Terri Camp - If It Werent for Eve, Id be a Perfect Wife

I F I T W ERENT F OR E VE , I D B E A P ERFECT W IFE
M ULTNOMAH B OOKS
12265 Oracle Boulevard, Suite 200
Colorado Springs, Colorado 80921

Scripture (except where noted) taken from the New King James Version.
Copyright 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

eISBN: 978-0-307-80982-7

Copyright 2002 by Terri Camp

Previously published by Loyal Publishing Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Published by WaterBrook Multnomah, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House Inc., New York.

M ULTNOMAH is a trademark of Random House Inc.

v3.1

To Steve, my beloved,

This book is dedicated to you. Without you in my life, I could never have written this book. From the moment we met you have encouraged me to develop my passions and live my dreams. I dont think you quite knew what to think about the dream of having twelve children, yet you still allowed me to dream.

I knew you were supportive of my dream of writing when you decided we needed a computer so I could write. Even though the computer was used more for games, my love for writing prospered.

The greatest joy in my life is being best friends with you. I praise God daily for giving me a godly husband and a wonderful father for our children.

I still think youre perfect, even if you still dont call me by my real name.

Your loving wife,

Herb

P.S. Ill make spaghetti next Wednesday.

This is the most difficult part of the book to write. It will likely be the least read too. Who reads acknowledgements anyway? Even if no one were to read this page, it must be written. It must be written because tears form in my eyes when I think of all the people who had a hand in my life so that I could write about it.

Im forever grateful to the Lord for giving me experiences and moments with all of you. Some of the moments I wrote about are painful, and some are joyful. All of them are reasons to give thanks to the Lord. He has woven my life in such a way that I am in this place, at this time, living for Him. He is the only one who truly knows my every thought. And I would sure wish there were times He would whisper some of those thoughts to my husband, Steve.

There are so many times I wished that Steve would read my mind. And there were times that I was certain he could. Life would not be complete for me without the love of you in my life.

Steve brought with him several people into my life when we met. Among those I would especially like to thank are Mom and Dad Camp. Your love and ability to embrace me as a daughter of your own have enriched my life beyond what you can even imagine. Thank you for all of your encouragement and for raising a son who would later become my husband. If my boys grow up to be like their father, I will owe much of that to you.

To my parents and my sister I would like to say you have been with me through it all. You experienced my rebellion first hand. You experienced my pain. I caused you all many tears in your life, but you always stayed by me, praying for me, and loving me unconditionally. Dad, I want to especially thank you for having the courage to speak the truth to me when I especially needed it. My hope is that I have also been able to bring you all much joy.

To my children I want to simply say, Thank you for making my life complete.

Have you ever been even a little bit irritated when you think of Eve eating the forbidden fruit? Frankly, I sometimes get downright upset with that woman. Its a good thing I will never run into her in the produce aisle at my grocery store. I might be tempted to throw something at herlike an apple.

Think about this for a minute. Eve was married to the most handsome man on the face of the earth. She didnt worry about her hair, or, for that matter, even her clothes. There was no laundry to do. She didnt have to cook. All she had to do, all day long, was talk to the animals, talk to her husband, and talk to her Lord. This woman was in paradise! And if she didnt want to talk, she could admire the beauty of her garden, where there was never a weed in sight. She could eat fruit from almost any tree she wanted. She could even lie down next to a lion. Havent you always wanted to do that? I have.

This woman had it made.

Then, one day, while taking her afternoon stroll through that wonderful garden, she happened on a crafty dude. Clearly, the serpent forgot to tell Eve, when he was explaining how great it would be for her to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, that with it would come horrible infirmities, like laundry, dirty dishes, and PAIN. Not to mention the part about wanting to rule over her husband.

Oh no, this crafty creature did not tell her how difficult it was going to be when her husband told her, We cant afford a new front-loading washing machine. He did not tell her that her entire being would want to shout at him, But I want one!

No, the serpent was ever so sly. He convinced Eve that the fruit was irresistibly delicious. He failed to mention that her eating it would condemn all women, for the rest of time, to slaving over hot stoves. And to having children in pain, after which they would end up with stretch marks, wrinkles, and fat.

If only Eve had not eaten the fruit. We would still be enjoying our strolls in the evening, instead of doing dishes after dinner. We would still enjoy the thought of childbirth. We would not need new front-loading washing machines. Indeed, we would not even feel the need to tell our husbands what we really think of their decisions.

We would be perfect wives.

Steve always claims that he saw me first. But Im absolutely certain it was the other way round.

We were both in the Air Force. I was at the lowest point in my life when I first set eyes on him. I had gone out with a man I barely knew, and ended up being raped by him and several others. I was left feeling helpless and abused, but also an idiot, stupid and nave. I was searching for something in my life, but I didnt know what. The word hope was not a part of my vocabulary.

From my early teens, I had been on a constant search for love and acceptance. It still brings tears to my eyes when I think how, instead of looking right in front of me, at the ones who loved me most, I kept searching for love in people who didnt care about me at all.

How I hurt my parents by my irresponsible behavior! Each time I phoned them, it was with yet another tale of woe. Talking to my dad the day after I was raped, he said, Sometimes you have to purpose in your life that you will no longer be a victim, but that you are going to be a success. They were the most painful, but also the most loving words he ever said. They made my eyes sting again with tears. But they also put into my heart a new resolve to change my life.

That night, I decided that I was not going to be a victim of myself again. A time of healing my life began. I found new confidence. And I realized that, when I set my mind on something, I was going to succeed.