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“Waiting in Grace” (Day 40)

Verse of the Day “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” (Psalm 27:14)   When I look back on my life, I see a journey shaped by grace. I was raised in the Philippines in a joyful and simple home. My parents, both teachers, formed me in different ways—my mother with strength and leadership, my father with humility and generosity. From them, I learned both perseverance and contentment.   As a young doctor, I came to the United States for training. The move was not easy. Later, when I came to Houlton, Maine, I felt alone at first. The quiet fields felt far from everything familiar. I wondered why I was here. But over time, I discovered that people are people everywhere, and this place became home.   My husband, Chet, has been a gift of grace in my life. Our marriage has been sustained by love, trust, respect, and communication. Together, we raised our children and served this community. I returned to medicine when a child in need c...
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“Lost… and Found at the Cross” (Day 39)

Verse of the Day “Surely he has borne our infirmities and carried our diseases; yet we accounted him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed.” — Isaiah 53:4–5   I grew up surrounded by family. My grandmother held us together with strong love, and for a while, life felt full and secure. We moved from Washington, D.C. to Florida, and church became part of my rhythm. Faith was normal.   But slowly, things fell apart. We moved out from my grandmother’s home, and everything changed. My parents were gone working. The house grew chaotic—fighting, hoarding, and pain. I became known as the “fat dog kid” at school. Shame settled deep in me.   When I experienced terrifying sleep paralysis, I was told it was spiritual attack. Fear grew stronger than faith. So, I made a quiet decision: I walked away from God. And honestly, life se...
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"Grace That Comes First" (Day 38)

Verse of the Day “We love because he first loved us.” — 1 John 4:19   I often think of life as a long, winding road. Some stretches were bright and clear. Others were broken and covered in fog. But looking back, I can see this now—God’s grace was reaching for me long before I ever turned back.   I first knew faith as a boy in Storrs, Connecticut. For a few years, the church was alive to me—full of joy, Scripture, and a sense that God was near. My mother made sure we were there. At the time, I didn’t know it, but God was planting something deep.   Then, at fifteen, everything fell apart. My father left. Our family unraveled. We left the church, and I drifted. What started as pain turned into decades of wandering. From fifteen to fifty, I lived without direction. I built a career, but my life felt empty. Two marriages ended. Depression settled in. I had lost my way.   But God had not lost me.   It began quietly. An old Bible in the attic. Another Bible I couldn’t...
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"Holy Waste" (Day 37)

Verse of the Day “She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.” — Mark 14:3   I was born at home in Houlton, Maine, and grew up in Bridgewater. I was the middle child between two sisters. Life was simple, but good. I remember the farm most. We worked a potato farm, and I loved it. It taught me patience, responsibility, and how to stay with something even when it was hard.   For a while, I thought I would farm on my own. My father and I even talked about what it would take—$25,000. But that door did not open. So I went into the potato business instead. I learned to buy and sell, and over time I started my own work. I worked hard. That’s what I knew.   Then I met Diane. We met in college, in a microbiology class. One ride back to the dorm turned into a life together. Eight months later, we were married. We faced hard seasons, especially financially. There were times of uncertainty. But we stayed. We worked through it together.   Later, I began planting Christ...
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“Staying the Course” (Day 36)

Verse of the Day “He loved them to the end.” (John 13:1)   You could say I was born into the church. Not with a dramatic moment, but with a quiet, steady faith. My father was a Methodist minister, and church life was the ground beneath our feet.   I don’t remember not being in church. As a child, I even wandered “up front” during a service and ended up between my father’s legs while he was praying. Faith was simply part of life.   When I was five, we moved to a place where my father served many small churches. He worked tirelessly, often gone day and night. Even during the war, life was uncertain. But church remained at the center—quilting, mission work, gathering, serving.   Later, I met Don. He was persistent. He kept asking, and eventually, I said yes—not just to him, but to a life together. I made a vow before God: for better or worse. And I meant it. We had challenges, but we built a good life. We were just three weeks short of 65 years together when he passed. ...
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"One Day at a Time" (Day 35)

Verse of the Day “Whoever is faithful in very little is faithful also in much.” — Luke 16:10   I was born in Rumford, but I grew up in Mars Hill. This town has always been home to me. Some of my earliest memories are simple ones—napping on a cot at my grandparents’ house, the smell of cookies, and the quiet joy of being together. Life was not fancy, but it was full.   I was raised in the Mars Hill Methodist Church, just like my parents and grandparents. I can still hear my grandmother humming hymns while she worked. Back then, I didn’t know the songs—but later in church, I realized, “That’s what she was singing.” That place shaped me. It gave me a sense of belonging.   Life brought both joy and hardship. One of the hardest seasons was my divorce. It was sudden. I had no place to go, no transportation, nothing but the clothes I had. Still, somehow, God carried me through. Step by step, I found my way back home. That decision changed everything.   In time, I raised my...
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“Precious Lord, Lead Me On” (Day 34)

  Verse of the Day “God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant.” – Romans 5:20 (NLT) I was born in Mars Hill, Maine, and grew up in a simple home where life was not always easy. As a child, I remember feeling afraid and alone on the school bus. But over time, I adjusted, and I found joy in school and friendships.   My faith began to take root when I was about eleven. My father, after struggling with alcohol, found help through a twelve-step program. That journey led our family to the Methodist Church. There, women of faith guided me, and I gave my life to Christ.   After marrying my husband, Blinn, we raised six children in a busy, loving home. It was not always easy. We had limited means, but we worked together and stayed grounded in faith. I stayed home while the children were young, then later worked so I could still be present for them.   There were hard s...
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