Growing up, my cousin used to always say, “I love the lord. He always takes care of me.”

I truly believe it and have seen it many times in my life. Of course, the one that stands out the most is the loss of my daughter.

In June 2016, I filed for divorce and my ex declared war between our attorneys, which was costly. Christmas 2016, my employer laid off my department, so I lost all benefits. I started working on a contract basis with no benefits.

Fast forward to Harvey in late August 2017. My daughter hadn’t been able to get home for days due to floods and she was caring for an elderly woman in her late 80s. Me, my son & my friend were at another friends house installing a fence so the dogs wouldn’t get out, clearing out their flooded home and doing massive amounts of laundry.

On September 3, 2017, we finally got a break and had plans for dinner out. My kids were going to a movie and dinner that night. But the unthinkable happened. My almost 23 year old daughter passed away suddenly from hydrocephalus and a brain cyst.

After a few hours ... as I sat on the curb waiting for the medical examiner, my friend from church asked me what she could do to help. My first response was “just shoot me.” My world ended. See me and my daughter were very close. Eventually she asked again, and I told her I didn’t know how I was going to pay for the funeral. I was broke. No real job, no benefits and my $$ was given to my attorney. She asked me if it would be OK to pass around the basket at Sunday school and I said OK.

Fast forward seven days later and the sweet, kind Sunday school group at TWUMC had raise enough money to not only pay for the funeral ... but they provided two scholarships in my daughters name thru a go fund me campaign.

The story doesn’t end there. After the burial of a child, the really hard part begins. I started doing research and attending support groups. I noticed that there are a lot of people who become addicted to drugs and alcohol when they face that kind of extreme long-term pain. I decided that I would lean on my faith, and the lord would bring me thru. I cried daily for 2-1/2 years and had pain so bad that my bones hurt. I pushed thru, worked full time and established an annual scholarship to graduating art students in Montgomery County in my daughters name. I have 11 years worth of scholarships saved up in the bank now.

The lord opened a door for my daughters scholarship to be administered through a well established nonprofit.

The lord brought a sweet Christian man into my life who loves my son like his own.

My son & I made it thru hopefully the worst part of the grief process addiction free. Why? The lord takes care of us in many forms 💕

So my point here is that no matter how bad it gets, know without a doubt that the lord loves you, he will provide for you, and never quit.