My name is Betty. According to some sources, the name “Betty” means “God’s promise” or “My God’s vow”. I always loved my name — although I felt the meaning did not fit my lifestyle because God wasn’t in it. I am an active person who loves to live life to the maximum so there was no time or room for God till He interrupted my life.
I married at the age of 24 and had my first boy, Kurt, who occupied my days and nights. I left my job to become a full-time mother to offer my son the security and love he needed. He was God’s gift to me and I wanted to be the perfect mother. Therefore, I took child care courses and learned all about children’s physical, emotional and mental development. With time, I learned that my gift had autism. The shock and pain were beyond my expectations as I watched him dwell in his isolated world. His tantrums and attitude made me become also isolated and distant from people. I avoided their pitiful eyes.
By the time we were sure that Kurt had a special case, I was pregnant with my second boy Kale. My life deteriorated enormously. I started to live in denial causing my husband and boys to pay the price of my anger and distance. My life became so chaotic that I decided to get a divorce and move out.
When I sought the lawyer, I felt awful and I stopped to wonder if my decision would damage our lives or save them. So I told myself, “Betty before making that decision, go see what your 50% of mistakes are.” With that decision I started doing therapy. The therapist was more a Christian counselor. She used the Bible in most of our sessions and helped me see how awful my behavior was. Back then I didn’t see anything wrong with me; I only blamed God and my husband for all my misery. Gradually I started changing. I began accepting my son and became calmer and more patient with my husband.
The turning point in my life came when I suddenly, I got sick and needed a serious surgery. The doctors claimed I might have cancer. The operation was so delicate I lost hope. Although I knew I did not deserve His grace or God’s interference in my life, I prayed. I knew I was so distant from Him but with little faith, I prayed. To my shock, He responded and the surgery succeeded without any traits of that dreadful disease. I felt God saved me and gave me a second chance to live especially because my operation took place on my 31st birthday.
I started looking for Him in all the ways I knew, and then I met Jesse Tohme at the gym. A friendship grew between us and one day she offered to start Bible studies with me. I accepted because the only book we would study was the Bible. With time I started building a relationship with God, reading His book, enjoying the meetings and the fellowship with the other disciples. I took time to review the convictions and adopt them. I did not want to take the baptism decision lightly.
My marriage improved and my husband began to trust me again. When I told him about my decision to get baptized, he felt so proud and encouraged me for my faith. I asked him to be with me on that day and he came happily. I loved having him around. For the first time in my 9 years of marriage, I heard my husband say he loved me and he did that in front of the church members. His words meant a lot especially when he said he believed I was “now a godly woman.”
God has given me too many blessings. My son Kurt has improved enormously to an extent I cannot believe. He is now integrated in a normal school. He went on the theater stage with the other children during the Christmas program and sang all the carols.
My husband and I have never been as close as we are now. We are both attending the marriage counseling sessions with the church. Also my husband, Saiid, has started taking his Bible studies with Moufid Tohme seriously. Seeing him spend time reading the Bible in the garden and praying has made our home a haven. This has given me inner satisfaction beyond description. I feel so privileged for God’s love and for the inner peace he has finally granted me.
My faith and my bond with My Heavenly Father have given me a new goal in my life. I am so engaged lately with other mothers who have children like Kurt. I talk openly about my mistakes and about my bond with my Creator. I encourage them to improve their spiritual well-being because faith is the key to happiness on earth. I want others to know how much humility and change on a personal level based on God’s standards can make an impact on the person’s individual, marital and parental success.
