Strong Foundation

There wasn’t a big moment or turning point for me. Faith has simply been part of my life for as long as I can remember.

I grew up with a strong foundation of faith in God, and so much of that came from my mom. At church, people called her Saint Elma, and honestly, she was the best example of a Christian I could have asked for. Was she perfect? Not at all. She made mistakes just like anyone else. But she loved the Lord with her whole heart, and that showed in the way she lived. My grandmother was the same way. That wasn’t just how I saw them—other people saw it too.

Life at home wasn’t always easy. My dad had been diagnosed with manic depressive disorder, and he wasn’t dependable. When my parents divorced, it became just my mom and me. She carried a lot on her shoulders, including a heavy load of debt, and there were many times when making ends meet was a real struggle.

We went to an old country Methodist church, and those people felt like family to us. There were many times when they helped us with food and other needs, and I think that’s where my trust in God’s provision really began. My mom never had an easy road, but somehow, we always had what we needed. Looking back, I can see God’s hand in that.

Even now, I still have plenty of struggles. I don’t study God’s Word the way I know I should, and I still fall short more often than I want to admit. Every day, I’m trying to become the person God wants me to be, but some days that feels like an uphill battle. I am still a long way from being Saint Elma.

But through all of it, one thing has never changed: my faith that God is there. I have never doubted that He is real or that I can call on Him. Deuteronomy 31:8 says, “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” That truth has carried me more times than I can count. He has always been there to catch me, and I am deeply thankful for that.