Shortly after the birth of her ninth child, Lisa* noticed a
change in her husband: Ted* seemed aloof, disconnected, fault-finding.

“He didn’t seem to like anything I said or did,” says Lisa.
“He wasn’t happy with my presence, even.” Lisa repeatedly asked Ted to tell her
what was wrong, but he avoided answering.

Lisa tried to convince herself that he was busy at his
contracting business and overwhelmed with work. She squelched the idea that he might
be having an affair.

But a random trip to his office proved otherwise. Lisa
stopped by to remind Ted to pick up one of the kids after soccer practice. She
went into the office and saw a woman’s purse and shoes lying on the floor.

At Lisa’s inquiry, Ted said, “I don’t want to be married
anymore.” Lisa urged him to reconsider, to think about the children. Ted merely
said the kids weren’t enough to keep him. He skipped town shortly after that.

Lisa was plunged into one of the darkest times in her life.
Yet she felt God’s embrace of love. The words of Scripture–a source of
strength and comfort–sustained her. Psalm 118, in particular, fortified her: “I
will not die but live and shall declare the works of the Lord.”

“I couldn’t put my head under the covers and fall apart,”
says Lisa. “I had nine precious children who needed me. I had to live. I was
determined to declare the works of the Lord and keep it together for them.”

But financial worries soon assailed her. Ted took all the
money out of the bank account. Lisa couldn’t pay her bills; the IRS came after
her, and Lisa feared losing her house.

But, she says, God proved his faithfulness.

Lisa went to the government agency and explained her
situation. “When can you ever get someone from the IRS to talk to you?” Lisa
asks. “That never happens, but I spoke to someone who listened to me and helped
me.” Her $54,000 IRS debt was reduced to $5,000.

With help from her parents, friends and strangers, Lisa paid
the debt. She owned the house free and clear, and got a part-time job teaching
swimming.

Ted eventually returned to town, but rarely gave Lisa money
to support the children. She knew she needed legal help, but couldn’t afford an
attorney.

Again, God proved his faithfulness.

Someone referred a lawyer who negotiated child support
payments. The attorney didn’t charge Lisa, and Ted became legally bound to
support the family. “God ministered to me and my family over and over again,”
Lisa says.

As a single parent, Lisa continually assured her children
that they had nothing to do with their father’s departure. She was determined
that Ted’s leaving would not be a reason for the family not to “go and do.”

Lisa and friends took the children on vacations, and the
kids learned to ski, snowboard, ride horses, camp and enjoy all the wonder of
new experiences. Lisa wanted her children to enjoy life and believed God desired
the same.

“I felt the Lord encouraging me to celebrate life,” Lisa
says. “I heard his words clearly. ‘Celebrate the gift I have given you.'”

Looking back on that time of her life–now more than 13
years ago–Lisa says God sustained her faithfully. He sent people to help her while
nurturing her at the same time.

Now, she is dealing with yet another challenge: stage 4 lung
cancer. Lisa never smoked or drank a day in her life.

But she is enrolled in a clinical trial and is doing well. “I
have so many reasons to be thankful,” she says. “God has blessed me over and
over again. He has promised us a hope and a future, and he is true to word.

“Life is a prize and a gift from God.”

*Not their real names