Love is such a common word that is used on a daily basis to describe things that make us happy for the moment such as, chocolate, Starbucks, football games, TV Shows, and music.

Our story begins our freshman year in high School when we met in our soccer class as he ran right into me while scrimmaging! The hit was hard and as he helped me up our eyes met and little did I know the beginning of the search for something more was going to begin! We started dating after a while and soon became inseparable. In time, our relationship grew to be controlling and suffocating -the kind of relationship that will take you on an emotional rollercoaster ride!

"...I hid the pregnancy test..."
In 1999, just after Labor Day, I found out that I was pregnant and I hid the pregnancy test in the trunk of my car in order to think thru what I was going to do! Nothing made sense at that time and I felt as though I was trapped. Jimmy found the test a couple of days later and was extremely excited and hopeful about our future...he asked me to marry him and even though everything inside me screamed it's not right I did it because I thought it was the right thing to do!

"...I started to feel this wasn't the Fairytale that I signed up for..."
We got married and had a baby, new house, new car and a new life...yet we didn't have a home! Jimmy began working extra hours and it seemed like he was never home. I started to feel like this is not the Fairy tale that I signed up for and eventually depression and despair started taking over. The fights got worse and the communication was less.

"...I left Jimmy and never came back home..."
Alcohol and drugs became our roommates and next thing you know cocaine took over Jimmy's life. I remember coming home one day and looking at our daughter Vanessa and saying to myself - when she grows up what question will be easier to answer "Mommy, why did you stay?" Or "Mommy, why did you leave?" I remember feeling so hopeless and yet I felt God saying...when you return and give your heart back to me...I will give you your family back! When God speaks it is engraved in you even if you want to ignore it! I felt like it would take a miracle to turn this situation around and sure enough my journey back to him began...I left Jimmy and never came back home.

"We went through a divorce..."
We went through a divorce and the entire time all I was seeking is for freedom, yet the further I walked away the emptier I felt, the pain felt like a heavy coat around me and nothing seemed to take the pain away...not even alcohol! I got a promotion to the Sales Department at work and started making more money, had my own place, and bought a new car yet, nothing took the pain away.

"...I remember the first time I entered the church..."
A co-worker invited me to Victory and I remember the first time I entered the church and it's as if everything within me knew that I was home! I needed to hear that there was a reason why I was here on earth...that even though everything was wrong things were going to be o.k. I remember Pastor Dennis preaching on a prayer that changed my life...Lord I surrender my heart, soul, mind, weaknesses and my abilities. This prayer became a banner in my life!

"...I started to realize that I loved Jimmy in ways that I didn't understand..."
And soon enough God started making changes in me that blew my mind on a daily basis! He started changing my heart and rooting me in him. After three years the Lord started to give me a heart that was passionate about my family! I started to realize that I loved Jimmy in ways that I didn't understand and even though nothing made sense I started praying for him and I started believing that God had a plan and that he never makes a promise he can't keep!

"...a cry from within my heart started..."
I realized that our marriage had been set up to fail because we didn't have God as our foundation! I realize the importance of the Father's role in a child's life and I was not going to let the enemy take the blessings from Vanessa so easily! A cry from within my heart started bursting and once I truly submitted everything to the Lord, things with Jimmy began to change.

"...we got baptized together and started a new season of our lives..."
Shortly after I submitted everything to God, Jimmy went on his last binge and finally gave me a call stating that he wanted help! God received him with open arms at Genesis Ministries and the process of healing began...he stayed in the Rehab-program for four months and then started going to Fusion here at Victory, we got baptized together and started a new season of our lives.

"...love isn't a feeling nor just an emotion..."
Thru all the suffering and trials that we had to go thru God taught me that love isn't a feeling nor just and emotion that we feel...Love is powerful and strong, it forgives and restores, it believes against all odds.

"...we got remarried on November 15th, 2006..."
Jimmy came dressed as a Knight on a white horse to propose to me at Mulberry Park! We got remarried on Nov.15th 2006 and spent our first Miracle Christmas together!

"...I have more than I could ever ask for..."
In the end I have more than I could ever ask for...a strong relationship that is rooted on fertile soil! Life is never easy and curve balls will come, but the miracles and victories along the way are worth all the trials and tribulation that we must go thru...after all how would we ever know the difference?

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