I have been blessed by God with the most wonderful wife. Only God could have designed such a perfect mate, friend, mother, grandmother, and now, miraculously, co-host of the LIFE Today television program.

Closed Off by a Spirit of Fear

Betty was plagued with a spirit of fear for much of her life. It manifested itself in feelings of low self-esteem, a horror of failure or disappointment, and an overwhelming desire to perform in some way in order to gain acceptance. But the fear of failing in the attempt to perform caused her emotions and her mind to jam. She used to explain that, even before tests in school, she would experience what she considered serious panic attacks. She felt that she had little to offer others, so she simply dedicated herself to being a devoted wife and a committed mother. She accomplished this worthy mission to great effect, but her feelings of inferiority about sharing with others basically kept her closed off, and kept her mostly to herself as far as the public was concerned.

The River of Life Ran Deeply Within

In my heart, I knew that if the world could see the beauty, spiritual depth, and true wisdom that filled this woman’s inner being, she would be an indescribable blessing. I prayed for many years that God would grant her the peace of mind and the confidence to willingly open herself to others so that the river of life which ran so deeply within her could spill over and impact others. As I prayed, I could sense her desire to overcome, and God gave me the insight to constantly encourage her. As I poured on the praise and confidence-building encouragement, it was like watering a beautiful flower.

A Life-Giving Flow Released

Every time she would share just a little in a small group, I would point out how mightily others had been blessed. I would keep telling her that the beauty God had placed within her would inspire others to trust Him to enable them to overcome whatever difficulties they faced in life. God answered the prayer, and we saw Him release a life-giving flow that brings admiration and expressions of gratitude from millions of people throughout North America and the mission fields of the world. I sincerely believe, based on the comments of others, that Betty is one of the most loved and respected women alive today. She is living proof of the power of prayer. Because of this miraculous transformation of the life of Betty Robison, millions will live in fullness on this earth and then for all eternity in the presence of our great God and Father!

James Robison is The Stream’s founder and publisher. He is founder of LIFE Outreach International and co-host of LIFE Today. He’s the author of many books, including Indivisible (with Jay Richards) and Living Amazed. [At her request, James shared this article with Stormie Omartian for her book, The Power of a Praying Husband.]