Gabrielle

I grew up in the church. I knew of God and went through all of the motions of Christianity, but I don't think I really knew God until adulthood.

I grew up with divorced parents and had no real example of what love should look like. I remember people talking about letting God lead your love life, but I never really knew what that meant. I entered into a relationship that was not good for me. He wasn't anything on the list of things I knew I needed in a partner, but the idea of him was so appealing that I dated him anyway.

We got engaged, and things started getting bad. He was abusive towards me in many ways, and the situation became unsafe for me. I stayed for many years in the abuse because I felt so much shame about our relationship, and I believed that God truly wouldn't forgive me for the mistakes I'd made during that time.

I dealt with severe anxiety and depression and remember one day sobbing on the floor, asking God to rescue me. HE DID.

He brought people into my life who helped move me out, brought a job that has taken such good care of me, and gave me complete independence from my ex. I moved across the country with two suitcases and a mustard seed of faith that God would provide for me every step of the way while I restarted my life.

After I got out of that relationship, I was convinced that I would be single forever, but I was okay with that as long as I had Jesus. Little did I know that within a year, he would bring me my now husband.

I met my husband through a friend. She told me all about him and how amazing he was. He seemed too good to be true, so I was skeptical. But he has been an earthly example of God's love in my life. He's treated me with so much kindness and love and gave me grace when past trauma made me feel unlovable.

The day we got married, I felt in my spirit to read Romans 12:10 (which was coincidentally the date we got married). It reads: "Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves."

I felt God smiling down on our union, and it has been the most surreal experience. God loves. He forgives even when we can't forgive ourselves, and he has a plan for our lives that is better than anything we could ever imagine.

Once I gave him control, I saw Him work, and I will be forever thankful. He has made me rich in love and gratitude for the life I have today. He quite literally saved my life and showed me who He is. If he did it for me, he can do it for you, too.