Mark Darling – Story 79

How has Mark Darling influenced my life? Well first let me give you a little background story about myself. I grew up as a child of and an alcoholic father. I was scared, fearful, doubtful, self-conscience, ashamed, embarrassed and unsafe. I would repeat broken records to myself of who my dad said I would become. He would tell me, “I would become no better than him when I grow up” I did not have any idea that there was anything better out there for me. After I was out on my own I struggled to be a healthy functioning adult. One day I was invited to a church called The Rock in South Mpls. and it was there that I heard Mark Darling preach for the very first time. I remember it well the message it was about ” Meeting Mr. or Mrs. Right”. That whole series CHANGED MY LIFE!! Mark shared what I needed to hear. and start doing right away. It was the most impactful sermon I had ever heard at the time. It was about how to become a responsible adult and how to take responsibility for my own self with Christ at the center of all I do before that special someone comes into my life. I was relieved and hopeful that by coming back to hear more about this series and connecting it to the Bible. Once I had the practical application I to could become a confident child of God and deal with my hurts and struggles and move forward with a GREAT pastor to point me back to the bible so I could on my own learn about managing anything that came my way. Areas of my life like how to have healthy relationships, my speech and anything else that I could ever need. Several years later there came a time that I married a wonderful godly man from this very same church and when we first were married it was so very hard and I struggled greatly mostly known about my parents own painful marriage and the struggle that is alcoholism that took so much joy away from growing up! I had no idea how to be married. My dad wasn’t there to tell me positive things about marriage so we both turned to Mark for Marriage insight and help. We sought Mark out many times and he became a second father to me over these very rough marriage seasons. Today we still apply his advice and wisdom to get us through the difficult situations in our marriage. He always met us at in a public place with me and my husband present and would share the scriptures with us and share real-life examples of his own life with us in a way that we ALWAYS HOPED A FATHER WOULD DO!! He shared his fatherly advice with the greatest of sensitivity, empathy, and compassion and gave us THE BEST advice we have ever heard that was practical and immediately applicable. He truly hands down has saved our marriage over the course of our 16 yrs. that we have been married. His advice touched on areas from how to get along with one another, to talk to one another without getting angry or being verbally hurtful to my spouse, how to talk things out and be a good listener, how to live a biblical God-honoring lifestyle within our marriage. His words and insight have been a lifeline for us. I am so thankful that I have been able to take his advice and share it with others to help impact other marriages in a HUGE way. Everything from having healthy boundaries with the opposite sex and never being along with any one of the opposite sex while we were meeting with other couples to protect and safeguard our very own marriage so as no one would be lead to think otherwise. My husband and I were involved in a recovery program through our church and it was VITAL to have these boundaries and safeguards in our lives due to the sensitive nature of recovery issues that we would encounter. Mark Daring is a man who represents the HIGHEST of integrity and character of any man I have ever known. As a visual learner myself, watching Mark’s Godly character has been a huge life changing example in my life. My marriage is a STRONG ROCK like no other because of the wisdom and guidance and prayer demonstrated by Mark Darling. I have so much peace knowing that God has blessed me to know Mark as a second father. He is what I always hoped a father would be and I am so grateful to call him,” My other dad”. His cup overflows with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, and self-control. In closing, Mark’s life example has changed my life a whole 180. From being a young hopeless person to becoming a hopeful and confident person while having my life fixed on the right things and focusing on what’s ahead with Christ at the helm. Mark is a hero in the faith to me. I am so proud to call him, pastor, second dad, and friend.

Shared by Kita