Jeff & Janine Kaup
This is a testimony to the miracle working power of God,
and his faithfulness to those who would call on his name.
Our story began in rural Kansas when I was sixteen and
Janine was fifteen. We fell in love and dated for over three years,
growing closer every day. In March of 1978, Janine, who was raised
Catholic, invited me to a weekend retreat in Colby, Kansas, for youth
seeking the Lord. I was in my freshman year of college and Janine in her
senior year of high school. The weekend was a turning point in our lives
as we recommitted our lives and our relationship to the Lord. We married
in September of 1978, full of love and expectancy for the future.
Our daughter, Jamie Sue was born to us the next year. I
was finishing my second year of college. During this time Janine and I
were going to church regularly, but that was the extent of our
relationship with the Lord. The Word of God states in Hosea 4:6 that
"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." and we almost
were destroyed. After Jamie's birth, we moved to Hays, Kansas to finish my
degree and to be closer to family. Janine was busy raising Jamie, plus
helping me through college by providing child care in our home. Without
her support, I never would have made it through college. After I graduated
from college, I got an accounting position with a utility company in our
hometown. At this point it seemed as though we were going to live happily
ever after, but little did we know the trials that awaited us.
I started work at the utility company in May of 1981,
and Janine went to work in a children’s clothing store owned and managed
by my mother. We were still going to Mass regularly and even getting
involved in the church, but one major thing we missed from our life, a
personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The love that Janine and I
experienced at that weekend retreat before we were married was nothing but
a memory. She had moved out of our bedroom. We NEVER kissed! We NEVER
touched! I remember one day when I went to my basement and just started
crying out to the Lord. "Lord, here I am only twenty-one years old,
and my life is a total mess. Nothing in my life is going the way I want it
to go." I started crying and couldn't stop. Finally, I said to the
Lord, "God, restore my marriage. Whatever you have to do, do
it." I had never had any teaching on the baptism of the Holy Spirit,
but out of my mouth came words in a different language.
During this time, Janine and I were not investing any
time with each other, or with the Lord. I was busy with work, golf, Jamie,
and the church, while Janine was busy with friends and work. Janine had
fallen away from the Lord, to the point of not even going to church
regularly. Eventually, she got involved in all kinds of sin. If you have
ever lived in a small town, one thing you learn is everyone seems to know
everything that is happening in the lives of the people in their
community. Janine's lifestyle choices were making their way to my family's
ears. Strife and division entered into our extended family. One night, it
reached a climax with a confrontation between Janine and my sister and
brother, outside of our house. After that evening, I prayed for God to get
us out of that town.
Two months later, in November of 1982, I was offered a
transfer to Lakewood, Colorado. I said "YES." I thought moving
would be an answer to our problem. It wasn't! Satan was still alive in
Lakewood, and until Janine and I would surrender our lives and marriage to
Jesus, he would continue his destruction. Within a year, Janine and I were
separated. She moved into an apartment with a girlfriend. About a month
later, as my life was falling apart, I took matters into my own hands and
acted out of desperation, not out of faith. I stormed over to her
apartment, took my authority as the head of our house and demanded that
she come back home. My words were, "You're coming home. This is the
way it is. I have all the authority of my family and your family, and you
ARE coming home." That was, without a doubt the worst decision I have
ever made in my entire life. I can still remember the day I drove her home
from her apartment. You could cut the air with a knife. I was in rebellion
against the way I thought God was handling my situation, and when I came
against Janine, who was in rebellion, she rebelled even more. It was ten
times worse having her home than when she was gone. The next two and a
half years were literally hell on earth. We led two totally different
lives. The ONLY thing we shared was an address.
In May of 1986, Janine and I went back to Kansas for her
little sister's wedding. At the wedding dance, Janine was very kind to me,
and we had a great time together for the first time in years. I thought,
"This is the breakthrough for which my heart has been longing."
I was very wrong!
When we returned from Kansas, Janine called me into the
living room of our apartment. I was stunned when she announced, "I'm
leaving you. I've already made the arrangements and my bags are packed.
I'm leaving tomorrow and I'm NEVER coming back." Shocked and angry, I
turned and left the room. I went into the bathroom and looked at my face
in the mirror. "God, God, God!! What am I going to do?" All of a
sudden a voice spoke to me. The voice was stronger than any still small
voice I had ever heard. The words that the Lord was about to say to me
would forever change me and my family. The words were, "Let her
go!" I answered, "I can't do that." Again the Lord said
very firmly, "LET HER GO!" I turned, went back into the living
room, and said the hardest words I have ever said in my life.
"Janine, you're free to go." Janine moved out the next day into
an apartment of her own and began a new life. I became very depressed and
despondent, almost to the point of taking my own life.
That's when my whole world changed. Jesus came to me in
the middle of my torment and suffering and began to unfold His plan for my
life. God knew that it would take these circumstances to get ahold of my
life and turn it His direction. Janine's family and I were always close,
so when Janine left, they would call and encourage me. Her mother and
sister were beautiful Christians and would share with me that if I would
surrender my life completely to Jesus, all things were possible, even the
healing of my broken marriage. God showed me that Janine was searching and
searching for the life she thought she had missed. Instantly, anger left
me as I put myself in her place. I realized I hadn't been perfect. So I
started seeking God, and asked Him, "What do I need to do?" He
answered, "Just love Janine, don't preach to her. Don't try to date
her, those things are not going to work. Just be her friend when she needs
you."
During the time Janine was gone, God gave me a dream. I
was sitting at the head of a table. Janine was at the other end, and Jamie
was on my left. As I looked to my right, there sat a little boy. At first
I didn't take the dream seriously. Two days later, I got a call from her
sister telling me, "I really believe God is going to put your
marriage back together, and when he does, you're going to have more
children. For some reason, I see a boy." Instantly, I answered,
"I receive that." My grandfather had many great grandchildren,
but not one of them had his last name. I had been hoping for a son to
carry on our name.
For the next year I pored over God's word and prayed.
For the first time in my life, I finally realized my purpose in life was
to have a living personal relationship with my Creator and Savior, Jesus.
Janine continued on a destructive path and filed for divorce in April of
1987. When she called to tell me, I was upset and slammed the receiver
down. The Holy Spirit once again rescued me from myself and told me not to
try and stop Janine from doing this. He said the divorce was nothing but a
piece of paper. The Word declares that marriage is a covenant instituted
by God, and what He joins together, no man can separate or nullify
(Matthew 19:6). I realized that it was God who had joined us. So, if God
had made us one, then no court, or judge, or lawyer, could dissolve our
covenant. I phoned her back and told her I would not contest her decision.
When the day of our divorce arrived in July of 1987, I knew deep in my
heart that this was not the end, but the beginning. I met Janine, and
drove her to the courthouse and . . . the divorce was final.
I had been pleading with God, "Restore my marriage,
restore my marriage." Within a few months after the divorce, the Holy
Spirit had changed my prayer to "Restore Janine, restore
Janine." By now, Janine was living with a guy and her heart was
totally cold toward me and to God. I talked victory in my marriage, but
there were times . . . like two days a week, taking my daughter over to
mommy and seeing this other guy there. It was like a knife through my
heart, and I would cry out, "God, I can't take another day." But
God calls us to walk by faith and not by sight, so my family and I
confessed God's Word over this adulterous relationship and even prayed by
the Grace of God, that Janine would give her life to the Lord through the
influence of the man she was living with. He was a Buddhist and was far
from interested in the things of the Lord. This man's boss invited him to
an on-fire, Word-centered church. Janine's "boyfriend" gave his
heart to the Lord. He invited Janine to the services, and within a short
time, she had committed her life to Jesus and was baptized with the Holy
Spirit. This encounter forever changed Janine's life and mine.
My daughter had been my source of information as to what
was happening in Janine's life. All the counselors advise, "Don't let
your children get involved in standing, just in case your mate doesn't
come home." That didn't set well with my spirit. Every night, when my
daughter would go to bed, she would pray, "God, put my mommy and
daddy back together." I knew my wife didn't stand a chance against
that prayer. In May of 1988, Janine's parents had invited her to Estes
Park, Colorado for a week of vacation in the mountains. They asked her if
Jamie and I could come, and to my surprise, she agreed. The vacation was
very awkward for all of us, and when it was over, her parents left for
Kansas very discouraged because the restoration of our marriage seemed
hopeless. Janine was getting ready to leave when for the first time since
our separation, the Holy Spirit prompted me to say something to her.
"Janine, you're welcome home anytime. Remember, the rent is always
free." Janine bowed her head and drove off. I really thought I had
missed God.
The next day at work, I got a call from my wife. I was
in shock, because she NEVER called me. In a quiet voice, she asked,
"Jeff, is the rent still free?" I nearly dropped the phone, but
regained my composure and answered, "Honey, the rent is free for
eternity. " I moved her back home the next weekend. We were remarried
on June 17, 1988. The first night of our honeymoon, the son that I had
seen in my dream was conceived. From the very first month of pregnancy,
Janine had announced, "This baby is going to be called Adam."
Nine months later, Adam Kaup was born.
The last eight years since our restoration, have brought
many blessings to our lives and to the lives of others. God has added
another son, Taylor, to our family. Now there are two boys to carry on my
grandfather's name. We have been ministering to hurting marriages for the
last five years through our church. We have seen God perform His Word time
and time again. What a testimony to the grace of God to take a couple of
sinners with a broken-down marriage and use them for His glory. Our
marriage is now based upon Christ the Solid Rock, and it is a marriage
that will last forever.
The victory . . . I can't explain the victory . . . I
just rejoice, and taste, and see the goodness of the Lord.
HALLELUJAH! OUR MARRIAGE WAS HEALED NOT BY MIGHT, NOR BY
POWER, BUT BY MY SPIRIT, SAITH THE LORD. Zechariah 4:6
Jeff and Janine Kaup
Aurora, Colorado
This testimony provided by:
NEW HOPE FOR BROKEN MARRIAGES
Dana and Val Hartong
24652 Featherstone Road
Sturgis, Michigan 49091
(269) 651-2187 |
