Kadian Campbell advises women to seek God for a spouse
By Cecelia Campbell-Livingston
No one likes going through a storm—the fierce winds of adversity, the overpowering elements rocking your boat and turning your life upside down. Kadian Campbell knows all about storms, as her whole life was in shambles following her childhood sweetheart’s betrayal.
It was a romance that blossomed from when they were in high school, to them being married and having five children. If anyone had told her that this man who had stood by her side and had been supportive in the early years would have turned on her and been the one to hurt her, she would have denied it.
In a moving testimony on Sheena Power Talk, Campbell opened up about the rocky road; but the support of a strong, faith-filled mother, and the abiding power of Jesus saw her through.
Campbell, who hails from Denham Town in Kingston, grew up in a pretty sheltered environment as her parents never allowed her and her sibling to play outside with the other children. Even after her father walked out on the family, she never strayed.
After living with her high school sweetheart, everything was going great. When she had her third child, she made a change by surrendering her life to the Lord. This was the beginning of the many trials and hurdles she had to navigate on her path.
She recalled making the decision that she was going to walk away from him and make the Lord her focus, but he convinced her that he was going to give his life to the Lord too and suggested that they get married.
“You know, young in the faith, you never seek God; you say, Alright, we have kids together; a better me just get married to him, and stuff like that. Never seek the Lord nor anything; just go ahead and do it,” she shared.
After getting married, he changed jobs and came home one day, hitting her with the news that he was going to be fired. She said her mother and herself went on a fast. After the fast, he returned with the good news that he wouldn’t be fired but promoted instead and that he was getting the opportunity to go overseas. He had stints where the company would send him overseas for six months, three months, and even a year.
His first stint was six months, and when he returned home, Campbell said she got pregnant with their fourth child and the union was still intact and ‘nice’.
However, the second time he returned and went back, she said she noticed changes, one of which was, she could not call him. She had to wait until he called her.
One day she needed to contact him and had no credit, so she asked a friend who was visiting her to give her a call. To her surprise, a girl answered the phone.
After his visit for Christmas, she ended up pregnant with their fifth child. When she told him, unlike other times, he was not happy about the pregnancy and blatantly told her he didn’t want any more children and that she should “dash whey dat”.
“This man, most of the time, would cook; in my pregnant stage, he would cook, and he didn’t give me any food to eat. Sometimes I don’t eat for two days,” she highlighted.
In the midst of all that, Campbell discovered that her husband had not only had an affair with a woman overseas, but she also had a child with him.
At eight months and two weeks pregnant, she still did not have any baby clothes, but she saw God showing up big time.
She also took the time to heap praise on her mother, who stood resolutely by her side. She described her as the greatest person who stuck with her through all that she was going through.
Her family overseas was packing a barrel with baby supplies, but she notes it wouldn’t have come in time. She started praying and seeing God’s hand in her life.
“I remember one of my church sisters, who is my son’s godmother, taking me to town and buying baby clothes and giving me stuff like that, and I was so grateful,” she related, adding that she also got money, which enabled her to purchase the rest of items
Campbell also shared in her testimony how she ironed her husband’s clothes, not knowing at the time that he was leaving the house to get married to another woman, even though he was already married to her.
There were so many turmoils in the marriage; he refused to take care of the children, and she ended up taking him to family court. His sister was upset about it.
Her heartache was further compounded by the death of her brother who succumbed to cancer.
As if those tragedies were not enough, her husband started spreading lies about her in the community to make her look bad.
It was strong faith and a supportive mother that saw her weather the storm. After emerging victorious, Campbell had words for others who are going through their storms and thinking it is over.
“I just want to encourage someone out there, whether you are a Christian or not. You’re going through a situation, but as the scriptures say, weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. Maybe you are going through something right now and wondering when God is going to come through for me. When is it going to end? Just hold on,” she encourages.
