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My life was a very happy life. I had a very loving and devoted husband and five wonderful children whom I adored and I was in a very good job as a regional manager of a company when suddenly my world started crumbling around me.
My husband was diagnosed with bone marrow cancer, Multiple Myeloma. He started chemotherapy immediately. He was never able to go back to work. I realized that I was suddenly the principle breadwinner of the family.
Some months later our sixteen-year-old son was diagnosed with colon cancer. They did exploratory surgery and discovered the malignancy was so invasive that it covered all of my son’s organs and consequently was inoperable. They advised us that David had only weeks to live. David was in excruciating pain and was taking liquid morphine every forty-five minutes. But David surprised everyone by living an extra year. David told me “Mother, when I go to heaven I will look after you and I will pray for you every day.” He fought a brilliant fight and died a hero to me.
My husband was on chemotherapy for another five years after David’s death. Eventually though, Al decided that his body was so ravaged by everything that he wanted to stop chemotherapy. He was ready for the fight to be over. He made his peace with God and a few months later we kissed him good-bye.
Not long after Al’s death I was laid off my job of seventeen years due to the downturn in the economy. Finding another job and dealing with a change in income was extremely stressful.
I was grieving – for the loss of my son, then for the loss of my husband, then for the loss of my job – and the grief persisted. Every day after David’s death I would cry while driving to work. I quit going to church because I was crying so much I felt I was disturbing the people around me. I was overwhelmed with a terrible sadness and discouragement.
Then I came to Lovers Lane Church. I was overwhelmed by the immediate warmth and love shown me. There is such a friendly and welcoming atmosphere on the campus! The great staff advised me of the different possibilities of service. I took a number of small group studies that were nourishing and soothing to my soul. I joined a loving Sunday school class. I began serving on the Evangelism committee. The more I served, the more my own wellness prevailed. I found out that joy was possible again. Being involved at Lovers Lane helps me to live in the joy of the Lord.
