Freddy & Nohemi's Story

When we got married, um, everything When we got married, um, everything seemed to be okay. Um, I wanted to make seemed to be okay. Um, I wanted to make seemed to be okay. Um, I wanted to make sure our marriage was something sure our marriage was something sure our marriage was something different from what I saw growing up. different from what I saw growing up. different from what I saw growing up. But it was when my son was born. That's But it was when my son was born. That's But it was when my son was born. That's when everything started coming up. I was when everything started coming up. I was when everything started coming up. I was drinking, running excessively, shopping, drinking, running excessively, shopping, drinking, running excessively, shopping, and looking for others approval. And I and looking for others approval. And I and looking for others approval. And I wanted to feel loved from others. I did wanted to feel loved from others. I did wanted to feel loved from others. I did break our marriage covenant and and break our marriage covenant and and break our marriage covenant and and wanted out. wanted out. wanted out. >> And that's when I remember a friend at >> And that's when I remember a friend at >> And that's when I remember a friend at work, a coworker invited me and had work, a coworker invited me and had work, a coworker invited me and had always invited me to Saddleback Church. always invited me to Saddleback Church. always invited me to Saddleback Church. And I always said, "No, we were good. We And I always said, "No, we were good. We And I always said, "No, we were good. We were good." But we weren't good anymore. were good." But we weren't good anymore. were good." But we weren't good anymore. >> And he's like, "All right, I'll sign the >> And he's like, "All right, I'll sign the >> And he's like, "All right, I'll sign the divorce papers and we'll get started if divorce papers and we'll get started if divorce papers and we'll get started if you come to just come with me to this you come to just come with me to this you come to just come with me to this church." I was expecting to go. This is church." I was expecting to go. This is church." I was expecting to go. This is so easy. I'll just go and we'll get on so easy. I'll just go and we'll get on so easy. I'll just go and we'll get on to the divorce. I went there and God to the divorce. I went there and God to the divorce. I went there and God spoke to me in the message. For a long spoke to me in the message. For a long spoke to me in the message. For a long time I felt God hated me because of the time I felt God hated me because of the time I felt God hated me because of the abuse that I suffered as a child and um abuse that I suffered as a child and um abuse that I suffered as a child and um I felt he had turned his back on me. But I felt he had turned his back on me. But I felt he had turned his back on me. But that day, that Sunday, I felt that God that day, that Sunday, I felt that God that day, that Sunday, I felt that God noticed me and he's like, I see you. I noticed me and he's like, I see you. I noticed me and he's like, I see you. I know what you're going through and I'm know what you're going through and I'm know what you're going through and I'm here to help. And at that moment, I here to help. And at that moment, I here to help. And at that moment, I surrendered my marriage to God. I joined surrendered my marriage to God. I joined surrendered my marriage to God. I joined a small group and that small group um of a small group and that small group um of a small group and that small group um of men really um supported me in times men really um supported me in times men really um supported me in times where I thought I was hopeless that this where I thought I was hopeless that this where I thought I was hopeless that this marriage wasn't going to work out um and marriage wasn't going to work out um and marriage wasn't going to work out um and what to do next but they were fill me up what to do next but they were fill me up what to do next but they were fill me up with God's truth.

with God's truth. with God's truth. >> Started attending the parenting seminars >> Started attending the parenting seminars >> Started attending the parenting seminars or workshops that KSG provided. Um I was or workshops that KSG provided. Um I was or workshops that KSG provided. Um I was learning alongside my kids about Jesus. learning alongside my kids about Jesus. learning alongside my kids about Jesus. So I'm I'm grateful for all that he's So I'm I'm grateful for all that he's So I'm I'm grateful for all that he's done for us, but more importantly how done for us, but more importantly how done for us, but more importantly how he's changed our story. the whole he's changed our story. the whole he's changed our story. the whole generational trauma. I was able to deal generational trauma. I was able to deal generational trauma. I was able to deal with our pain. We were able to deal with with our pain. We were able to deal with with our pain. We were able to deal with our pain with God by our side and stop our pain with God by our side and stop our pain with God by our side and stop it and and just change um for our kids. it and and just change um for our kids. it and and just change um for our kids. They know God. They love God. They reach They know God. They love God. They reach They know God. They love God. They reach out to him. They are they are in small out to him. They are they are in small out to him. They are they are in small groups, life groups. And um yeah, so groups, life groups. And um yeah, so groups, life groups. And um yeah, so grateful. grateful. grateful. >> And I say we married 25 years, but I say >> And I say we married 25 years, but I say >> And I say we married 25 years, but I say we really are married 10 years with God we really are married 10 years with God we really are married 10 years with God in the middle. And that's what we in the middle. And that's what we in the middle. And that's what we celebrate every day. celebrate every day. celebrate every day. >> A year ago, >> A year ago, >> A year ago, I wrote my dad, who was my abuser, a I wrote my dad, who was my abuser, a I wrote my dad, who was my abuser, a letter to share the gospel. And then in letter to share the gospel. And then in letter to share the gospel. And then in January, January, January, uh, during the LA fires, him and my mom uh, during the LA fires, him and my mom uh, during the LA fires, him and my mom lost his home. He had nowhere to stay.

lost his home. He had nowhere to stay. lost his home. He had nowhere to stay. So, we decided, we spoke about it, and So, we decided, we spoke about it, and So, we decided, we spoke about it, and we had them both come here. And I told we had them both come here. And I told we had them both come here. And I told him, I'm like, in their in our home, in him, I'm like, in their in our home, in him, I'm like, in their in our home, in our household, when we're in crisis or our household, when we're in crisis or our household, when we're in crisis or when we need help, we stick to God. We when we need help, we stick to God. We when we need help, we stick to God. We go to church. And I invited him that go to church. And I invited him that go to church. And I invited him that Saturday to church. And he came with us. Saturday to church. And he came with us. Saturday to church. And he came with us. And that's where he felt the Lord. He And that's where he felt the Lord. He And that's where he felt the Lord. He saw Freddy praising saw Freddy praising saw Freddy praising um God during worship, raising his um God during worship, raising his um God during worship, raising his hands. And it humbled him. on Sunday. Um hands. And it humbled him. on Sunday. Um hands. And it humbled him. on Sunday. Um he gave his life to Christ um uh with me he gave his life to Christ um uh with me he gave his life to Christ um uh with me and Freddy by his side. Um he was and Freddy by his side. Um he was and Freddy by his side. Um he was baptized uh not too long ago at baptized uh not too long ago at baptized uh not too long ago at Saddleach Church. But that is where I Saddleach Church. But that is where I Saddleach Church. But that is where I see God's power where I I can't even see God's power where I I can't even see God's power where I I can't even explain. I don't even understand it. But explain. I don't even understand it. But explain. I don't even understand it. But I do know that he's here with us and I do know that he's here with us and I do know that he's here with us and he's working working on each and every he's working working on each and every he's working working on each and every one of us. one of us. one of us. [Music]