Dear friends how I wish I had the time to go through my journals and share more details with you about what has been happening in our lives in regard to our daughter. So many tears shed. So much heartache. There were many times I wanted to come back to this website and share but in all honesty, it's a part of our lives I wish I could forget.

I put the whole matter into God's hands. I never stopped praying for reconciliation. I never stopped praying for her safety and her to come to faith in Jesus. I kept up my bible reading, my bible study time with my favorite teacher, Dr. Fruchtenbaum. I dumped all the words I wished I could say to her in a journal. I documented all the hurts.

I was asked by a friend of mine who is newer to bible study if I would facilitate a one on one bible study with her every Tuesday. It continues to be such a balm to the soul and a true blessing from God to be with a sister in Christ who is hungry to learn God's word. God put us together at a time when we both really needed a sister in Christ in our corner and I am so grateful for her. 

I would stop in the cafe where she worked to drop her mail off from time to time. She would avoid me and run to the back if she saw me. 

We started to see a bright spot in the dark...... which began on my birthday. The other kids and I stopped in her cafe for coffee and pastries. I really just wanted to see all of my kids in the same place for my birthday. She waited on us and it happened to be her break time. I invited her to sit with us and she did. She gave me a piece of cake and wished me happy birthday. Her boyfriend came in to pick her up after her shift and they both sat with us for a bit. 
I can't tell you how amazing it felt to just be seated at a table with my daughter. Just typing this now I am brought to tears thinking about that moment.

After that day she would email me about her day, and asking about mine and we were like penpals for a bit. 
At some point we invited her to dinner and she accepted. I even picked  her up. My husband didn't know she was going to be there so he was happily surprised to see her. He asked her for her phone number which she gave him. I asked her if she preferred to keep to email and she said yes so I didn't push. At least I had her number now in case of emergencies.  Eventually she began to text me and the distance of emails only ended.

We would see her more and more frequently.  We learned that her friendships with the friend group she had all ended. She is still with her boyfriend who has become a very dear young man to our family. They still live together, they are not married, she is not a christian. They plan to be married in the very near future. She comes over to help her sisters and myself dye our hair, try make up looks, reorganize, decorate for holidays, to eat with us and to just hang out with her siblings.

One day she apologized to me.  

My family stopped attending the church we had been at, not because of what happened with our daughter, but things unrelated came to light and we could not continue to go there with the knowledge we had been made aware of.  

As of today August 20, 2026 we have a really good relationship with her. We see her regularly. I had lunch with her just the other day. And so as I'm about to celebrate another birthday, Lord willing, I want to thank God for the way he moved in this situation for my family. And I want to offer encouragement that if we keep our eyes on Jesus, if we live out his word, if we study it, if we plug into it and recall it to memory to apply and guide us even in our darkest heartache we can find hope and solace in the arms of our loving Savior. There is no human hurt not covered in God's word for us to learn from, to grow from or gain encouragement from. 

If I can pray for you, answer any questions,  or direct you to an area of bible study, etc. please feel free to reach out to me.