United States of America
My story begins with the time when I faced hopelessness, true hopelessness, for the first time in my life.
I lost a son when I was 58 years old. I did not question God because I believe in His sovereignty. But there were his children to consider. Their mother was very unstable. I was so scared for them.
Erin, my son, wasn’t with their mother, and the relationship was pretty tumultuous. I had invited him to move back home with his dad and I, to get on his feet. He desperately wanted to get custody of the children. Well, after nine months of living in Savannah, he was hit by a car. His children were adopted by their mother‘s first cousin.
I thought we had a good relationship, and I went to visit once. All was well for a few months, and then the new mom stopped speaking to me and would not let the girls speak to me anymore. I lost it. All I ever wanted to be was a mom and grandmother. I questioned God,” Why am I here? I have no purpose. No legacy.” Yes, I had other two other sons and other grandchildren, but I’ve been so invested in the girls.
My other grandchildren were well and that’s another story. I ended up in an inpatient mental hospital and 12 weeks of outpatient services. Even with the therapy, I was sad. I was lost for about two years. I retired early, hoping to heal.
There is a series of God leading me to new places, and I am now free indeed. I live in His light. No more darkness. I have a new job, I so enjoy. I’m a little tired, but I love it. I love that at age 65, I found work that I feel gives me purpose.
Amanda W.
United States of America
I always wanted to have four children, but my husband only wanted two. We had two.
Fast forward: both of our children have four children, so I now have eight grandchildren to love. Talk about the Lord, giving me more than I had ever dreamed for myself. I’m so thankful for God pouring his abundant blessings over me.
Brenda Sather.
United States of America
October 31, 2019, I tripped and fell and broke my wrist at work. After having immersed myself in worship to the song, “The Goodness of God” that morning, my accident woke me up to how good God had/has been to me over the course of my life. But most especially, to how GOOD HE HAD BEEN in the 10 years before my accident. You see, summer of 2009, I left my husband, my four children, and my home. It was a marriage of about 35 years – a VERY difficult marriage, an emotionally exhausting marriage. Never able to live up to his expectations. However, it wasn’t just leaving him. It was leaving my four children behind, abandoning them. What nearly killed me for it was my children, who kept me going, and then, without them, I felt, “what was the use in living?”
Mother’s Day 2011 my sister came and rescued me from going back and brought me back home, where I grew up. Again, after a year and a half, I left and abandoned my children, yet once again. But God had not abandoned me. He brought me back and placed me in a job that I never in my life imagined I would have. He placed me at Gulfstream as an upholstery tech, where He knew that I could not easily escape back to Jacksonville. This was a job where the Lord could take care of me and have coworkers who would support me, and the healing process began. Eventually, He brought me to Compassion Christian Church, where I was accepted and loved right where I was. Over the next few years, I was able to travel back and forth to Jacksonville to restore relationships with my children.
Only God can mend what we break.
A.S.
