"Can I really trust God?"
That single question brought Amy Foster face-to-face with herself in the mirror, fearful and uncertain of her future. She had grown up in the church, memorizing verses and checking every spiritual box. She prayed, confessed, and strived to live right every single day. She knew God loved her, cared for her, and had a plan for her life, yet fear and performance-based faith lingered. Had she done enough, said enough, or missed something crucial? At times, her faith felt unstable.
It took a severed friendship and a severe injury to force the issue and finally demand an answer to the question that nagged at her. Reflecting on her lowest point, Amy shared:
“Adjusting to college was difficult for me. I left a meaningful friendship behind that made me question who I was without this person. Even with other amazing people in my life - my family and friends, I still felt alone. I just remember going to God. By reading His word and going to Him in my loneliness, He slowly healed my broken heart and reminded me who I was in Him. But fear of the future was still there. The last few years have really tested my faith. I had a work injury three years ago. I didn’t know what it was. It affected my hands and arms, and in turn, my everyday life. I was in a constant state of frustration, confusion, and chronic pain. I feared the future and was unsure of God's plan for me."
The pain from her injury and the uncertainty of the future took her back to when she was a young girl, afraid that her standing with God depended on her own effort to earn His love and forgiveness.
“It was really hard to be in pain all of the time,” Amy confessed. “However, that pain made me draw close to the Lord. It made me depend on God daily. There were a lot of tears and prayers. I grieved for my past, present, and future. When I wasn't able to work like I had been, I realized how much of my worth I had been placing in what others thought of me, the control I thought I had of my life, and the error of my pride. Again, God turned me back to the truth. I was totally dependent on Him and there was nothing I could do to earn His favor. He loved me, even in my brokenness."
Amy would describe going through difficult times as
“so hard but so sweet because you feel so close to God. The intimacy with God during difficult times is special. I felt a desperation for Him that I hadn't felt before. Jesus became my best friend. In a life where I had friends and family who loved me dearly, I still felt empty. Jesus was the only one who could fulfill me.”
Having found freedom from the lies of performance, self-reliance, and fear of the future, Amy is celebrating that transformation today by getting baptized. She said she is getting baptized because
“Jesus saved me at a very young age, but I never got baptized. I want to get baptized as a step of obedience and to display my faith publicly.”
Her hope is that not only will God receive the glory for this, but her actions and words will encourage others to step into what God is offering them. Amy concluded with an invitation to others:
“My encouragement to everyone is to turn to God: in joy, in sadness, in anger, in pain, in brokenness. Pray, ask questions, read His word. He is ready to welcome you with open arms. My hope is that others can know that whatever you are currently going through, you are not stuck there forever. There is hope now and in eternity. God will sustain you.”
All her life, God has been Amy’s provider and sustainer. Today, she finally lives in that truth. Her story is a powerful reminder for anyone navigating difficult circumstances, whether you are a believer or simply searching, to discover that same peace.
“Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.” - Psalm 55:22