On one of Kurt’s visits, he handed me his W-2 forms and said I could keep the money. I thought he must be insane, but I accepted the forms. I even filed the taxes, but I felt a check in my spirit, and I left the check at the tax office. A couple of months passed, and I found myself engulfed in profound depression. During this struggle, I noticed my eyes had an unfamiliar reflection in the mirror. It dawned on me that a tangible adversary was manipulating me. However, as this realization settled in, I heard the comforting voice of God. He reminded me He had not forsaken me and that His love for me was unwavering. Overwhelmed by desperation, I cried out, pleading, “Either set me free or let me die, but please don’t leave me here like this.”
The following evening, I was in a car with friends when we passed by the house where Kurt and our children lived. Suddenly, I felt a powerful urge and heard a voice inside me say, “Choose.” I asked my friends to pull over and let me out, explaining that I was going home. Upon entering Kurt’s house, I found him praying. We immediately argued, and I ended up walking out. However, when I saw a police car down the block, I went back inside. I asked Kurt if I could sleep in the children’s room, and he agreed.
The following day, I found a note that read, “Happy Anniversary, Sweetheart.” Later that day, I was arrested on a warrant. This time, being in jail felt different. I had made a conscious decision, and although I was uncertain of the outcome, I had faith that God would eventually set me free. Kurt and I began exchanging letters, and he expressed his desire to talk on the phone but couldn’t afford it. That’s when I mentioned the income tax refund I hadn’t collected. We agreed to speak once daily on the phone and continued writing letters to heal as a couple. Kurt brought Christian counseling books to the jail, and I immersed myself in them, studying tirelessly.
After a month of study, Kurt was ready for me to come home. He offered to pay my fine to secure my release, but I refused. I wanted to ensure I followed God’s plan before I left. I had just read about Daniel praying for an answer, which took twenty-one days for God’s messengers to reach him. Inspired by this, I began praying for my release. After twenty-one days, the jailer told me to pack my things because I was going home. However, they later returned, saying there was a hold on my release because of an outstanding fine. Some women I had been in jail with started mocking me, knowing that I had been waiting for an answer. I felt incredibly disappointed. I asked them to leave me alone and sat down to pray. Within a few minutes, the jailer returned and said, “I don’t know why, but for some reason, the judge’s secretary requested your release without requiring you to pay the fine, and the judge agreed.”
