Sometimes you do everything right. You live your life to serve God. And yet, things don’t go as you had planned. Peter Chin and his family moved to a new city to plant a church, but the trials smacked them in the face until they were just plain desperate. “I didn’t know who God was after that point,” Peter said. “Even after years of seminary and walking…

Doing for God took the place of being with God. Until he learned to be still and listen.

Whether it’s physical or spiritual, a new heart brings new life. John was a healthy, active person until shortness of breath led to a diagnosis of an extremely rare heart disease that required a transplant. The spiritual insight of Jesus giving all who believe a “new heart” became very real to John as he awaited his physical transplant.

As an actress, Gwendolyn Briley-Strand was used to playing strong female roles—women of faith and perseverance. But playing a resilient character is far easier than being one in real life. Two rounds of cancer, including exhausting chemotherapy and radiation treatments, reinforced Gwen’s belief that she needed to turn to the healing words of the Bible for her strength.

Luke Michaels is a teenager who is serious about his faith. He knew the love of Jesus at a young age, and he wanted to share that love with others—especially youth.

Nicklis Stevens lost his sister, Lygon, in an avalanche while they were hiking a mountain peak. He then went through the valley of pain asking the difficult question of “Why?” God answered him in beautiful and unexpected ways.

A broken dream isn’t the greatest tragedy, but a life forever defined by it is. Creating a healthy new normal after the death of a dream is essential.

When you’re in the most desperate of situations, you’re in a position to experience the maximum grace of Jesus.