I was 45 years old, and my son had just graduated from college and gotten married. I was at a time in my life when my kids were growing up and moving on with their lives, which is what they are supposed to do, but it left me feeling a little sad. Now it was just me, my husband, and my daughter at home. It was also a time when some important relationships were not in a good place, and I noticed that I had been drinking a little more because of it. When I felt upset about a certain discussion or an argument and didn’t know how to communicate it well or gain control over an uncontrollable situation, I turned to food and sometimes alcohol to comfort myself.

My journey of mental and emotional health transformation began when I moved to Michigan because my husband got promoted.  We moved halfway across the country to a brand-new state, my daughter's husband had recently gotten out of the military, and they needed to move in with us with their young son.  So here I am in a new place, all my friends left behind, a new home, and all the stresses that come with that.  In addition, I had the stress of another family living with us.

My relationship with my daughter had been difficult for many years, we would argue a lot…

I've been a Christian for almost 37 years, a wife, a mother of two children, and a grandmother to three. The Lord has truly blessed me. My faith is the underpinning of all I do. Although walking in faith does have its ups and downs, spiritual growth brings with it struggles and pain. But when you walk through that pain or struggle, trusting God all the way through, there is so much peace, joy, and blessing on the other side. Matthew 19:26 says, “But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Let me share with you my story…