I read over the stories posted here, and I see that most of them have stories of coming to Christ later in life, after traumatic experiences. My story is different than that, in that I was raised in the church by parents who loved me and guided me. Still, they couldn't prepare me for all the things that life had in store for me. It is only God's grace, and a strong faith that would get me through. In my life I have experienced many things that would be soul crushing. At a young age, while just starting high school, I was sexually abused by a relative. I held that knowledge for 5 years before telling my parents. I did so because I was assaulted on the campus of the Christian college that I attended. Amazingly, and again, I believe because of the faith my parents modeled for me, I did not let that experience turn me against God. But that was not the end for me. I married, had three kids, and then tragically, at age 41, lost my husband to colon cancer. I was left a widow with three kids under the age of 12. My world was turned upside down.

A year and a half later, the father in law that had helped me continue the business my husband left me also died of cancer after only 4 months of illness. At that point, it felt like the weight of the world was on my shoulders. I had children to support and a business to try to maintain. God answered that by sending me a business partner who shared my faith, and has grown the business into something that would not only support both of our families, but three others as well. I stand once again amazed at God's goodness to me. This past year, God has chosen to again test my faith, by having me lose the second job that I had in a way that was personally hurtful to me, and could have damaged my feelings towards fellow Christians. I do not feel that way, thanks to God's grace in allowing me a good perspective.

Finally, this fall God chose again to ask more of me, when I found myself in an ambulance heading to the emergency room at the hospital. I was diagnosed with a heart that was failing, and a pacemaker was implanted in my chest. It now reminds my heart to beat nearly 90 % of the time. Through all of this, I am reminded of a phrase that is on the wall in my foyer, put there to remind me and all who are guests in my home that "God is good, all the time." That phrase was put on my husband's hospital room chart, and on his tombstone as well. I have learned to thank God IN everything, because I am aware that every event in my life has served His purpose. I look forward to what he has next, because he has chosen to make my life a grand adventure!