In less than a year, I walked through deep valleys, severe depression, overwhelming anxiety with panic attacks, the loss of a close family member and ultimately a stroke that placed me in the hospital. The weight of these trials affected me in ways that fifteen-year-old Alex could never have imagined. What made it even harder was the silent battle I was fighting, striving to keep my grades up, supporting my parents and siblings and trying to enjoy life while feeling completely shattered inside.
Lying on that hospital bed, I faced death more closely than I ever thought I would at such a young age. I was terrified, preparing myself for the worst, all while trying to put on a brave face and assure my mom that everything would be okay. I truly believed this was the end of my story.
But God.
God, with His mercy, was writing a beginning I could not yet see.
The Lord met me right in the middle of my brokenness. He spoke life into the parts of me that felt lifeless, and He began to write the real story of my purpose. Recovery was its own mountain to climb. I had to depend on others for simple tasks like walking or getting out of bed. I had to relearn how to be the student I once was. But the greatest challenge was trusting that God had purpose in every part of my pain.
There were days when I felt empty, helpless, weak, unseen and unloved. I wondered if God had forgotten me. Yet, through every tear, every sleepless night and every moment of fear, He was there. And in the end, it was all worth it. The Lord reminded me that the final word belongs to Him alone. That when He speaks a promise, He fulfills it. Maybe not how we imagine it, but always in the way that is right and full of His wisdom.
The journey was far from pleasant, but God never wastes a single experience. Through the process, I learned to cherish every moment with my family and friends. I learned to pause and take in every second of life, good or bad. Most of all, I came to know God in a deeper, more intimate way than ever before. From that point on, my relationship with Him became stronger than I could have imagined.
What I once thought was the end of my story became the beginning of my ministry, and the beginning of a life surrendered to the One who never left my side, God.
