Everyone I know has had to go through hard times at some point in their life or another.  I am no exception to this rule.  But I have a Heavenly Father who watches over me and stays right by my side.  He sent me a love letter to remind me of His thoughts toward me.

Our family went through a very dark valley nine and a half years ago when my husband (the Preacher) had a massive stroke and was expected to die.  It's a long story that has heartache and fear and uncertainty as it's
"dragons."  I was the damsel in distress along with my two kiddos who were just eight and thirteen at the time.  The Preacher was so critically ill that he spent a month in the hospital and it was over two years before our family felt like we had found our "new normal."  And my heart cried out to God so many times each day for strength to keep on, and wisdom to make decisions, and comfort for a heart that was broken and trying to mend.

My God answered me.  In fact, He answered me each and every single solitary time I cried out to Him.  He gave me some very special verses in His Word that I clung to and read over and over.  I recently told Mark's story again at a ladies retreat.  I have a sort of abbreviated script version I tell people who want to know what happened to him.  But I had not told his story in great detail for a very long time.  It is a hard story to tell without becoming emotional and I don't ever want to lose that sensitivity for what God did for us through this.  It is truly not a story about us but about what God did in our lives so that others could see His love and mercy and GRACE.  I'd like to spend the next several posts on this blog sharing some of the verses that God gave to me and I pray that God's Word will be a healing balm to hearts that are hurting.

My husband's story is "A Story of Grace" and of God's never failing mercies!