Overcoming Challenges

Date: October 19, 2025 Introduction: Life often takes unexpected turns, and at 57, I find myself in a season I never anticipated—becoming a foster grandmother to sweet Ryder. Though it’s been filled with sleepless nights and challenges, it’s also brought unimaginable joy and purpose. Through it all, God’s grace has carried me, His strength has sustained me, and His blessings have shone through in the smallest, most sacred moments. This journey has taught me to trust Him full

I don’t think I’ve ever told anyone about the time when my words seriously changed the atmosphere. I was an Assistant Manager at a pizza place, and it was a Friday night. We were busy, which was to be expected. But it seemed like there was chaos in the atmosphere.

There came a time when I felt really blue. Sick to my stomach depressed. I felt like I was living in a sealed plastic bag and no matter how hard I tried I just couldn’t poke a hole in that bag or find a way out. My outlook was dull; I struggled with hope and joy. I felt stuck with limited life. I did not want to do anything, and I felt that nothing mattered anyway.

So many things can be viewed as a new beginning. Every day could be considered a new beginning. Usually when there is a new beginning that means that there was an end to something.

Do you have people in your life like that? Can you feel their hurts right along with them? Since God is a sovereign God, I struggle knowing how to pray and what to say. Do you ever experience that too? Do we really know what needs to happen or what needs to be done, especially for those really hardened hearts? Our prayers are only requests anyway.

When people ask me to help, I want to say, “Yes, let’s do it!”. Then I try to do what was asked of me and the enthusiasm just floats away