"At the altar, I cried out to God confessing the sins I carried and asked him for forgiveness. As I did, He put his loving arms around me. My sins forgiven, my separation from God was over. My heart and life were made new after the great transformation. My desire for alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs were gone and I have not had a desire for those things since the day I was saved in 2009."

Pain increased, and fear gripped Sally’s heart, pulling her thoughts and meditations into a swirl of “what if’s.” Time passed, and seeing no improvement, Sally began to believe her faith was not strong enough. Sally’s frightening affliction put her at a crossroads: leave her problem in God’s hands or seek medical attention. She knew her family and friends would respect her decision regardless, and continue to pray, but Sally was inspired to trust God’s healing power.

Finally, three years later, the day came when we actually adopted our girls! It was a very happy day indeed! Not just because we had received our heart’s desire, but most of all because there is a special joy in remaining in the will of God. Five years had passed between pursuing adoption and the judge’s ultimate decision. But God had already decided long before the judge had. He demonstrated His love and power on our behalf and for that we remain forever grateful!

During some of the bleakest seasons of my life, I have learned how important it is to lean on God. My husband and I have both faced afflictions that could have greatly altered our lifestyle or even ended in death. Yet during these difficulties, we learned valuable lessons that we would have otherwise missed. Nothing can compare to the time we spent on our knees and we heard God’s voice speak to us personally. This brought peace to our troubled minds. While our circumstances did not change immediately, knowing God was with us made all the difference between having internal peace or anguish.

Recently, I lost my oldest brother, my only remaining sibling. The sorrow ran deep. Yet, even as the waves of grief crashed like breakers on the seashore, I was not alone. The family of God surrounded me, and God Himself drew near. His comfort is not just a feeling; it is a presence, a sustaining grace that lifts us when we cannot lift ourselves.

Then came 2023, a year that tested my faith in unprecedented ways. My family faced a staggering 11 months of unemployment. It was a time of uncertainty - one where doubt could have easily taken root, sowing seeds of despair. Yet, I made a conscious decision to put my total confidence and trust in God. I resolved that my identity and worth were not tied to my job but rather rooted in my faith. During this phase, I learned the value of gratitude. I discovered small blessings each day and reinforced the belief that I could find peace and joy regardless of external circumstances.