T H E F A I L U R E T O F A V O R P O D C A S T
Tim & Tabitha Trivette
Tim and Tabitha were nothing more than "Hi, how are you doing" acquaintances prior to August 2011. Though very brief and very seldom, these passing and polite moments in their lives would turn out to be the very first brush strokes on the canvas of God's perfect plan for their lives. The scene of these automatic acknowledgements happened in the arena where Tim had fled for the fix that fed the cravings in which his addition had cause his body to long for. Tabitha always wondered why Tim was so wrapped up in the sin that she witnessed him take part in. She always believed that there was another person inside of Tim that was longing to be set free, yet serving a life sentences with no chance of parole or pardon. She began to pray for a person, who was at that time a total stranger. She asked God to somehow shake his jail cell in such a way that the chains of addiction that bound him would break. Little did she know that her prayers would be heard, and then answered in a way that would change her life as well.
Tim indeed found himself at his bottom on August 6, 2011, and then gave up on winning the battle himself on August 7, 2011. That night, Tim threw up his white flag and surrendered to the God of Glody on the side of I-59 South, mile marker 201 near Gadsden, AL. Only hours later, after years of not knowing or hearing about Tim, Tabitha stumbled upon Tim's facebook page. She felt compelled to send him a friend' request which alerted Tim's phone early that morning. Tim had no idea that God's greatest gift of favor was on the other end of a text message from a Facebook Friend Request.
That morning Tim searched his memory bank to try and figure out where he knew this person from. Part of Tim's fall to the bottom was losing someone who he thought cared for him. The days leading up to August 6th found Tim begging God to bring this person back into his life. Tim's prayer was heard and answered, but with a different answer than what he was expecting. God continued to say "No". On the other end of this Facebook Friend Request, Tabitha had just come out of a relationship as well, and found herself forced to start all over. She had been praying for God to bring someone into her life that would love her and her babies, and be a godly example for her and her kids. There were times she thought God was giving her what she had prayed and longed for, only to the same "No" that was heard by Tim when he cried out to God. Then on August 8, 2011, that early morning text alert attached to a friend request was God issuing a different answer to their prayers that was heard loud and clear by the hearts of Tim and Tabitha. Little did they know, God had just given His final answer to the prayer that they had both been praying. This time, God answered with a "Greater Yes".
Tabitha and Tim reunited in person a week later. On November 18, 2011, those "Hi, how are you doing?" moments turned into an "I Do" that would begin restoration of joy, delived by the unmerited Favor of God. That day, Tabitha and Tim were married in the same building where Tim had only months earlier tried to find a way to take his life. God then poured out a double portion of His favor on them as they spent their honeymoon in Chapel Hill, NC enjoying a little Carolina Basketball. Today they both share the burden of reaching out to those who feel that there is no hope to ever being free from addiction. And by simply bragging on Jesus and what He did for them, tell them about the hope they too thought was lost forever, and where to find it.
In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple,
and my cry came before him, even into his ears.
~ Psalms 18:6 ~
