Gigi was adopted as a child. Unfortunately, her adoptive parents abused her and her brother - also adopted - sexually, pyhsically and mentally. When she became a teenager even her brother started sexually abusing her. She felt trapped. The neighbours saw her parents as upstanding people who took their children to Mass regularly and provided for them. They chose to turn a blind eye to what was happening. One day, when she could take it no more she slit her wrist. She was taken to a seventy-hour hold for an evaluation.
    After high school, she moved out and lived with friends and on the street. She became addicted to drugs and alcohol. She turned to stripping to be able to finance her drug addiction. She was introduced to the owner who turned out to be a sex trafficker. She was in a relationship with him for a number of years. He provided the material things she could not afford. When he got tired of her, he kicked her back out onto the streets. While there, she was arrested and sentenced to a faith-based rehab program where she learned about God’s love. Unfortunately, when she left rehab, she went back to her life of drugs and found herself once again in sex trafficking. She had everything taken from her including her I.D., birth certificate and her money. She had nothing. 
    One day, while begging for money on the streets, a pastor gave her money and invited her to church. He provided transport for her to the church and took care of her needs. She began attending church and was re-introduced to the love she had been introduced to years earlier while in rehab. The church members helped rescue her from sex trafficking and helped her find a job. Some time later, she finally surrendered her life to Christ.
    Today, Gigi’s life is full. She has a church family that loves her, a good job, a degree and she hopes to write the story of what Jesus has done for her. She concedes that no matter what you have been through in this life, Jesus is bigger; no matter what your story has been like, with Jesus your story is not done.
    “No matter what you have been through in this life, Jesus is bigger.” There is nothing we can go through that will ever be bigger than God. The reality is though, while we are going through it may seem and feel so overwhelming that we may wonder if we will make it, how we are going to make it, or even how long before the situation finally comes to an end. It can be difficult to see God in this season. Sometimes He may feel near but I think more times than not, He seems so far away. It’s in the waiting that we can choose to throw in the towel or we can choose to hold on to and trust God. When we choose to trust God, as painful and difficult as it may be, we will not be disappointed. 
    King David went through a number of challenges yet, he chose to hold on to his God and trust Him. He chose to believe that God would come through for him. In Psalm 27:13-14 (NIV) David says: “I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.Wait for the Lord, be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” David was not saying this because everything in his life was going great. On the contrary, as he faced challenges, he chose to believe that he would still experience God’s goodness to him, his God would take care of him!
    We all have challenges to face. Unfortunately, we cannot choose the challenges that come our way. But, we can choose our response. We can choose to believe that God will come through for us, that He will work things out for our good in the end. As Gigi also said: “no matter what your story has been like, with Jesus your story is not done.” God still has the final say. Once you put your trust in Him and turn the situation over to Him, He will not disappoint. And, when you allow Him to write your story, it will be one that will be a source of encouragement and strength to all who read it.    
    If you have not accepted Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Lord and Saviour, I encourage you to do so today. Life will, at times, send situations that are beyond your control. Yet, when you choose to look to God and put your trust in Him, God will give you the strength and support you need to make it through.

    Geralyn was on a train on her way home to her family one afternoon when it derailed. She had just spoken to them after entering the train, letting them know that she would be home soon. Not long after, she sensed that the train was going too fast. The last thing she heard was her own scream. 
    At home, her husband heard about the train derailment on the news. He was not sure that the train was his wife’s train but when he tracked her phone, he discovered that it was. He began a frantic search for her, while their son called various hospitals trying to locate her. She was finally found…alive. She had suffered severe injuries. Doctors were doubtful she would survive. The heavy impact of the train as it crashed caused her abdominal organs to be thrown up into her chest. Her chest and rib cage were crushed. As a result, she was on a ventilator because she could not breathe on her own. She had a number of other injuries yet, had not suffered any traumatic brain injury. Her husband considered this a miracle.     
    She was in tremendous pain yet admits that the only thing she could do was pray. Even in her pain, she felt as if God was holding her. They were thankful that she was alive even though they were unsure that she would be able to walk again. After eight surgeries and five weeks in the hospital ICU, she was released to continue healing at home. When her son showed her pictures of her wrecked train car, she was reminded of God’s mercy and goodness. Over the last several years, she has endured a difficult recovery with more surgeries and setbacks. Yet, she chooses to be thankful that God sustained her through it all. She acknowledges that her faith along with with the faith of others has helped her endure her painful ordeal. The life she has been given she sees not as a miracle but as grace, as an undeserved gift that she is willing to accept.
    This testimony is not about a miraculous quick recovery but a painful ordeal that has lasted many years. It is indeed a story of God’s grace, mercy and goodness. It is a reminder to us that some challenges are going to be resolved quickly but others will take time and may test our every urge to give up. 
    As we live this life, we realise that we can’t always avoid negative situations. Geralyn was on her way home to her family. She did not expect that her journey would end the way it did. We can’t always dictate the problems that come our way or even how long they would last. Yet, through it all, God has promised never to leave us nor forsake us. He may not have promised a smooth journey without difficulties but He has promised to sustain and keep us no matter what comes our way. 
    Sometimes, our testimony may be about a quick deliverance. Other times, it will be about God’s grace and goodness as we go through a difficult and lengthy trial. Yet, no matter what God allows us to go through, the one consistent and sure truth is that He is there with us, strengthening us and encouraging us every step of the way. Even in those times when He seems silent, He is there, carrying us when we cannot do it ourselves. Psalm 18:1-2 says: “I love you, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” God is our strength and our Deliverer. He will sustain us, He will keep us, He will help us to stand even in the most difficult of trials.
    If you have not accepted Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Lord and Saviour, I encourage you to do so today. We can’t choose our challenges but we can trust that God will give us the strength and grace needed to make it through.

    Tomekia, the daughter of a minister, was the youngest child with three older brothers. She was a natural on the basketball court and was able to enter college on a scholarship. Tragically, at this time, she lost her mother to cancer. In spite of her tragic loss, she successfully completed college and decided to pursue her dream of becoming a coach. 
    At the age of twenty-five, she became an assistant coach at Jackson State University. Sadly, a year later, her brother, Robert, who understood and supported her dream, was murdered in his home during a robbery. She was devastated. Shortly after, she took another coaching job at a nearby university. While there, she had a son but the relationship with his father did not work out. She, therefore, turned to her father to help raise her son as well as to provide spiritual and emotional support. She admits that her faith was more in her father than in God. 
    At the age of thirty-six, her dream finally came true when she became the head coach at Jackson State University. Her father was extremely proud of her. She confessed to him that she couldn’t dream of living her life without him. Sadly, however, three months later, her father died from a blood clot after a routine surgery. Tomekia admits that she lost her purpose, her meaning and her drive. She had done all that she had done to make her father proud. With him gone she couldn’t see the value in doing it anymore. 
    Four weeks later, she sat on her bed with a loaded gun ready to end her life. She was consumed with grief. She asked God to take away the pain before she ended it all. As she reached for the gun, her son ran into the room and said, “Mom, what are you doing?” She hugged him and cried. She realised at that moment that she had greater in store and she just had to trust it. She started going to church and surrounded herself with people who encouraged her relationship with God. She had to develop her own relationship with God. It was finally her and Jesus!
    She returned to school after a three-month leave of absence just in time for the start of a new basketball season. They lost five games in a row and many believed that she was not the right person for the job. Through prayer and God’s guidance, Tomekia finally became the leader she needed to be. Her team went on to win the next eleven games and made it to the championships. They lost by four points but in Tomekia’s eyes, they were winners. Whenever praise is heaped on her for her success, she gives the honour to the Lord. She realises that she has a purpose that is bigger than her. She acknowledges that at times we will suffer hurt and that that’s okay but that we should not stay there. We have to get up and keep going, trust the Lord, put our faith in Him and stay mission-focused. All things work together for the good to those who love the Lord (Romans 8:28).
    Life is filled with unexpected and sometimes painful circumstances. We can never see around the corner and are many times totally unprepared for what lies ahead. Yet, the God who can see around any corner, wants us to trust Him completely. Tomekia faced tragedy after tragedy, yet, through it all, God was there and took her through each difficult season. He helped her attain her dream even when she was burdened by the tragedy in her life and she wanted to give up.
    Sometimes, we too can feel so burdened by tragic and difficult circumstances that we just don’t feel like going on. The temptation can be to give up, to give in, to even turn our back on the One who can and will see us through. But, don’t! Just when you may think or feel like it’s over, that God will never step in and help, He will. Tomekia reached the point of attempting to end her life but God stepped in. We may wonder why He didn’t step in earlier, why He didn’t stop all the tragedy in her life. Yet, His ways and thoughts are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:9). We may never understand it all, but this one thing we know, according to Tomekia, we can’t give up, we have to keep going, we have to trust the Lord and stay mission-focused because at the end of the day, all things will work together for good to those who love the Lord! 
    If you have not accepted Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Lord and Saviour, I encourage you to do so today. Life can be so filled with dark moments and tragedies that we need a God who is big enough and powerful enough and loving enough to help us successfully through it all. God has promised to never leave us nor forsake us and He knows it’s because we can’t do this life alone. We need Him, we need His strength, His wisdom and His guidance to make it through. Trust Him.
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    Tasha’s father died in prison when she was seven years old. She lived with her aunt and uncle because her mother was addicted to drugs. They were devout christians. She enjoyed going to church as well as her connection with God. At around the age of fourteen, she lost her purity and at the same time got involved with drugs. She continued going to church and lived a double life. Over the next few years, her life steadily spiralled out of control. She got more involved in drugs, was in and out of jail and had four children along the way. She was filled with self-hatred and shame wondering how she was managing to do the same thing to her children that had been done to her. She wanted to get out but couldn’t. She admitted that she was a slave to her situation.
    One day, while in jail, an elderly woman told her that she needed to go home and take care of her children. She needed to call out to God before it was too late. She knew that what she was saying was true. She allowed the woman to pray with her and she felt the Holy Spirit step in and wash over her. From that day forward she experienced conviction and was awakened to the things of God. She no longer found satisfaction in drugs and began to turn her life around. She, however, struggled with thoughts of suicide and battled to attend church consistently. 
    One day, she met a pastor at a festival and admitted her struggle and asked him to pray for her. He encouraged her to pray in the name of Jesus when she felt tormented. She tried it and got her breakthrough. She realised that there was truly power in the name of Jesus. She is now working with women who went through the same struggles she once had. Now, she is excited to serve God. He has restored her children to her and as she helps others, He is helping her live the reality of Genesis 50:20 -  what the enemy meant for evil God turned it around for good for the saving of many lives. 
    I love the fact that no matter how far gone we are or think we are, God always has a way to reach us. Tasha met God in church but along the way lost her connection with and her desire for Him. Yet, it was while she was in jail that He chose to reach out to her … and get her attention! We can’t always tell God where, when, or how to reach us. We can’t even always decide who He should use. But God knows exactly what and who would get our attention. I would like to think that even when we think it’s over and it’s too late, God is still watching, waiting for just the right moment to come to our rescue. With Him, once we are alive, it’s never too late and even when the enemy is doing his best to destroy us God will use our failures and disappointments to help others and to bring glory to Himself.
    Tasha ends her story with the words of Joseph to his brothers in Genesis 50:20. After all the hurt and pain Joseph had been through because of them, Joseph realised that God was in it all along. They may have meant their bad treatment of him for evil but God used all of it to save their very lives many years later! How like God to turn what was meant for evil into something that helps even those who tried to destroy us! Only God!
    I know it’s hard, I know it’s downright discouraging at times but God’s silence does not mean His absence. He is right there, working behind the scenes, putting things in place to bring good out of a terrible situation. It can be easy to get angry with Him, wondering why He is taking so long to answer, so long to deliver, but as I have said before in different ways, it’s all about His timing. God knows exactly what to do and when to do it. Sometimes we just need to let go of our control and allow Him to take charge and do what He chooses to do. We could never be unhappy with His final result. And, when He steps in, we can be sure that every evil He will turn around for good!
    If you have not accepted Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Lord and Saviour, I encourage you to do so today. As bad as things may seem at times, God is still good and He is still very much present! He has not gone anywhere and He will show up and work on your behalf in His perfect timing. He may seem slow but He is never late and He will surely take that impossible situation and use it for your good and for the good of others. Be encouraged!