by Jenny Rodriguez
My husband’s “time-out” didn’t come one
minute too soon! His addiction to drugs was out
of control and his behavior destructive. (See his
story on page 10-11.)
As much as I loved Anthony, I needed him to
go. I was tired of the chaos, the humiliation, the
lies, and seeing the man I love act in a way that
was contrary to the man of God I knew him to be.
I was hiding money, car keys, everything of
value in our home, and things were still coming
up missing. He was stealing them to pay for his
drug habit. It was terrible. We had worked so hard
in our business and ministry, and now, because
of his addictions, everything we had obtained was
gone. We lost it all. It was time for him go.
I had never lived alone before Anthony went
off to prison. Suddenly, I was a single mom,
trying to provide for our son while carrying a
full-time job and caring for our home. Because
I had some education that provided a decent
job, I didn’t qualify for assistance. According to
the government, I made a little bit more than I
should. So, I struggled.
Out of necessity, I learned to rely on the Lord.
Until this point, I’d always relied on my father or
my husband to provide. Now I had neither man’s
support. My husband was gone, and my father
had turned against me. They had both failed me.
So, finally, I turned to the One who would never
fail me—Jesus.
Jesus became my strength and the source of
my provision. He also became my dearest friend.
It was a very lonely time, but by God’s grace, I
made it. He was an ever-present help in my
time of need. I thank God for His love and His
presence. He provided for me in ways Anthony or
my dad never could. The more I trusted Him, the
more He proved Himself willing and able. And He
taught me so much. I’d like to share some of what
I learned with you.
Forgive Your Offender
First, the Lord taught me that I needed to forgive
and lay aside every offense. I was angry and bitter.
Anthony’s choices had cost me everything, and I
was so mad at him. But not only had he betrayed
me; a steady stream of friends and family turned
their backs on me too. Every day brought new
opportunities to grow my anger.
Visiting Anthony in prison was always an
exercise in forgiveness. Talk about an unpleasant
process. I would work all night as a nurse, then
drive our son to visit his dad in prison in the
morning, only to often have officers turn me away
or disrespect me. Over and over again, I had to
forgive. The Lord showed me it was the only way
that I would be able to move forward. Otherwise,
I would perish in my own prison of bitterness.
How could I forgive a person who stole from
me, lied to me, and chose a substance over
me? The only answer—the same way God has
forgiven me. I don’t deserve it, but He forgives
unconditionally. His forgiveness is never ending.
And it brings freedom. I am so thankful. The Bible
Over and over again, I had to
forgive. The Lord showed me
it was the only way that I
would be able to move forward.
Otherwise, I would perish in
my own prison of bitterness.
makes it clear that forgiveness isn’t an option;
it’s a choice we must make if we want God’s
presence and blessing.
Don’t Give Up on Someone
I also learned the reward of not giving up on a
person. I knew God’s call on Anthony’s life. He was
not the man the drugs and alcohol were projecting.
I stayed focused on this truth and prayed for the
real Anthony to be revealed. I knew it was God’s
will for Anthony to be whole, to be healed, and to
be a voice of hope for many. Today, I am reunited
with this man of God and witness daily how God
uses his story in powerful ways.
Be Wise
There’s another thing I learned during
Anthony’s incarceration—the importance of
carefully choosing the people I shared my life
details with. I didn’t want people running their
mouths and speaking negative, ungodly words
over our lives. Words are powerful! I also didn’t
want anyone tempting me with other relationships
or telling me to give up on Anthony. God was my
main confidante. Other than Him, I shared my
trials only with people I knew were in agreement
with what God intended for our family.
Perhaps you have experienced a situation
like mine. Perhaps a loved one has betrayed,
deceived, stolen from, or abandoned you. Maybe
someone has cost you everything. I want you
to know, it’s going to be okay. That experience
doesn’t have to destroy you. It doesn’t define you.
In fact, your trials can make you stronger than
ever. I am a living testimony that God can carry
you through any situation, even a tough time-out.
Trust the Lord in your circumstances. Forgive,
be persistent, and be wise. God will bring
blessings out of your mess. He’s promised He will
never fail you.
28 kojministries.org Issue 1 2018 Photography by Tim Smith Honor Photography
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