My new book is about an amazing spiritual journey with God, with my life as the back
drop. Mere words can’t begin to describe God’s love in my
life. I have witnessed God’s tremendous power and found His love is without
bounds.
When my life lay in pieces, I discovered the healing God holds in His
hands. I turned to God with many questions throughout my life. He gave me
wisdom as I grew in faith. He made a way through my life not only to survive
hard times, but to flourish and grow in my faith and my love for Him.
When my life
hung by a thread, I
placed it in God’s hands. He stepped into the darkness that was collapsing all
around me and saved my life. It was the moment my eyes were truly opened. I
knew I could trust God with my life, my heart, and my future. Please join me on the most incredible
journey of discovering God and growing in faith.
I shattered
dreams and I disappointed many people when I was still a girl. I left the
safety of my parents’ home and traveled down a different road. Frightened and
pregnant, I fell into a descending tunnel of confusion, fear, abuse, and pain.
My first husband, Tom, lived in a dark hole filled with depression, mental
illness, and dangerous and suicidal thoughts.
Later in life, I
found a warm, caring, and gentle love. New dreams were made, adventures taken,
and true love blossomed. A lightning bolt
pierced our hearts and lives in a small doctor’s office. It marked the
beginning of the end of our lives together. This traumatic event started me on
a journey towards an even deeper relationship with God. It also took me back in
time to a past I avoided looking at, with good reason.
During our
battle with cancer, I began keeping a journal about the changes in our lives. I
spent more time with Jesus and began to write about my encounters with Him. Jesus’ amazing love for me was
without bounds. He became my dearest friend and my constant
companion.
The death of my
second husband brought flashbacks of my first husband and a previous life of
abuse that nearly ended my life. As I looked back, I saw the growth in my faith
and a deeper understanding of my life spent with God. Although it was difficult
to write, and I shed many tears, I wanted to share my incredible journey with
God. Sometimes the writing was too hard. I put it down and walked away many
times, but God stepped in to keep me going. The fact that this book exists at
all is a victory.
God showed me
hope. The hope He gives you and me is forever. It is in us, next to us, and all
around us. Hope is with you every moment, no matter how dark, no matter the circumstances. His hope and love
never leave your side.
I hope you find
assurance of God’s love as you journey with me through some of life’s most
difficult times and times of great joy. God never failed me and He will never
fail you. He helped me throughout my journey in ways I couldn’t have imagined. He
will do the same for you.
If we keep our scars hidden and the stories that go
with them silent, then we aren’t telling others what God has done for us. He
wants us to tell our stories because they are part of His story. Our scars and
our stories are for His glory.
In addition to
writing, one of my hobbies over the last six years was drawing. I drew using
patterns inspired by Zentangles. I call it doodling with a purpose. It kept my
hands busy while I sat by my husband’s side as he battled cancer. Drawing gave
me quiet moments to process what was going on around me. I have included some
of my drawings in this book. Together with my written story, I hope they
reflect the kindness of God’s heart, the strength He gave me, and the
never-ending love He poured into my life, no matter the circumstance.~ Joanna Glass
