mending our relationship back together piece by piece. Soon we were talking about having our third child and by May we were pregnant with our restoration baby.

Things were amazing and Fabio was born. He was such a joy to all of us. He definitely had a personality on him with a strong character, but that made him unique and so loved. He was our restoration baby and we could not imagine our lives without him.

Nothing was perfect, but I did have the perfect Love that never left my side in God. No matter the circumstance I was facing my strength and joy came from Him. Although I loved Marco very much, my heart was and always will be God’s. It’s the only way I know and want to live now. I was determined to dedicate my life to sharing His goodness and ability to restore lives to everyone and anyone He would lead me to.

I was happy because God was in my life and that was all that mattered. This journey allowed me to learn that no matter what I had to face in life, I can face it with confidence that my heart was safe in His mighty hands.

She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. Proverbs 31:25

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RJN “Brave Through the Fire” Lota Joel