JOY Stories

My husband, Richard, picked me up from work like usual and then left to help a friend. When he got home, I noticed he had a beer. We argued. When he drank, you never knew if he was going to be happy or flip the couch over in a rage. I apologized and we were fine. We ordered pizza and fed the kids ages 2 mos, 2 yrs, 6 yrs, then put them in bed. As we walked into our bedroom, he literally changed into a different person. He got his pistol and flung it up. As he did, his finger bumped the trigger accidentally causing the gun to discharge.

 

I called 911. EMS pronounced him dead on the scene. It was the worst day of my life. The investigator asked me what funeral home. I didn't know. I was 26 and my husband was 31. A funeral was nowhere in our plans.

 

It's the next day and I still haven't slept. I'm on my 2nd monster drink of the day when the thought of a pregnancy test popped into my head! The doctor had told me to take one the week before. What do I do now? My husband is dead, I have 3 small children, I have to come up with $9,089 for a funeral and only have $605 to my name, and now I'm pregnant. I said, "God please take this from me because I'm gonna die too". He answered my prayer and gave me peace. As I drove to meet with my husband's family to discuss the funeral, I turned the radio on to the Christian station. I can't remember what was playing, but it was music that helped my heart. I knew I didn't have enough money, but people began donating and by the time of the funeral we had all we needed. God made a way when I didn't see one.

 

The funeral was the second worst day of my life. My middle son was poking his dad's arm trying to wake him up, and my oldest was crying because he realized what was going on. It was gut wrenching. Then a couple of weeks after the funeral, I started spotting. I lost my baby and I blamed myself. I prayed for the Lord to take the grief from me again and He did. I turned my radio back on to the Christian station and Tauren Wells' song, "Joy in the Morning" came on. I wept in the night but there was joy in the morning. I’m now studying to be a nurse in order to help others. What the devil meant to destroy me, God used to strengthen me.