At Least We Were Married
Terry C. Thomas Ph.D
The new wedding ring felt strange on his finger as Terry Thomas steered the red VW Bug into the sunset. He and his new bride Nancy were headed to Florida and then on to Nassau for a long anticipated Honeymoon. Nancy was asleep, the bouquet of long-stemmed red roses Terry had given her the day before nestled at her feet. Some of the rosebuds tipped up and rested on her lap. Terry never imagined the turn of events just around the corner.
The Gift That Changed My Life
Ronda Knuth
Ronda Knuth had long since given up hope that she would ever find rest for her sorrowing heart. Year after year she struggled to accept her loss. Then one day she received an unexpected gift in the mail from a friend she'd never met. It was the beginning of an amazing healing for Ronda that culminated in a whole new direction for her life.
Finding Brooke
Cammy Wilberger
Her first year of college completed, Brooke Wilberger was bursting with hopes and dreams. When she came up missing, her terrified mother peppered her son with panicked questions no one seemed able to answer, 'Where is Brooke? What do you mean they can't find her?' How the family survived and pulled together is a story of inspiration and hope, and most remarkably of all, forgiveness.
Rolling Along the Path to Success
Nick Wells
A Life-Flight helicopter was called just moments after a good Samaritan found Nick Wells and rolled him onto his back. Driving 55 to 60 mph, he had missed a curve in the road, sending his car ten feet off of the ground for a distance of at least fifty feet. Nick was thrown through the windshield. Emergency personnel couldn't keep him breathing, so they cancelled the flight, thinking he was gone. But Nick Wells is a survivor. Read the miraculous story of his comeback from near death injuries to a restored marriage and an amazing mission to bring hope to third-world countries.
The Gift of Song
Karyl Chase
"I need to talk. I lost my friend today." Karyl Chase desperately wanted to hold her soldier-husband Allen in her arms and comfort him, but she could not. He was on deployment in Iraq, thousands of miles from their home in Texas. When Allen returned to his family at the end of his deployment, he was deeply disturbed by his war experiences and the loss of his best friend. He slipped deeper and deeper into the grasp of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). That's when Karyl sat down at the piano and with no prior experience began writing music which is powerfully healing. Out of their struggle came a unique collection of dynamic songs meant to bring comfort to members of the military and their families.
Ryan's Song
Jeff Salisbury
When Ryan Salisbury went into a free fall with his Bipolar Disorder everyone knew that something had to be done, and soon. If his condition did not dramatically improve, they were all but certain to lose him. His father, Jeff Salisbury, knew it would not be easy to find that delicate balance between manic and depressed states for Ryan. No one foresaw the outcome as they rushed against time to help their troubled son.
Learning How to See in the Dark
Becky Greer
Becky Greer, can't believe that she is still here fifteen years after the death of her four children. She often despaired, convinced that it was impossible for anyone to function normally after such a monumental loss. However, she has not only survived, but learned to truly live again. In her story, Becky candidly shares that though life is still a struggle and dark times can creep in, she has found meaning and purpose in her life again. Follow Becky on her journey through grief and learn some important signposts of hope to watch for on your own trek through sorrow.
Robert's Story
Autumn Ater
"Please mama, let me go home."
Robert was a unique young man desperately ill from infancy. Ask Autumn Ater and she will tell you that being Robert's mother challenged her, dramatically changed her and brought greater love into her life than she ever would have expected. Though difficult, Autumn gave out of love and in the giving she became a comforter and healer of the highest caliber. Autumn continues to make a difference in the hearts and lives of grieving mothers across the United States.
The Face of Grief
Keith Arden Colley
Keith Arden Colley was exhausted, but sleep would not come. He stretched out on the concrete floor, careful not to disturb the other twenty people already sleeping in the cramped house. They were the fortunate ones. Just outside the door were literally thousands who had lost everything in the tsunami. The words fairly flew from his pencil as he processed all he had seen in his journal: the tragic, unimaginable stories he had heard throughout the day. He knew even then that what he was seeing and hearing would change him.
Cancer x 3
Nancy Hopps
It was December 15th, exactly a month away from opening night, when the telephone rang. Nancy Hopps was on her way out the door to rehearsal. She stopped to answer and her heart skipped a beat. Life as she knew it changed in that moment and the journey she embarked on was both terrible and wonderful, difficult and fulfilling. Join Nancy as she shares her story of triumph against a dreaded enemy, not once, but three times!
The Walker
Carlos Diaz
It started with a cramp, then numbness, and then a limp. Carlos Diaz was thirsty all the time. It was enough to turn the normally happy, easy going guy in to a veritable bear. The more his wife pointed out his frequent grumpiness, anger and all-around bad mood, the more depressed and angry he became. Carlos faced incredible odds as his body changed and became harder to control. In this tragedy, he learned that there is tremendous purpose in our adversities, not only through the heightened ability to serve others, but also by being someone others can serve!
The Rose Ceremony
Benjamin Allen
For years Benjamin Allen went to the closest body of water to hold the Rose Ceremony. Every birthday and each death date he would go through the ritual, sometimes with the same memories, sometimes with new ones. It was always one rose for one person. Only on October 4th would he do three. As the years passed, he began to wonder if it was time to let go. Was it wrong to move on? Then he realized that he was asking the wrong question. What question should he have been asking?
Cody's Legacy
Sharon Southern
Sharon Southern and her fiance Gary counted the days until they flew to Las Vegas, Nevada to attend the Professional Bull Riders Finals and be married. But the trip never happened. Instead of joy, her life was about to be shocked with the greatest sorrow. Discover how Sharon found peace and purpose as she reached out to others enduring similar grief.
Strength to Live with Purpose
Veronica Lowry
Veronica walked up the boat ramp which led to the large party dock where friends and family gathered to celebrate. She had sparklers in her hand, little Michael's favorite firework. She remembers asking 'Where's my Mikey?' No one had an answer. You will be deeply moved by the answer to that question and the events that followed.
Surviving Cancer
Laura Pasley
"There it is," the young doctor said.
Lying on her side on a hospital bed in the cold, unfeeling room, Laura Pasley began chattering nervously. She had no idea what was coming out of her mouth. She guessed it was just mindless banter to break the tension that was growing in the room. She felt a woman gently patting the top of her hand. The nurse that was the upper part of that hand softly said, "Be quiet now, let the doctor work." Fear gripped her heart. "There what is? Let the doctor work on what?" She took a long slow deep breath, and her mind began to drift . . .
The Refining
Ronda Knuth
With a few choice words, Ronda Knuth was destroyed. Local newspapers for miles around carried the story of her husband's arrest, complete with their address and the fact that they had young children. Sensing danger, Ronda asked her parents to come for her children. It would be several weeks before she would be free to join them. The police were not convinced that she was not involved.
My Chuck
Angela Dvorsky
When Angela Dvorsky's new husband and soon-to-be father began having severe pain at work one night, they let him go early. By the time he reached home, he was doubled over crying. It scared Angela! She begged Chuck to go to the emergency room, but he said they couldn't afford it. Eventually he went to sleep, but when he woke, the pain was worse than ever. Angela told him, "We ARE going to the hospital." This time he agreed.
From Hiccups to Hospice
Betty Garrett
Not once, but twice, the words of her husband, Gene, provided the courage Betty needed to face a dreaded disease, "We'll play the hand we're dealt." In the midst of their struggle, Betty discovered a unique niche that she could fill; a niche that would provide direction and help to thousands.
Christi Rae Hart the First
Toni Hart
I had spoken to Christi the week before. She had a terrible virus (turns out it was pneumonia) and had called to hear a friendly voice as she laid on the couch trying to prepare crafts for her children's Christmas party. I told her, 'Christi, you sound awful.' and then gave her the chastisement only a good friend can give for not resting more. The conversation was short. It is natural to wish I had known it would be the last time we would talk. There are so many more things I would have said . . .!
