Ladies Night Out Testimonies

Our Ladies Night Out included a few women interviewed on stage, sharing their experiences of God in life situations. But there are so many inspiring stories out there, and we just couldn’t get to them all. So here are the speakers’ stories along with several others. Thank you all for your courage and generosity in sharing your God-given stories to encourage and empower others along the way!

When Beth heard that 400 million had no Bible because no Christian spoke their language, she knew God was calling her. She joined Wycliffe Bible Translators in 1987, completing a master’s degree in linguistics shortly after. As Wycliff’s regional director for West Asia, her gifts of coaching, training and mentoring, along with innovative approaches, enabled the first-time creation of native-language New Testaments for more than a dozen language groups. Retired from 34 years of missions, she enjoys Bible study, family, painting and time with her husband Art. At Gateway, Beth serves as a small group leader for Women’s Bible Study and a mentor for Mom to Mom.

I was raised in a home of faithful churchgoers who lacked a relationship with God, so at 12, I became an atheist. Eventually, I faced the fact that atheism doesn’t work.

I noticed a book on my parents’ coffee table about the holocaust — The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom, and I was curious. It changed my life, and my journey of faith began. From there I read biographies of heroes of the faith, and the works of people like C.S. Lewis who gave a rational explanation for faith. I found a good church, and some outstanding mentors and teaching.

That all led to a growing expectation of a call from God. When would God call me to missions? How would I know? I blurted out those questions to a friend who tried to suppress her surprise and explained no one else was worrying about this, and it was a safe bet I was “called.”

I had a choice to make. I dreamed of having a husband and children. But was that compatible with missions? I didn’t want to live with “what might have been.” I decided – I would pursue a life in foreign missions. I would trust God.

Contacting mission organizations didn’t go well. I am too reserved to be a teacher; I’m not a nurse (I can’t stand even looking at a Band-Aid!). But these were the roles women were offered. Had I heard God right?

I finally asked myself, “what’s the perfect job?”

1. Reach unreached people.
2. Perform a service.
3. Seek 20 years of meaningful work.

I happened to be invited to a Wycliffe Bible Translators banquet, and as they told the story of their work, I found my job!!

So, I sold all I had, raised my funding, trained with Wycliff, and got a master’s in linguistics. Marriage and family were still on my mind, but I would trust God.

Finally, I was off to Southeast Asia with that romantic view of living with the people. But the climate was unfriendly to Christians, and I had to continue the work in Dallas, with natives from that village who’d been sent away for their faith. There, God showed me my gifts, and helped me lean into managing, strategic planning and coaching.

The translators were a marvel – detail-oriented and patient with the long process of Bible translation. I had a vision to help one people group, but over time, God’s vision gave me a hand in seeing 100+ languages receive the Word!

All of this came at a cost; I don’t have time to tell you about the rats, the spiders, the illnesses, the crushing disappointments, and the tragedies that make you question everything.

Is it worth it all? God gave me a gift of insight one day. I was dreading some paperwork to update donors I needed to inspire. The tribe’s translator reported his work in a lackluster way, so I asked him, “how did you feel when you passed out Genesis last Sunday? He stopped, thought, then lit up and said,


He regained his passion, and I realized that I was helping him feed his people. Our struggles and frustrations were worth it. That group has about 550,000 people and about 180,000 are now Believers – about 30%!

What has God taught me?  - He provides for what he requires; we walk through hard things, but He walks with us; we can obey or not, but we risk missing the real adventure of life.

Postscript – As my 34-year stint in missions wound down, I faced the prospect of life alone. But I received a happy surprise at age 47 when I met and married Art, even inheriting grandchildren through him!

I also began to paint – something I’ve always felt a desire for, but didn’t have time for. I always wanted a husband who was proud of me, and Art brags on me and my painting all the time!

Go with God, and you will be receiving life to the fullest.

I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. – John 10:10

Chidi is a dual board-certified Family and Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. She and her husband Emmanuel are both certified life coaches and have two young children. They have attended Gateway since 2022 and started “Health and Fitness Connection” once a month on Saturday mornings in The Path at Gateway to create a supportive group for faith-filled fitness (free, with an open invitation!).

My family line is a story of perseverance.  I grew up in a household with strong Nigerian Christian parents who sought to pursue higher education and a better life for themselves in America.  My parents came from Nigeria when my older sister was just a baby. Growing up as an immigrant family in our Midwest home, two things were always taught: God is good, and opportunity is a blessing.  Sunday mornings were for church services, Wednesday evenings were Bible study, Friday evenings were Bible study again, and then Saturday morning we had family devotions! But it never felt too much.  It was a home of love, unity and excitement in the small things.

When I was nine, my mom was diagnosed with cancer and our world changed. We spent years in doctors’ visits, homework was done in hospital rooms. God was with us through it all. I once remember singing to my mother in our native Igbo language and she reported the pain she was experiencing vanished instantly. Two times she beat the illness and went into remission. The third time when it came back, she lost her battle.  At the age of thirteen, my mother passed away.

That night, as I sat in my bed shifting through the emotions, a thirteen-year-old me wrote in my journal: “Mommy died. But the devil will not get the victory.”  I never was mad at God. I didn’t even register that as a possible emotion. But I was sad. More than that, I was heartbroken.  As a child, I never considered death to be a potential outcome of her illness.  I thought: “We have all prayed so she will be healed. Simple.”  But God doesn’t promise “simple.”   He promises something better- Himself.  After her death as my family navigated this new version of life, I knew that the God I grew up with, the God I learned so much about, still somehow had to be good.  

Years went by and college studies and career aspirations and the adventures of life took center stage. God was always important, but He was not always my Lord. Looking back, I see how patient God was with me. The goodness of the Lord followed us, the legacy and prayers of my mother lived on. Things were complex, challenging and not simple, but we remained blessed.  

As an adult, I began to discover that the world does not satisfy.  I realized that good things are not necessarily GOD things and there is a difference between being a fan of God and a child of God.  One Sunday morning I went to the altar at my church, and simply cried before my Father. I had reached a point where I knew I had needed to go from acknowledgement of God to full surrender.  I started my journey by doing a seven day fast where I turned off social media, television and did not entertain music, movies or anything that didn't feed my spirit. I listened to sermons about the word of God. I was re-baptized and recommitted myself to the Lord. I made daily time with God nonnegotiable.  My prayer was that I would not just seek God’s hand, but His heart. I watched as God began to fill me with Himself, and it was and continues to be, beautiful.

As seasons shifted and I began to desire marriage, I knew I wanted only the man God had chosen and sent for me. I began to pray for my husband before I met him. Whoever he was, I prayed that he would love the Lord, and that God would empower him to be filled with His spirit.  As I waited, I also prayed that God would be enough.  At the right time, I met my husband who had been going through his own spiritual journey to grow closer to God. He also happened to be from the same state in Nigeria my family is from. Now as a mother of two young children, I know the importance of praying with, for and over my own children. One of my prayers specifically is that they find the Lord for themselves. I pray that the treasures of this world pale in comparison to the magnificence of God.

Words can’t describe how blessed I feel to call God Abba.  I am learning to surrender in little ways, in my time, my thoughts, my conversations. I am learning that whatever I uncover and submit before God, He can work on. I am learning that questions are good, and God wants to talk to me. I am also learning that the learning never stops. This journey is a walk with God– left foot, right foot. We should always be advancing, always gleaning, always growing. Nothing is ever too big for God and yet He also cares about the small things. Life challenges may be called cancer, or finances, or burdens, or fears. Nonetheless, He is mighty to save, heal, restore and prayer is powerful in every situation.  What I have come to understand is that He himself is the gift.  He truly is good. Our God is an awesome God!

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and He will make straight your paths. - Proverbs 3:5-6

Amy is a Certified Coding Specialist III for UT Health. She has been a Gateway member for 11 years, serving in Kids Town for 10 years, as lay leader for the Outreach Team, Easter bunny for the egg hunt, co-leader of Adult Singles, hospitality for Women’s Bible Study, and a communion server in worship. She has three dogs and loves travelling and quilting.

I had always believed church was just brainwashing people to get their money. My only real experience with Christ was when I visited my grandma, and she would convince me to go so she could get an “bring a guest” challenge recognition, maybe twice a year.

I became an atheist like most of my extended family. My parents were spiritual but not really Christians. We celebrated Christmas and Easter more for the commercial and societal aspects than anything relating to God. I grew up living my life as if there were no consequences and everything was about me. I was mean and bullied people when I didn’t get my way and really didn’t care about anyone else. Most of my horrible life choices were an attempt to fill a void I felt deeply. I even got married because I could. I knew I didn’t love him, and he was not right for me, but what was the worst thing that could happen?

He was abusive, pressured me into more bad life choices, and drained my bank account. Partying with friends became the most important thing to him. After losing my home it took me another 6 months to realize I needed something better. I got up enough courage to leave and move to Texas (the only state I knew he would not follow me to).

After being in Texas for about 6 months, I was told I had colorectal cancer. I wasn’t even 35 yet and this seemed impossible. I was in denial. I was scheduled emergently for consultation and treatment at MD Anderson. I refused to let cancer stop me from “living” so I continued to go out and “live”. I didn’t change any of my behavior, except I had previously quit smoking. After completing several rounds of oral chemo and radiation (all while working full time) I got really sick and was rushed to MD Anderson. They ran several tests, and one morning while I was alone (for most of my hospital stays and treatments I was alone), I was told they found a secondary mass, which was metastatic.

They listed me as stage 4, stopped treatments, and referred me for palliative care. I was given a year, maybe 2, to live. I remember calling my dad to get my mom and to come to the hospital immediately. I wasn’t sure how I was going to tell them, but I did.

They stayed for a few hours then left to go home, which was typical. Usually my only company/visitors were the volunteers that brought magazines and books, and my one orderly, Isaiah. He would come in and sit with me and talk about his tattoos. The day I was told I was stage 4, he told me about the music-note tattoo he had gotten for his sister, who before she passed sang in the church choir.

After telling me about that, he asked if he could pray with me. I agreed because I felt so hopeless and lost that I didn’t know what else to do. So, for the first time that I can recall, I prayed to God. I prayed for strength to continue to fight this battle and healing. In exchange I told him I would do better. I would change my life, attend church, and let him use me for his will. I just wanted to live.  

I don’t know exactly when it happened, but when I woke the next morning, I just felt lighter and had hope. That morning the nurse asked what happened, since I was smiling and didn’t seem stressed and depressed like the day before. I told her I couldn’t explain it. But I knew it was not my time and I was going to live. It took 2 months to find a surgeon that could biopsy my secondary site, which tested benign.

I held true to my deal with God. I changed my behavior, and over time gave up the hate in my heart. I actively sought to know more about Jesus. I did Life-to-Life mentoring at Gateway with Connie Thomas, who was instrumental in my new walk with Jesus.  I was baptized at Gateway and have continued to grow over the years.

I have been learning to listen when God is speaking to me and allowing him to use me, even when I don’t want to, to help others on their journey. So many times, I have stepped outside my comfort zone to share the amazing things he has done for me that words can not even describe. I know without The Lord interceding in my life when he did, I would not be here today. So, every day he allows me to wake up will be an amazing day and I will continue to show his love to everyone I meet.

This is the day that the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. – Psalm 118:24

Diane holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in public service leadership and has worked as a maxillofacial and dental surgeon assistant for several surgeons, including in the U.S. Air Force Red Cross Volunteer Program. Originally from San Antonio, she and her husband Rene have lived in Houston for six years and have a daughter and two grandsons. A Gateway member for five years, Diane serves as a mentor in Mom to Mom and helps as a warm and welcoming presence in Women’s Bible Study. She is also a dog mom to her 6-year-old, very spoiled cocker spaniel!

I grew up with five other siblings in a poor, gloomy, brutal, and broken home.  I’m the second to the oldest. I have three brothers and two other sisters. We lived in an impoverished neighborhood, right behind some project apartments. It was normal for us to go to bed while our next-door neighbors violently fought in their front yard while drinking and smoking. Drugs, alcoholism, and violence were seen daily in my neighborhood.

This type of lifestyle slowly and steadily crept into my home.  I remember trying to hide and keep quiet as I huddled with my siblings on my twin bed during my parent's brutal fights over betrayal. Because my parents were so busy getting back at each other, they didn’t pay any attention to me nor my five other siblings. My father also introduced the oldest of my siblings, my eleven-year-old brother, at the time, to marijuana. It wasn't long before, my oldest brother introduced my younger brother, the third to the oldest, to marijuana.

Soon after, my parents divorced, sold our home, split the profit, and we never heard from my father again. My mother moved us into a middle-class neighborhood, where little did she know, a teenage heroin addict lived next door. Drug abuse became worse.  My mother continued her dating and alcoholic lifestyle and worked two and sometimes three jobs to support us. Sadly, my brother born after me, third to the oldest, became addicted to heroin at twelve years old.  About two years later, my sister, fourth to the oldest, was frequently found drunk, face down, on our front lawn, late in the evening or sometimes in the morning; from drinking late into the night with her junior high and high school girlfriends.

This is where life took a turn for me, in particular. My husband, who was eighteen back then, moved into our dysfunctional home, trying to get away from his family home. After getting to know him some, I became pregnant, a high school dropout, and married, all at the age of fifteen. I began to see my life turning into my parent's lives. Their dysfunctional pattern was coming to a full circle in my own life.

But I couldn’t leave my husband because I needed help with our then-toddler daughter.  I felt trapped with no one to turn to. My siblings were living a life of drugs and alcoholism. My mother was busy with her rocky second marriage and new daughter, then later a third marriage. One day, while my daughter was at school, I drove up to a church and asked if I could get counseling.
I was invited to that night's service, so I got ready and went to church. After the pastor finished his message, he made an altar call for those who wanted to pray the prayer of salvation. I prayed the prayer of salvation with a young lady who knelt with me.  I remember feeling this weight lifted off my shoulders. I then became heavily involved with my church. The Lord showed me that I could trust him. He showed me through his Word and through serving Him at church that my life was better with Him than apart from Him.

My daughter became saved, served in our church, graduated valedictorian, and attended The University of Texas, majoring in pre-law. She later met a church member and married. Five years into her marriage, she made me and her father grandparents to two grandsons, David, 12, and Miles, 10.

*However, I haven’t heard nor seen my daughter, grandsons, and son-in-law in over nine years. This is due to my confronting them in their lack of parenting of my two grandsons. There was neglect and abuse on their part.

Today, I am a proud mother to a saved daughter. I am a college graduate. And, thirty-nine years later, I am still married to my teenage sweetheart. At 55 years of age, I can honestly say with confidence that my life would not have had its outcome, had it not been for the Lord’s care over me.

God is good and God is faithful.  

God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. - Hebrews 10:23

Despite a challenging childhood, Qwame came to faith at an early age, determined to break generational cycles. She has a good start, considering she’s the “only person in my family who hasn’t been to prison,” and “the only to go to college.” She earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and master’s degrees in interdisciplinary studies and psychology. Her 15+ year teaching career includes her current position with 6th graders at Dickinson JHS. She’s been hand-picked for the Principalship Program with Region 4. She and her husband Michael raise 6 children, three of whom are adopted, with great care and faith. Qwame serves on the Arts Team at Gateway.

My life has been a journey of trials and triumphs, from a childhood marked by the absence of my parents to the heartbreak of losing my brother and father within 24 hours of each other. I’ve battled poverty, depression, anxiety, overwhelming grief and much more. Through it all, God has remained my constant source of strength.

Growing up – My father was absent from my life; and from 1985 to 1997, I only saw him two or three times. I remember around the age of 12 feeling a deep ache for my parents, neither of whom were present. One day, I felt compelled to pray, “God, if You help me find my dad, I will serve You for the rest of my life.” It was a pivotal moment—the beginning of my personal relationship with my Heavenly Father.

About two months after that prayer, I received my first-ever letter from my dad, who was in prison. It wasn’t the close father-daughter relationship I had longed for, but it marked the beginning of a deeper walk with God, my constant in a life of uncertainties.

I was a very faithful member of my grandparents’ church from a young age. By age 18, I was entrusted with leading the youth group. My passion for guiding young people showed up later in my career as an educator. I learned that no matter where I was, I could be a vessel for God.

Trials in Marriage – At age 21, I married Michael. We were determined to break the generational cycles of broken homes, poverty, and addiction that had plagued both of our families. It was not an easy path. We lost our home, Michael lost his job, and I went through three high-risk pregnancies. We experienced periods of separation, unsure if our marriage could survive. I battled depression and anxiety, making this season even harder.

But God saved our marriage. He gave us the strength to rebuild our family, break chains, create our own family dynamic, and distance ourselves from unhealthy relationships. God comforted us through every painful moment.

Darkest Seasons of Life – After the birth of my children, I entered one of the darkest seasons of my life. Feelings of isolation and inadequacy almost overwhelmed me. I held on to my “foundational truth” - “Jesus loves me, and He is the truth,” and immersed myself in God’s Word, sermons and music. Eventually I shared my struggles and prioritized therapy as well. God uses many tools to help us heal. Recovery wasn’t instant, but with God, I slowly found my way out of the darkness.

Unbearable Loss – Nothing, however, could prepare me for the loss I experienced in 2023. On September 1, my brother, who was only 2.5 years younger than me, passed away when he swerved to avoid hitting a dog on the highway. Just days before, we had been making plans — he was looking for houses closer to mine, and we were planning family trips. I told him, “Relax, slow down. We don’t have to rush. We have plenty of time.” But I was wrong. The shock of losing him was the deepest, most painful experience of my life. I didn’t know how to function, let alone process my grief.

The very next day, on September 2, my father also passed away. The back-to-back loss of two of the most important men in my life was unbearable. In that moment, I felt despair like I never had before, and found myself at a crossroads.

As I faced the devastating loss of both my brother and father within 24 hours, I found myself at a crossroads. I vividly remember the most unimaginable pain. Collapsing under the weight of my grief, I cried out to God, my spirit groaned, and I began speaking in tongues. It wasn’t something I tried to do—it was the Holy Spirit sustaining me, filling me when I had nothing left to give. It was the most horrifying and beautiful experience, and it showed me just how deeply God’s peace can reach in the midst of sorrow.

At my brother’s memorial service, my prayer was simple: “Lord, don’t let the service be heavy.” Despite my grief, God moved in a powerful way, and by the end of the service, 12-15 people gave their lives to Christ. Even in my deepest sorrow, God brought new life.

His Strength Is Perfect – This experience solidified my faith, forcing me to rely completely on Him, His strength perfected in my weakness. He began using my story to reach others. It wasn’t about understanding the pain — it was about trusting that God was working in ways I couldn’t yet see. That moment taught me that true faith isn’t about avoiding hardship — it’s about receiving God in the midst of it. Even when life brings unimaginable suffering, He is rebuilding, restoring, and turning deepest pain into profound testimony.

My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. – 2 Corinthians 12:9

Erica is a wife to Philip and a mother to Grant and Lily. With a degree in communications, she always imagined a career in the corporate world. But when her first child turned one, God put it on her heart to homeschool her children, which she has been doing for the past 9 and a half years. Erica has been a member of Gateway since 2017, and a Women's Bible Study leader, and now a coach, since 2019. Celebrating her release from a common, but hidden addiction, Erica says “I have grown and learned so much about what the Lord wants to do in my life, and I am honored to share that journey and knowledge with other women.”

Hi, my name is Erica, I’m married, I’m a mom, I have been homeschooling my 2 beautiful children for 10 years, and I’ve been sober for 4 years. I just want to warn you that this story doesn’t contain generational addiction, it’s not about marital troubles that lead to a drinking problem, it’s not even the fact that I was home all day long alone with my 2 children that caused me to NEED to drink. I was just living in the world… the normal, everyday, “doing what you’re supposed to do” world.

It started with a group of friends, with whom I attended church functions regularly, who got together at night for occasional “mom’s nights out” with margaritas or wine. It continued innocently for years like this. Meanwhile, I built a babysitting business as a nightly source of income, which afforded me extra spending money, and an excuse to stay out late at night.

Soon, I became a night owl, with pocket change, and was bored at home on the nights I didn’t work. I spent a lot of time away from my family, leaving the kids at home with my husband – who was none the wiser, but just very supportive. I attended parties with other married friends, these people had families, so it wasn’t devious or secretive in nature. It was what “normal” people did – blow off steam, after work, after a long week, at night, on the weekends, drinking, hanging out, staying out late, just NORMAL behavior.

By this time, I was sneaking liquor into private functions where I shouldn’t hav; I was drinking airplane-sized liquor bottles before I left the house (with my kids in tow); I was sharing bottles of alcohol with my mother at every family gathering; and I really wasn’t slowing down. I didn’t even really think anything was wrong.

One night, however, I was at a friend’s house for a Labor Day party. It was just a family-friendly gathering – everyone we knew had their kids & spouses there. I came with my kids, my bottle of whiskey, a cooler full of beer & ice, and a decorated/insulated cup (so I could drink & not be obvious about it). I remember when my husband met me there, later in the evening, I asked him to take the kids home, and said that I would drive back home after the party. I was going to stay late & party with my friends a little more.

Well, a little more turned into way too late – and a bottle of whiskey and many beers later, I was left to drive myself home. I don’t remember that drive home. I still don’t. I have no idea how I got home, what time I got home. All I know is that I was sick for days after that party - sick/hungover, regretting every life decision that led me to that night & consequently that morning.

I was physically sick for 5 days. And I knew I couldn’t drink ever EVER again. That next morning, I remember calling my friend, at who’s house I was the previous night, asking her what happened, crying – begging for God’s forgiveness. I said to my friend, “I hope God can forgive me someday for the decisions that I’ve made. I can’t believe I let it get this bad.”

And I’ll never forget her response, “Oh, Erica, God has already forgiven you! He is Good! He is righteous. You don’t have to worry about that!” And that hit me like a ton of bricks. No one else had seen my full story unfold like God. No one else had a FULL, clear picture of what my life looked like at this very moment – seen everything that I had done, known everything that I had put my family through – and had already forgiven me. No one. But God.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. - 1 John 1:9

Childhood and Faith – I grew up in Mumbai, India, with my family. My dad was a Textile Engineer and mom was a teacher. As 4th generation Christians, we had our share of struggles in a 75% Hindu culture. I’m grateful to remember my grandma reading the Bible and Our Daily Bread every night at 8pm, and the entire family joining in prayer and devotion.

Although I saw my parents praying daily, they didn’t talk about their faith or their struggles, and we only attended church a few times a year, because it was very far away. But I recall my aunt gave me a Bible when I was 15 years old. I would read the Word, be amazed by the great stories, and talked with God from my parents’ balcony every night.

Marriage and Divorce – I graduated from Mumbai University with a Bachelor of Commerce degree and was finishing my master’s degree when I fell in love with Josh; We married in 1995. Looking back, I see that God was missing from our marriage.

Our son Rohan was born in 1997. Josh was a Chemical Engineer making a good living, but he decided to pursue his Master’s in the U. S., while the baby and I stayed in India. When we later joined him, the man I once loved had changed drastically and was having an affair. I was devastated!! I left everything I knew at the age of 28, was alone in a foreign country where I did not speak the language, and I had to somehow provide for my child.

I felt utterly hopeless. I called my cousin, who gave me hope through Christ. She led me to Christ in a new and deeper way! Although overwhelmed, I now felt God was with me; I was not alone.

Friends gave me money to go back to India, which would have been a safe and comfortable option. But after praying, I used the money to learn to drive. I knew this life would be hard, but I felt Rohan would have more opportunities in the U.S., so I stayed.

Josh and I were separated for many years and finally got divorced. Because of the pain I knew it would cause my parents, I didn’t even tell them for a year.

Forgiveness – On my knees, I asked God, “what do you want me to do about this man who ruined my life?” I heard a small voice say, “Forgive him”. Through tears I said to God “If you want me to forgive him, show me how.”

As impossible as it seemed, I not only forgave, but I also told Josh that God wanted me to forgive him. I said that despite the pain of his betrayal, I had no regrets because it brought me into a deeper relationship with Jesus. I was shocked by Josh’s response. He apologized, told me I'm beautiful from the inside out, and said it was all his fault.

When God through his Holy Spirit led me to forgive Josh, I thought I was doing him a favor. But I realized that my Abba Father in heaven was helping me release the baggage of pain, unforgiveness, and brokenness that I was carrying. I felt like a new person once I forgave Josh.

Single Mom Life
Now I was a single working mom in California. It was a hard life. But God surrounded us with some amazing Godly friends and a great church home.

Our divorce affected Rohan deeply. I noticed him washing his hands so much they were cracked and dry, but the symptoms abated, so I didn’t take him to the doctor at that point.

The company I worked for went through layoffs, costing me my job and our home. In 2010, I was offered a job in Houston managing IHG hotels. Rohan was almost a teenager, so I was glad to leave California and be closer to his dad, providing a male presence in his life.

Severe Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Depression
At first, my 11-year-old was happy to be in Houston and see his dad. Within 6 months, though, Rohan exhibited such severe OCD symptoms that he missed school for 6 months. He struggled with thoughts such as me being in a car wreck, requiring him to complete strange rituals to keep me safe. Later, clinical depression crept in. It was agonizing to witness Rohan’s struggles but by God’s grace we found meds and therapy to help him.

Love and Marriage – While helping open a new hotel in 2010, I met Kim Sadberry*, who was overseeing the fire alarm project at the same hotel. I could tell that he liked me! After his assignment ended, we started dating and married a year later. God had brought a loving, kind and Godly man into my life – a man who cherished me.

• Blending two families and two cultures - Indian and American
• Emergency ovarian cyst surgery with complications and a 3-month recovery
• The deaths of my father and his mother
• Kim’s daughter’s bipolar episode requiring a stay in a treatment facility

Most difficult was Rohan’s increasing depression. He cut his hands and thighs to alleviate severe mental pain and suppress the strong urge to end his life. During this excruciating period, I continued to ask God for strength and healing for my son. Typical treatments were ineffective, so we began a desperate cross-country search for help.

God eventually directed me to a clinical trial, where Rohan was selected to receive Electroconvulsive Shock Treatment (ECT). A small current passes through the brain, causing a brief seizure intended to alter brain chemistry. After several long and painful weeks, the treatment worked. Rohan began to feel like a new person! He still struggles, but with medication he manages to live a full life with an excellent job, great girlfriend and a nice home of his own.

Jesus Is My Anchor through storms of life - God has been my hope through all that I have gone through, so I pray my tests are now God’s testimony. I stood strong through my trials because of Jesus Christ. He is my Rock, my Refuge and my Victory. In him all things are possible. I found hope when I was hopeless, strength when I was weak; I know that Jesus is my Healer and Restorer.

Through it all, through it all, my eyes are on You; It is well with my soul! I would not be standing and sharing my story today if it were not for God. I made it through, and you can too. In Him…

* Kim Sadberry serves on our Gateway staff as Arts Ministry Worship Coordinator. Watch for him behind the sound booth and all over the place making complex things work for us!

Patty is married to John Pencak. She’s a mother of three grown children, two of which are still living, and has four grandchildren. She has worked with Maas Nursery in Seabrook for over 15 years, and is the full-time manager there. Patty would like to share how God has used even the loss of her husband Kenny and son Kelly in a murder-suicide on May 17, 2017, for good in her life. She currently serves as a co-leader of the healing ministry Grief Share at Gateway.
 
I had been searching for God and was a Jehovah’s Witness for a few years. Eventually, I felt that this church was based more on works than faith. I tried a non-denominational church and seemed to have found a home. I made good Christian friends and was part of a thriving home group. Once my church moved locations, I didn’t attend and I didn’t try to find a new church, my faith became a low priority. I did not have a church home or a current home group. I was praying sometimes but not reading the Bible; I had a belief in God but not a close personal relationship with Jesus.

Everything changed in an instant. On Sunday, May 21. 2017, I was awakened from a nap by police officers pointing guns at me and demanding I get out of bed. I was handcuffed and placed in the back of their SUV. I wasn’t sure what was going on and the officers did not seem to want to discuss it. I couldn’t understand where my guys were. If I was in the back of the police car, where were my husband and my son? I prayed to God to help me, and I felt the need to scream at Him and say “No, now”.  He answered in a quiet voice saying I would be okay.

I was trying to figure out what was going on. It was about the time we walked our dog, so I asked about my dog. The officer said the dog was in the house. I asked if anyone was hurt, and he said yes. I knew then that my husband Kenny, and son Kelly, were dead. If the dog was in the house, then they were too. And if they were hurt there were no ambulances there to care for them.

My life completely changed with the loss of my husband and my son. I can’t say that I was moved toward God right away, but I knew that God had said I would be okay, and I leaned on that.
 
God did some things for me; He wouldn’t let me explore the “why” and “what if” questions.
He put people in my life that were Christians to help me, and He had me in therapy. It was
my therapist who suggested I also try Grief Share.

One of my friends suggested I try memorizing scriptures. I thought this was a crazy idea but gave it a try.  It was very slow going at first but after a few verses I was finally able to hold on to the verses.  It was during this time that I finally felt my heart open and all these scriptures that I had been reading and memorizing move into my heart, and I felt a change that I had not experienced before.
 
God was right! He knew I was okay from the minute he told me. I’m not saying this time was easy; it was not.  It was sometimes filled with some very dark days filled with tears, anger, confusion and many other difficult feelings. Looking back, I can see His hand all over this. I am happy, I have many friends and I am newly married.  The most important part of this “tragedy” is He has turned it for good.  He gave me a desire to know Him, to have that close relationship with Him and to help others who have gone through loss.

Dawn is mom to almost 9-year-old Lucas. She’s been a part of Gateway since 2010 and is a toddler-wrangler in Ave M on Sunday mornings. Dawn has worked in education for over 20 years, teaching kids from 4-14 how to understand their emotions and themselves. In 2018, Dawn’s world fell apart as she navigated an unwanted separation and divorce. Throughout the still-ongoing journey, God has never left her side, showing up in big and small ways, teaching her lessons she never knew she needed.

2/20/2019
Yesterday was D-Day.

I woke up peaceful. I knew God was going to take care of me, of Lucas, and of J. I kept praying for a miracle, and kept praying for God's will to be done, and kept praying for my marriage to be saved.

2 of those 3 prayers were answered yesterday.

God's will was done, and a miracle occurred, but yesterday, our divorce was final.

He was there, and we both cried through the entire proceeding.

Even before we were called before the judge, I was STILL fighting to save our marriage. We were sitting in the courtroom, right next to each other, because there was nowhere else to sit, and J leaned over to me, with tears streaming down his face, and he whispered, "I'm sorry." I whispered back, "Me too." He said, "I don't know how to fix this." and I said, "Yes you do, you just don't want to. This is a totally fixable situation J, we CAN fix this, you just have to want to, and do something about it."

He sat there with tears streaming down his face, while I continued to fight for our marriage.

Our names were called, and we walked up to the judge. We were both sworn in, and my lawyer began asking me all the normal divorce questions. The final question was, "Do you have any hope for reconciliation?" I looked over at J, tears streaming down my face, to see if I'd get anything from him before answering. J just stood there, tears streaming down his face, staring at the judge, and I tearfully said no.

The judge was visibly bothered by both of our tears. It was almost as if he was thinking, "I can see the love both of you have for each other. It's obvious neither one of you want a divorce, so why are you doing this? What else can we do??" But, the judge didn't say a word.

When my lawyer was done with his questions, the judge turned his attention to J, and gave J an opportunity to say something. J declined. And then the judge granted our divorce.

Y'all it was the most painful day of my life.

But what came next was the miracle.

As I was walking out of the courthouse, I saw J sitting in his truck, hunched over the steering wheel, Something told me to go over to him, to not go straight to my car. I knocked on his window, he looked up, and saw it was me, and rolled down the window. I leaned into him, and said, "J, I will love you forever. This is not our ending. We are done yet. Our story is not over." I don't know why I said it, but I did....it wasn't even as if I was speaking. I was on autopilot. He pulled me to him and just hugged me. I asked him to let me go, because it was cold, and I wanted to sit in the truck with him. When I got in the truck, he told me he was sorry for all the mistakes he made. I asked him what mistakes, and for the first time since he left, he started naming all his wrongs. It was the first time he claimed any responsibility.

He told me I deserved the best, and so I said, "Well, stop pushing God away then. He's trying to make you into the best."

He told me he didn't want anyone else, that he just wanted me. I said, "Me too. You're it for me."
And then y'all, J started sobbing. Sobbing. Sobbing like I had never heard him cry before. Truly broken. He laid on the console, and I wrapped my arms around him, and started to pray aloud for him. It was an incredible moment. A moment that should've happened while we were married, but couldn't because J had to be broken in order for it to happen. He had to lose me in order for that to happen. I must've prayed over him for about 10 minutes. I prayed for his guilt to go away. I prayed for his grief over his best friend to subside, I prayed for healing to begin, I prayed for him to stop pushing God away, I prayed for God to continue to mold him into the man he was created to be, I prayed for his fear to be banished, I just prayed and prayed and prayed. And when I was done, all I felt was peace. It was one of the most powerful and incredible moments in my life. In that moment, I KNEW I had forgiven him for everything. There was nothing but a deep and powerful love for him. More love than before. I can't explain it, but it was palpable. I could feel it.

After he composed himself, I looked at him and said, "J, we have a beautiful opportunity that not many people get. We have the opportunity to fall in love all over again. But before that happens, we both have some growing to do. And it's not going to be easy, and it's going to be painful. But, it'll get us to where we need to be, if we are going to be us again. And you can't avoid it, you can't push it away like you've been doing. You have to embrace it and get through it, no matter how uncomfortable it is. Otherwise, this place you're in is where you're gonna stay. You can't keep punishing yourself for mistakes you made. You've been forgiven by me, and by God. You have to forgive yourself. Otherwise, you'll stay here."

Anyway, at some point, the moment passed, and I got out of the truck and went to my car. We didn't speak the rest of the day, except he texted me to see if I went to the doctor (I had the flu last week, and a nasty cough is the last of it that won't go away). And then he face-timed to say goodnight to Luke.

Y'all, yesterday was incredible. I am forever changed by it.

Thank you for the prayers, and please continue to keep us in your prayers. Especially J. God is working on him, and I can see it. And I think he's starting to see it too.

Susana is a retired teacher, and a small group leader for Women’s Bible Study at Gateway. She has four sons and four grandchildren. She says, “God drew me to Gateway where I attended GriefShare. I had no idea God had placed me with people who would help me through the loss of my mother and husband. I have found so much love at Gateway; everyone I’ve met has taken me under their wings.”

I grew up in a Christian home. My family was very poor. Due to tough circumstances, at the age of 13, I was given into marriage to a man in our church who was 11 years older than I. Yes, I was a 13 years old virgin bride! By the age of 26, we had four sons – two single births, and a set of twins.

Early on, we struggled in our marriage because we had not made Jesus the Center of our lives. There were many times that we felt like giving up and ending our marriage.

One day, a friend of my husband’s invited us to visit his church. Reluctantly, we decided to attend. This was one of the best decisions we would ever make.

Hearing the Word of God, being around fellow believers, and learning to follow Christ helped to hold our marriage together. Every time we faced problems, I’d bring them to Christ in prayer. I became a prayer warrior for our marriage!

Although my husband worked very hard, it was not enough to meet all our needs. I decided that I wanted to go back to school. I had never attended middle school or high school, so this would not be easy!

I remember regularly going to my prayer closet, textbook in hand, asking God to help me. I would say, “Lord, you know that I can’t understand most of what I am required to learn. But your Word says that if I bring my requests to you, my God will meet all my needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus." – Philippians 4:19

By the grace of God, I completed the GED requirement, earned an associate degree, graduated from University of Houston Clear Lake with my bachelor’s degree, and became a teacher. This was a miraculous work of God!

My husband and I raised four God-fearing men. I no longer have my husband, as he has gone on to be with the Lord. We were married forty-two years.

Looking back, I can clearly see the hand of God in our lives. God’s faithfulness continues to make me strong. I know I can trust him with whatever the future holds. God is great!

Ralinda, aka “Grammy,” is a retired teacher and Christ follower. Her mission in retirement is to love God and love people in every way she can. At Gateway, she serves as a greeter for services, vocalist on the Arts Team, and part of the Hospitality Team for Women’s Ministry.

I went through a good bit of trauma when I was young (including sexual abuse). It left me feeling too broken to be loved. I loved the Lord, but I struggled to believe He could love and care for someone as broken as me.

This led to many bad choices. I keep looking for love and validation from the world. I even struggled with wanting to kill myself.

It was many years before I began to heal. But I kept reading God’s Word and trying to lean into Him. Because I knew a lot of the Bible and had studied much of it over the years, I gradually learned to stop those negative thoughts and replace them with God’s Word.

Those years prepared me to survive the hardest trial yet - the death on my oldest son. Even in my darkest hours, I kept standing on the Word of God. He held me up. Even though I don’t understand why he died, I know God is always working for my good. I know that he can use all my trials for His good.

I have a limited view of life. God knows all of it. I will keep trusting Him. He will make beauty from the ashes of my life. I can trust Him. He will bring joy in the morning even after the darkest night. The power of God’s Word, and praise and worship get me through the toughest times.

To all who mourn in Israel,
he will give a crown of beauty for ashes,
a joyous blessing instead of mourning,
festive praise instead of despair.
In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks
that the Lord has planted for his own glory. - Isaiah 61:3


You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand.
My entire lifetime is just a moment to you;
at best, each of us is but a breath. - Psalm 39:5

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow – not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. - Romans 8:38

And my life verse:
Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.  - Isaiah 41:10

Sandy has been married for 27 years, blessed with three wonderful children. In 2006, they left their family and forever-home in Colorado, believing that God had a purpose in leading them to Texas. Sandy serves as a life group co-leader with her husband, and as a small group leader in Women's Bible Study. Sandy’s faith journey began 15 months into her marriage, after giving birth to her firstborn - when the doctor informed her husband and family that there was nothing else he could do, and that she might not make it through the night.

I had been married for 15 months and the doctor told my husband and family that there was nothing else he could do at that moment. I may not make it through the night; they should start planning for the worst.
I was 21 years old and had given birth to my firstborn, Eli.  He was born at 36 weeks and only weighed 5 pounds 2 ounces. That should have been a sign of concern for the doctor, but it was dismissed as a young mother’s first child.  A few hours after giving birth to my son my blood pressure skyrocketed, the nurses couldn’t find my veins, my gums began to bleed and clot on my tongue until there was no more clotting, just bleeding. I was airlifted to Presbyterian St. Luke Hospital in downtown Denver and was diagnosed with HELLP syndrome which is an acronym for severe pre-eclampsia characterized by hemolysis, elevated liver enzyme, and low platelet count.  I developed ALL the serious complications that can develop with HELLP syndrome.  My liver had stopped working, my kidneys were beginning to shut down and my brain was swollen.  My platelet count was so low it was causing the bleeding without clotting. The treatment for HELLP syndrome is giving birth early in the pregnancy but in my case, everything went haywire after I gave birth.
The doctor said I would need to have a plasma transfusion for 3 days –  10 bags a day – to bring my platelet count up and help my liver start working.  That very first evening on the 7th bag I had an adverse reaction to the transfusion.  The doctor was out of options, and I was deteriorating.
My mom explained the severity of the situation and that the doctor was looking at the possibility of getting me on the liver transplant list, but time was not in our favor.  I remember a nurse came in to check my vitals and I was being myself, smiling and slightly joking around trying to make small talk when she said, "Don’t you understand you are fatal!” Oh, my mom could have slapped her back to yesterday the way she looked at that nurse! But that morning I had silently prayed to God, “I know you are sovereign, and your will, will be done but I want to be the one to raise my son. You protected him in my womb. Please let me raise him”. I placed my hope in him. And had peace.  But some people don’t understand that peace.  
I looked at my mom and said, “Mom I know that there are many praying for me, but I think it’s time for you and me to pray, we both know that I will not survive an operation if my blood isn’t clotting. Every couple of hours the cotton and gauze at the incision where they placed the transfusion port which was about 1.5 cm would get soaked and blood would start dripping down my back even though the dressing was about 2 inches thick of cotton and 6 inches long toward my back and they had tried to stitch shut around the incision. During this time the doctor was meeting with other doctors regarding my case in hopes of getting me to the top of the liver transplant list.  As we started to pray, I remember feeling the presence of God in that room; it was as if he had walked in and stood near me. When mom and I had finished praying I will never forget the nurse who walked in; he looked like an angel.  He had the bluest eyes, golden blond wavy hair, and was dressed in white scrubs. He said the doctor had asked for one more lab test before making a decision.
About two hours later the doctor came in and said “we can’t explain what has happened, but it seems like your liver has started working. We’re going to get you started on steroids to help with the swelling of your organs. You may have to stay in the hospital for a month or maybe two weeks minimum, depending on your platelet count.”
However, from the time I arrived at the hospital and was discharged, it was only 7 days! The nurse who took me from the helicopter came in to say goodbye in tears stating that they all thought that for sure I was going to be Dr. Porreco's first patient to die, and I was truly a miracle. My mom turned to her and in her broken English said to that nurse it was God who healed my daughter, no one else. The nurse agreed and so did Dr. Porreco. God received the glory, and I began to learn to walk in faith.  I am very grateful to God for allowing me to raise my son, to be there for those “life moments” like graduating and getting married, and to see him worshipping every Sunday at church behind the drums at Gateway!

Linda was born on December 2, 1939, in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, and grew up in Lake Charles, Louisiana. She graduated from McNeese State College with a BA in elementary education. While living in Houston, Linda met and married Gordon Stockman and they had two children. After teaching 20 years, she retired to enjoy her five grandchildren. Linda was widowed after almost 53 years of marriage. Gordon and Linda were members of Abundant Life before it became Gateway Community Church. She has served as a leader in Women’s Bible Study for many years and now has a life group meeting in her home.

I’ve been on a journey with cancer the last three years, and God has been with me all the time. It started on October 19, 2020, when I received the diagnosis of breast cancer in my right breast. This diagnosis came 26 years after a mastectomy on my left breast due to cancer. While still reeling from this news, on October 27, just 9 days later, I was involved in an automobile accident. The accident was my fault. At the hospital, a cat-scan revealed I had 3 fractured ribs and a fractured sternum. After 3 days, as I was awaiting my discharge papers, a doctor walked in and introduced himself as a pulmonologist. He told me the cat scan had shown a spot on my right lung and it looked suspicious. He had a pet scan scheduled. The pet scan determined that the spot was cancer, but also showed a growth on the pituitary gland in my brain.

With this news, my children insisted I go to MD Anderson Cancer Center. This meant the doctors wanted more testing and biopsies. It was determined that none of my cancers were related or metastasized from my earlier breast cancer.

MD Anderson’s priority was my lung cancer. The cancer and part of the middle lobe of the right lung was removed. Six weeks later, I had a mastectomy on my right breast. It was a blessing and God at work, that both cancers were detected early enough, because of my accident. I did not need radiation or chemotherapy. The pituitary growth was benign and wasn’t causing any side effects, so it is monitored yearly.  Another blessing was that brain surgery was not needed. All my surgeries occurred during the Pandemic. MD Anderson did not allow anyone to be in the hospital with the patient. God gave me strength and peace, and I never felt alone, for I knew God was there with me.

God has been good and blessed me on my journey with cancer in the past. A year ago, I was diagnosed with bladder cancer, and I am presently under treatment at MD Anderson. My cancer did not respond well to the first treatments, but thankfully there is another protocol they can try, which I am just beginning. I trust God will be with me on this journey with bladder cancer at my age of 84. Whatever, the future may hold, I trust that God knows best, and it is His will for my life.

Erin is a wife to Austin, and mother to two young daughters, Colin (age 8) and AJ (age 4). The Stonestreets have been a part of the Gateway family since their move to Houston from North Carolina in 2018. A former police officer, Erin decided to utilize her skills in crisis and negotiations to work as a stay-at-home mom. In March of this year, Erin’s husband was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive cancer. After receiving the worst news and a very grim prognosis, the peace and grace of God showed up in a big way and is sustaining this family through the hard days and trials they face.

This is My Testimony…

I feel like the word testimony means different things to different people.  Sometimes it’s a conversion story of how one received salvation.  Other times it can be a lesson that God has taught someone, or a way in which God has shown up in a person’s life.  My testimony is the latter.  This testimony also doesn’t have an end, but rather it continues to be a living, fluid, daily work of the hand of God in my life – how my faith has been tested, but how the peace and grace of God has been proven and will continue to be proven to be sufficient for my needs.  But isn’t that exactly what faith is?  Something that is alive and ever changing?

In January of this year, my husband Austin woke up one morning and informed me that he felt a small growth on the inside of his mouth.  He described it as about the size of a pencil eraser, and that it just popped up out of nowhere.  A couple days later, he was in the dentist’s office, a couple weeks later, he was at an oral surgeon, and a couple weeks after that, he found himself at an ENT’s office.  During this time (approximately 4 weeks) this small growth grew, was becoming painful, and was able to be seen on the outside of his face.

The ENT informed us that this was just an issue with a salivary (or parotid) gland, and sometimes these things happen.  We were told it would need to be surgically removed, and everything would be back to normal.  Fast forward another two to three weeks, and the growth - at this point a tumor that was half the size of a golf ball - was removed during outpatient surgery.  Following the surgery, the doctor came into the waiting room and informed me that he had removed the entire tumor, and that there wasn’t anything he saw that should be cause for alarm.
 
On March 6, approximately two months after the initial finding of a growth in his mouth, Austin returned to the ENT for his post op appointment.  The morning of his post op, Austin told me “I know the Doctor told you he got the entire tumor out, but it still feels like there’s something there”.  Austin went on to his appointment, thinking it would be just another day.  It was not.

The ENT told Austin that the pathology results returned, and the tumor was malignant.  He was immediately referred to MD Anderson.

After receiving the news (I wasn’t present, because why would I go to a routine post op appointment? GUILT) Austin called me and told me what the doctor had said.  He came home, and as soon as he walked in the door we hugged and we cried, and then we got down on our knees and prayed together in our living room.
 
During this prayer, we thanked the Lord for all our blessings, and to my utter shock and surprise, my husband actually thanked the Lord for cancer.  He thanked the Lord for giving it to him, and He thanked the Lord knowing that the glory of the God would reveal itself through even this worst of circumstances.  We also prayed for peace, and we made a commitment to God in that moment that the situation was in His hands, and we would not interrupt.

During the prayer that we prayed on our knees on our living room floor, hand in hand with tears in our eyes, I was completely overcome by a sense of peace.  In that moment, I was wrapped in a warmth and comfort that I cannot explain, and that underlying sense of peace has been with me everyday since.

Three weeks later, we had a diagnosis of Muco Epidermoid Carcinoma, and a plan of attack that required another surgery followed by six weeks of aggressive treatments. In the three weeks between the original removal of the tumor, another tumor had grown, and was growing faster and larger.  During the eleven-hour surgery, the new, golf ball size tumor was removed, along with his lymph nodes.  A trach was inserted in his neck, and Austin’s face was fillet open. A large amount of tissue in his cheek was removed, and a large incision was made in his leg where they then removed tissue to replace that in his cheek.

I want to pause here for just a moment and explain the little moments that we experienced during this journey in which God would show up and remind us that He was in control.  At various points during this phase of our lives, God literally would present us with little miracles, and speak to our hearts saying be strong and courageous, I have overcome, and this is still in My hands.  There is the peace.

The first miracle is the fabulous team of brilliant physicians that no doubt was ordained by the Lord. Austin’s “team leader” is head of the head and neck department at MD Anderson.  She is a world renown surgical oncologist, a literal expert.  And because the Doctor is who she is and carries some serious clout with her position and her title, she was able to hand pick Austin’s medical team.  This medical team included more brilliant, widely renown physicians, and experts in their field.  One small miracle.  Most would consider happenstance, but we knew God was at work.

After his surgery, the brilliant team leader doctor spoke with me, and again I was informed that she was confident that she removed all of the tumor.  With the surgery completed and the treatment plan that was in place, we could be hopeful that Austin would be cancer free.
I was in the hospital room when they wheeled my husband in.  I saw the extensive incisions in his face and leg, I saw the many tubes - the wound drains, feeding tube, and IVs.  I saw the trach that was coming out of the hole cut into his neck.  I also witnessed the extreme pain that was on my husband’s face. But still, there was peace.

That night was difficult and long.  The pain was brutal.  But God was in that room.  God was in the room when the nurse prayed for Austin.  God was in that room when, during the pain and terrible circumstances, we were able to joke and laugh and not focus on the negative.  God was in the room at midnight when I sang happy birthday to my husband, celebrated his 41st birthday, and thanked God for the “many more”.

Here’s another miracle:  Maggie was the nurse assigned to Austin following the extensive surgery.  Maggie was kind, helpful, and gentle.  Maggie was also a Christian.  Maggie asked us if she could pray for Austin, and of course we agreed.  This amazing nurse was used by God in that moment, and she laid her hands on my husband and she PRAYED.  She prayed hard, and she prayed LOUD. Maggie touched heaven with that prayer, and when she was finished and left the room, my husband looked at me, both of us in tears, and he said “the entire time she was praying, I didn’t feel pain”.  God was still working, and there was still peace.

After a weeklong stay in the hospital, we came home.  Austin was eating through a tube and taking medication through a tube.  So many pills.  There were wounds to be cleaned and tubes to be drained.  But still, there was peace.

Four weeks after surgery, Austin began his treatments.  The treatment plan was six weeks long – one chemo treatment per week, and radiation Monday through Friday for the six-week period.  Two days a week during those six weeks, Austin received doses of double radiation.  They were literally cooking my husband from the inside out, and at about week three, the effects were really setting in.  His face and neck were burned, he was very lethargic, and he was in extreme pain.

What was going on in our house was also chaos.  I was trying to keep things as normal as possible for our two young daughters, managing the constant flow of family in and out of our home, driving Austin to his appointments, being the best caretaker/wife/mother I could be, and managing everyone’s emotions…which were many.  But still, there was peace.  There was also grace, strength, and hope renewed to me every morning, which I will never be able to explain.

Also, during this time, the tumor began to grow back, along with a second, smaller tumor.  The cancer that we thought would be gone and out of our lives was more aggressive than any of the team of doctors anticipated.  After more biopsies and pathology, the diagnosis changed, and we learned that Austin had an extremely rare, extremely fast acting cancer called NUT Carcinoma.  The team of doctors at MD Anderson informed us that they would do everything possible to keep the cancer local to his face, but if it were to metastasize elsewhere the prognosis would be six to ten months.  Hearing this news was hard.  Still, there was peace.

Another miracle:  MD Anderson itself.  Because Austin’s new diagnosis, we learned his cancer is extremely rare (less than 20 cases worldwide per year), and had he not been a patient at MD Anderson, it potentially could have been undiagnosed and quickly fatal.  One day we were walking the halls of MD Anderson, and we stopped at an area that is basically a mini museum, with plaques on the walls explaining the history of the hospital.  In this same area, there was a wall of televisions, and they were playing videos of patients, their stories, and their successes.  I looked over at my husband, who was staring wide eyed at this wall of televisions, with tears were pouring down his face.  When I put my hand on his shoulder to comfort him, he said “I am just so grateful that we can be here.  How blessed are we to have the best cancer center in the world in our backyard”.  Again, God telling us “I’ve got this”.  And more peace.
 
Now I want to really talk about this peace that I’ve been experiencing.  This crazy, inexplicable, calm in the presence of chaos and “what ifs”…

My favorite hymn is “It Is Well With My Soul”, and many times throughout my life I have wondered how the song’s author, Horatio Spafford, could write such a beautiful song full of hope and peace while experiencing such pain and turmoil in his life.  You see, Spafford literally lost everything – his fortune, his children – and still he could write an uplifting hymn knowing that, come what may, it is well with my soul.  I have no idea the kind of pain Spafford experienced, but I now know and fully understand the peace that he experienced.
 
I had the extreme privilege of growing up in a Christian household.  I knew from a young age about the importance of a relationship with God.  I knew about His love and mercy and grace.  But until this point in my life, I had only heard of His peace.  Now, for the first time, I can tell of the trueness of the peace that passes all understanding.  I know exactly what it feels like knowing that I have peace during trials and tribulations.  I know exactly what it feels like to feel a calming presence and be completely at peace, even when the world as I know it is literally collapsing around me.  I will never be able to fully explain the fact that the Lord did not allow my heart to be troubled, even when my head told me trouble was rampant around me.  I can attest and proclaim that even when receiving the worst news, God spoke to my soul and said “here is my peace, now honor the commitment you made when you placed this in my hands”.

Here is what I know to be true:  I am loved by God, and I know that God will not allow anything that will not work for His good and His glory.  I can have peace knowing that, come what may, God’s glory will be proven, time and time again.  I can go to bed at night knowing that even in sickness, even in healing, even living, and even in death the glory of God will always prevail and make itself known.  I wholeheartedly believe the verse Mark 11:24, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours.  I know that this may sound strange and even insane to some, but I never once prayed for my husband to be healed.  What I have prayed for and will always pray for, is for the will of the Lord to be done.  I can rest easy, thanks to the peace He has given to me, knowing that I am inside of His will, and that everything will be alright.

Austin finished his course of treatments.  The days/weeks/months were long, painful, and grueling.  I observed my husband, the pillar of our family, a strong independent man, become dependent.  I witnessed the cruel effects of cancer on his mentality.  I sensed his sadness when he looked in the mirror and didn’t recognize the face staring back.  I knew that he felt the weight of the world on his shoulders dealing with the thought of leaving his family.  But still, there was peace.

Of course, I had my moments.  I had worries.  I had fears. There were a couple of times that I hid in my closet and cried for a few minutes.  It was overwhelming, it was heartbreaking, it was scary.  But God and his miraculous peace.  I was able to continue smiling because of peace.  I was able to stay positive because of peace.  I was able to be strong for myself, for my husband, for my children because of peace.  I was able tackle each day because of the vast and perfect current of peace.  The truth is, none of us know what a day holds.  Worrying does nothing except take you farther away from what God actually wants for you.  Peace I leave with you, peace I give to you -John 14:27.  The Lord gave me His peace, and I refuse to waste such a marvelous gift because of my own human doubts.

At the end of the treatment phase, more scans were taken to see where we stood with the cancer.  We walked into that appointment together, both of our heads filled with “what ifs” – what if the cancer metastasized?  What if the cancer is still in his cheek but has gotten worse?  What if they tell us this is all they can do?  Even though our heads were filled with the garbage of doubt, our hearts held peace. Our souls held peace.

The doctor entered the room and told us the cancer had not metastasized outside of his face, and the cancer that was within his face was shrinking and showing to be less active.  Even amid the giddiness of the good news, there was peace.

As we were leaving, walking the halls of MD Anderson, we passed by a couple that were sitting in the corner of a waiting area.  They were holding each other tightly.  They were in tears.  Austin and I looked at each other, and, knowing what the other was thinking, we turned around and returned to the couple.  We sat beside them and asked if we could pray with them.  Again, a miracle.  This time, God spoke to my soul saying “Focus on me.  I’ve still got this”.  Peace.

Three weeks later, we returned for more scans, and we were told the same thing.  The cancer is shrinking and is less active than the weeks prior.  Peace.

Austin will continue to be monitored closely moving forward, with monthly scans and checkups.  We’re currently living with cancer, but we’re also living with peace.  We know that things could change for the better, or things could change for the worse, but through it all, we will have peace and  we know God will continue to reveal Himself in the everyday miracles.

1st Thessalonians 5:18 – “In EVERYTHING give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you”.  I thank God daily.  I thank Him for his blessings.  I thank Him for his goodness.  I thank Him for his mercies. I thank Him for handling the things that I can’t.  I thank Him for being all the things that I don’t have to be.  I thank Him for the trials that have been put into my life that have become small testimonies.  I thank him for the strength, grace, and love that he has given to me during the most difficult of times.  But I especially thank Him for His presence in my life, and for the peace that He has given me, because I would be lost without it.

And like my husband originally thanked Him for, I thank God for cancer.  Because now that I know true peace, I can tell others about this amazing thing that was given to me through Christ Jesus, and that is all for His glory.

Angel has been at Gateway since 2011. She serves faithfully in Celebrate Recovery and Student Ministry. She and her husband Steve launched the teenage version of CR, called “The Landing,” in 2012. She has also served on the Prayer Team, as a greeter, on the Arts Team, as a small groups host, and as a childcare worker. Angel has four children, four grandchildren, four fur-babies, and works as a Special Education Paraprofessional. 

My name is Angel, and my story began July 31st, 1973. I am actively overcoming the effects of child and adult trauma. This manifested as co-dependency, anger, worry, insecurity, anxiety, depression, and FEAR – fear of rejection and abandonment. I believed I wasn’t good enough, couldn’t do anything right, and didn’t matter. I was constantly seeking approval. Fear had complete power over my life.

As my relationship with Christ grew deeper, I began to surrender to Him, and He began to break the chains of fear that had me stuck. For I have not given you a spirit of fear but of peace, love and a sound mind - 2 Timothy 1:7 - the first Scripture I ever memorized.

I am the oldest of my parents’ two children. My brother and I were never close, although I wished for a sibling to be best friends with.

I was not raised in a Christian home. My childhood consisted of alcohol, parties, violence, adultery, and screaming. I was left scarred by the emotional, physical, and mental abuse of my parents.

While I dreamed of being Daddy’s little princess, I instead received abuse at his hand. Not only did my mother fail to protect me, but she also added on her own abuse. In adulthood I asked why she never protected me from him. Her response was, “I didn’t want to get hit.” I have never understood how a mother could fail to protect her child. Many years later I would find the answer to my question. Due to this abuse, I promised my future children that I would never drink; I would break the cycle of dysfunction.

The abuse and trauma that I suffered led to the LIE that to be loved and accepted I had to perfect. Believing this began my lifelong struggle with fear, anxiety, and depression. I became an angry, bitter, people-pleaser with no self-worth. My only comfort was my books, my writing, and my Mamma Fudge (My maternal grandma). She loved me, taught me, comforted me, and treated me as worthy. She was the model of the GiGi I hope I am to my grandkids.

I married my three children’s father and the abuse continued with him. I stayed because it was all that I had known. He wasn’t abusive to my children at first, but as they grew up, he began to abuse them emotionally, mentally, and physically, so I left him and filed for divorce. I was a single mom, struggling with so much emotional baggage. I wanted to change, but I had no idea what steps to take. I had been introduced to Jesus at this time but had no relationship with Him. I wasn’t even sure if I believed in Him. I would run to and from Him for many years to come.

Fast forward many years….

In 2010, on Facebook, I reconnected with my high school sweetheart, and we decided to get married. I relocated from Ohio to Houston in July 2011. We plugged into Gateway and Celebrate Recovery immediately. I am so thankful that we did because I was going to be hit with so much devastation, one thing right after another.

Nothing could have prepared me for what was to come: a high school pregnancy, a house fire (that I accidentally caused), the death of my 10-year-old fur baby, the unexpected death of my Mamma, the call to start the teen version of Celebrate Recovery - The Landing - to mentor hurt teenagers, a breast cancer scare, a child’s addiction, a granddaughter we had raised for 9 years moving to another state, and countless other trials.

After the fire I lamented before the Lord, broken like I had never been before. He gave me this: Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace that transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.  - Philippians 4:6-7

I am so thankful for the faithfulness of Jesus Christ and the closeness of our relationship. Little did I know that I would need it for the most devastating events in my life that were to come.

My youngest daughter became addicted to meth while in high school, after years of struggling with numerous other drugs. She was in and out of treatment centers, therapists, mental health institutions, jail, and our home. I was beyond devastated and was powerless to do anything to help her - the worst feeling a parent can have. I fought for her with my husband by my side and no one else. I was ashamed that somehow my parenting had caused her addiction. I was consumed with the fear of being judged and shunned by my church family – the most important thing in my life. I hid this for about 7 years, which I don’t recommend.

If you find yourself here, PLEASE reach out to someone. I am always available. You CAN NOT go through this alone. I realized this when my daughter overdosed in front of me two days in a row. I reached out to several women in the church, explained the situation and they began numerous prayer chains. She entered treatment and has been sober for over 4 years. Praise God! For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there among them. – Matthew 18:20

In June 2022 I experienced the most traumatic event of my life. I found out that the dad who raised me wasn’t my biological father. I am still attempting to process the emotions that have flooded my heart and mind.

Remember how I always wished I had a best friend sibling? Well now I do. I have a half-brother named Scott and we are so much alike we could be twins! He is the perfect sibling for me! Take delight in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. - Psalm 37:4

My relationship with my dad who raised me has never been stronger. I am building a relationship with the brother I grew up with. I am getting to know my youngest daughter again, sober. I have 4 amazing grandkids, a marriage that survived and grew stronger, the best church and church family I could ever imagine. I have the best support system and forever family with Celebrate Recovery. I have so much freedom from my hurts, habits, and hangups and I owe it all to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I will restore to you the years that locusts have eaten. - Joel 2:25

My name is Angel and I have a new name. I am a masterpiece of the Creator of the Universe.

Thank you for taking the time to read my God story. If you are interested in hearing my full story, I will be giving that on December 18, 2023, at 7pm at Celebrate Recovery at Gateway Community Church. Your love and support are greatly appreciated and would mean so much to me.

Lauren has attended Gateway for 13 years and is a student at Dallas Theological Seminary. She loves to serve Jesus and others and enjoys reading and writing.

I have struggled internally with my sexuality for as long as I can remember. The first time I found another girl attractive was at the age of 5. At the time, I had no understanding of what same-sex attraction meant or what being gay was in the slightest.

I was raised in the church; my grandmother took me every Sunday and that’s what really gave me a foundation for faith. Unfortunately, as I got older, my foundation became quite shaky. As a child and all through high school, I experienced a lot of supernatural occurrences which I now understand to have been a spiritual war waged against my soul. It had affected me quite a bit to the point that I wrote Proverbs 3:24 on a note card and tacked it to my wall right by my head and could no longer fall asleep in complete darkness.

I read the Bible a lot in my youth, though I wasn’t too sure I grasped what I had been reading. When my parents and I began attending Gateway, I immersed myself in the church – volunteering for local relief efforts, a trip to Kenya, and Bible studies with my mom. My struggle with sexuality was seemingly on the back burner.

However, it became a slow self-destructive path when I was accepted to McNally Smith College of Music in Minnesota in 2014 where I felt free to live out the life that I thought was right – being gay and being open about it. I didn’t read my Bible once when I was there, I had my first relationship with a girl, and the devil left me alone. Or so I thought. One day, I was napping after class and I felt the sensation of a snake slither down my neck and a man’s voice that said, “Now I have you where I want you.” Looking back, I realized there was a bit of Eve in me as women became my forbidden fruit and Satan was essentially asking me, “did God really say that you can’t be gay?”

I flunked out of that college, came back home, and just worked, hung out with friends, and frequented Sherlock’s Bar multiples times a week and almost every weekend. There began a relationship founded on adultery. It wasn’t the first time, and unfortunately, it wasn’t the last time. However, by the good grace of God, the last time became the last time at age 30. I was close to getting into another relationship with a girl I had known for 5 years and loved dearly. It didn’t work, thankfully.

I had reached the end, the bottom of the pit where the only way out was to take Jesus’ hand and so I did, and I understood what sin was and what forgiveness felt like at the same time. The Holy Spirit covered me with His warmth and Jesus became the head of my household and whole life in March of 2022.

If there is one thing I would love for people to understand, it’s this - God does not care that someone is gay. He doesn’t care that someone drinks alcohol. He doesn’t care that someone eats junk food. He doesn’t care if someone has money. But what He does care about is the fruit that is produced from these lifestyles because we cannot serve two masters (Matthew 6:24). For me, my fruit was lust, idolatry, impure thoughts, lying, hypocrisy, and adultery. For others, it can be addiction, greed, and gluttony.

Freedom in Christ is drastically different than freedom in the world, for the world deceives and traps and before you know it, you are a slave to your own desires. As Paul says in 1st Corinthians 10:23, All things are lawful, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful, but not all things build up.

Eva is her American name “to make people's lives easier!” She came from Shanghai, China, to pursue a postgraduate degree in Chemical engineering.

Eva loves the variety of small groups that Gateway offers, particularly the Zumba Bible study and women's gatherings. This helped her “to make connections with many feisty women who were locking their hearts, praying, and supporting me during my difficult time of battling breast cancer. I have found my heart filled with joy being with the pre-K little ones on Sunday and enjoy giving back by serving at Gateway COA outreach programs. I am thankful that I can be part of Gateway's vision and mission for building a strong family and community.”

She waved ‘til the sight of her parents was diminishing.
Tears welled up and just kept streaming.
She left her motherland with much reluctance and anticipation,
Stepped on the land of freedom of which she was dreaming.

Only packed a few English words with funky accent she was speaking,
Only one-hundred-dollar bill - her sweaty palm tightly holding,
Homesickness, and the long-beard professor only speak Cajun,
There is just not enough hair for her to be pulling.

Earned her nickname “the girl of sponging,”
She met a couple; they are like angels descending.
They warmed her heart and gave her a home like adopting,
She dried up her sponge with no more tears shedding.

They introduced God to her and help her understanding.
She argued that humans were all from monkey’s evolving.
They told her that God sent them to be the wire as HE is the sourcing,
Besides - she is really cute; this girl’s light needs to be shining.

She accepted Jesus as her Lord and now her life has been saving,
Confessed her sins and ditched old communist brain washing.
She enjoys praise worship and fellowshipping,
Holding her engineering diploma up high is worth bragging.

She moved on in her life with much more hills to be climbing,
Soon found out that “hunky dory” life is not such a thing -
In the midst of storm with loved ones passing,
She noticed that God has never left her side if she can have her gaze fixing.

The tumultuous marriage left her with two little boys to be raising.
She cared for them with much pride and every fiber of her being,
She felt tired, weary and has lots of fearing,
HE told her that HE is holding her while she can’t keep walking.

In the hospital bed, a nurse was next to her ear whispering,
“I will be praying for you as God is asking.”
She knows that she is in good hand of God’s healing,
So, she was busy chasing the doctor who is a really good looking.

She just wants to let her story be telling.
God’s grace and mercy need to be sharing.
She knows whatever hurdles she might be facing,
God’s love to her will never be ending.