As a three-year-old, I immigrated to Canada from the Netherlands with my parents and three siblings. My mother was a gentle and faithful believer in Jesus. She tried her best to raise our family with Christian values but without any visible support from my father.

Settling in Canada, presented many economic hardships for my parents which resulted in other challenges for our family. As a young adolescent, I experienced a trauma which would impact the rest of my life. I left home in my late teens thinking I could find a better way, out on my own. The next six years with rebellious and destructive patterns, would prove otherwise. Reflecting back over those turbulent years, I would sometimes think, ‘God has sure gone to a lot of trouble to save me’.

In my mid twenties and one of the biggest blessings in my life, God brought Gary into my life. After years of pursuing career and material what we thought was, ‘success’, we both felt, ‘is this all there is?’ My mother also never stopped to be a quiet influence to ‘pursue the Lord’.

It was again God who led us, back to a church which was starting renovations to convert a strip club to a community church. Involved in the construction for a year, it was a cathartic exercise ripping out what was needed in order to rebuild anew. I thought it was a timely analogy for my life. It was during that time that I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I didn’t always feel connected to Jesus and sometimes compared myself to other Christian friends. Eventually I asked God what did I need to do, to bring Him closer to me.

Early in the pandemic, I fell and injured my head. In the next almost 4 years I experienced constant headaches which often were debilitating. Medication and treatment didn’t always work and at times I wasn’t sure if I wanted to survive. We prayed and prayed. On a couple of nights, when the pain was unbearable, we cried out to the Lord and the pain stopped immediately! Praise the Lord!

I subsequently broke my leg and spent three weeks in the hospital last Christmas. Gary and I got Covid and I couldn’t receive any visitors. It was only through the Lord’s answered prayers that I managed to stay calm. I was not alone. Praise the Lord! I am not through my healing journey yet, but I now know I can’t do this on my own. I believe in my heart I am not alone and that Jesus is by my side always.

It was divine intervention how we first met Leona and Don at a local music event. They mentioned Cornerstone and we came the next day. The next OT we attended that week, and also met newcomers who became half of our Small Group which was established that night. I am grateful to Pastors Andrew, Steve, Jeremy and Kevin who deliver God’s words on Sundays which has greatly helped guide my spiritual path that eventually led to wanting to be baptized. I want to honour God and his ultimate sacrifice of his son Jesus who died for our sins. I look ahead with joy, what the Lord has in store for me for the rest of my life.

I’m grateful to Trish and Jeff, Doris and Rick, all of our Small Group family, and my nine-year-old great niece Allison, who have had a meaningful part in my spiritual journey. And, especially grateful to my dear Gary who has shown me through his faith, God’s endless mercy, grace and love.