In 2010 I met a wonderful, Christian man named Jim. We knew very early on in our relationship that we would be married and walk through life hand in hand forever. We became engaged nine months after dating and were married seven months later on November 12, 2011.

 Just about five weeks later, on December 18, Jim and I were on our way home from my parents' house when we were hit by a drunk driver. Jim went to heaven instantly and I was severely injured. I didn’t take my first steps post-injury until February of the next year and regained limited use of my left hand and arm that April.

 I couldn’t do the things I used to do; the basic things that I had taken for granted everyday. I didn’t have my Jim, my marriage, and the hopes and dreams that went with it. I surely didn’t like where I was. I didn’t know where I fit. I was different, life was different, life would always be different.

 I knew of God’s promises to me, but I couldn’t see anything beyond or different than where I was. The past was too painful, the present was unbearable, and I saw no attainable future. Being frustrated and exhausted from all the physical and emotional battles, grieving declared my defeat.

 As a young widow in counseling, I experienced a God that could reach me at my rock bottom. A God that wanted to meet me at my rock bottom and wanted to meet me everyday. I experienced that when a life-changing, earth-shattering event happens, it defines us. But God grows us. He grows us until eventually we are no longer defined by that one event, rather we are defined by how He transforms us afterwards and continues to do so. God has been right beside me restoring and rebuilding me.

 A blessed life does not always mean an easy one - and don’t you know it! The distractions, disruptions, inconveniences, illnesses, and the loss you’ve experienced…sometimes we just look up and tell God, “Enough.”

 I experienced one of those “enough” times this past summer. On June 18, 2021, my mother suddenly and unexpectedly passed away. I can vividly recall my family’s reactions to the news while we were in a makeshift waiting room. My dad’s swollen, tear-filled, tired eyes as he couldn’t grasp losing the person with whom he had lovingly shared 50 years of life. I remember my sister’s entire body just sobbing in shock. I was crying so hard that my brother-in-law told me to breathe. But in that moment, the one when I couldn’t even remember to draw breath, God was drawing very near to us all. Isn’t that just like God? He is so good. Because of God, we can persevere in the face of a worldly beat down. Because of God, we have purpose. We know we are unconditionally loved, worthy, forgiven, found, redeemed by the all-powerful, all-knowing, all-present God. God loves you!