My Testimony
By Nicole Delaney
My name is Nicole Delaney, and I'm Chris Delaney's
wife. I want to share a little about myself and my marriage to Chris.
My parents divorced when I was ten years
old, and I was sexually abused for a period of time after that. I was confused about what "love" was, and my view
of sex was distorted. I did not fully understand or believe that my sexuality was a gift from God that was to be respected,
guarded, and reserved for my husband. Before I met and married Chris, I had gone through my own process of pain, healing,
and restoration. The Lord changed me; not overnight, but over time He revealed more of His character and drew me close to
Him.
The changes God brought about in my life were only possible after I came to the end of myself and my ways
and hit what people call “rock bottom.” After I saw God as my only hope and truly surrendered to Him, the Lord
gently began to deal with the issues in my life that were hindering me from experiencing the freedom He had to offer.
Little by little, and mostly one at a time, He helped me to face and become free from several strongholds
that had developed in my life: depression, codependent and sexual relationships, cigarette smoking, drug and alcohol abuse,
and masturbation. I was in a lot of emotional pain and looking for love in all the wrong places. It was my relationship with
the Lord Jesus that brought me out of the darkness and into the light of God’s love, forgiveness, and restoration.
I had to end or drift away from friendships that weren’t nurturing and encouraging. I joined a church
and sought like-minded godly friends and counsel. The Lord also taught me to tithe and trust in him for my finances and provisions.
He brought me to a place of confidence where I could move out of my mom’s house and into my own apartment. He even orchestrated
the perfect apartment at the perfect time.
It was a process of cleaning out my life – removing the destructive
behaviors and thoughts and replacing them with healthy habits and God’s Word. I learned to actively trust Father God
during times when I was fearful or lonely.
With each issue I gave to the Lord, He showed me His unfailing
love, commitment to me, and His care about every little detail and hidden thought in my life. I experienced His faithfulness,
and so my faith in Him grew.
By the time Chris and I began dating, I had seen God’s amazing power to change
me. So, it wasn’t hard to believe it when I saw the phenomenal changes He had worked out in Chris' life. I might
have had a hard time believing it if I hadn’t experienced it for myself. I knew that the changes He had produced in
Chris' life did not happen overnight, that it was an ongoing process and a struggle at times. However, when the Lord has
true victory in someone’s life, it is a lasting freedom like no other.
The Lord had also revealed
to me the kind of man that I needed to look for in a husband. It didn’t take long to see God’s handiwork in front
of me (Chris). He possessed all the qualities I was looking for in a godly husband.
God continues the
work He started in both of our lives. Through our marriage, the Lord uncovers new issues for us to deal with. With each issue,
the Lord gently deals with us in the same way He did when we were single. I praise Him for everything good in my life. At
the top of the list are my husband and children.
If you wish to contact me regarding my testimony or any other
comments or questions, please fill out the following confidential contact form. Thank you!
