Session 2 - Personal Story, Betty Jean Part 3

Betty tells me this next part of her story separate from her written notes.

During these first years years of marriage, Edsel went out on his days off for a drink with his friends. They never had alcohol in the house and so he would go and sit at a bar and talk it up with his friends. This occurred about once every week or two.

He would be drunk by the time he came home and she remembers him being quite obnoxious. He would frequently pick verbal fights with her to get her to argue, however, she soon learned not to argue or make a fuss while he was drunk. She always made him a sandwich, however, when he got home and showed her love for him beyond his behavior to her.

She knew her kids were upset and one older son was ready to take action and protect her if it ever became violent. But, it never did.

Betty never considered him an alcoholic at the time since he didn't drink every day. She has expressed to me over the years, especially when I was struggling with my own situation, that while she could have chosen to leave him, she didn't have anywhere to go with the kids and hadn't had a job in years.

He continued to drink throughout their marriage until he trusted Christ as his savior.

Betty continues with her story.

"I had asked Jesus to live in my heart many times when I would go to confession and communion. But at the Christian church, I learned to trust him as my very own personal savior and I could be assured of eternal life with Him. I learned so much from the Bible - verses like John 3:16, 'For God so loved the world that he gave His only Son, that whosoever believes in Him, will not perish but have everlasting life.'

"The Spirit was working in my husband's life too. Pastor Murphy was our pastor then and he kept encouraging me to pray - but not to nag him. What a glorious night when Edsel cam down from the balcony and went to the front of the church to meet pastor and ask Jesus to be His Savior and Lord of his life. He repented and truly turned his life around. He even lost his desire for beer.

"I was so happy - I said I didn't want to ever have to put up with a drunk husband again. On New Year's Eve of 1962 we were baptised.

"We went together to the Homebuilder's Sunday School class. Ed loved to go to the local homeless men's mission with the men. He enjoyed his new-found faith in Christ and our marriage was stronger and happier."