A year before Tom and I got married, I went to work for two local businessmen in a company they had started. I, like my dad, was a workaholic. It was crazy the hours I put in, the dedication I had. I kept thinking, work hard, get promoted and you’re going to be happy. Be able to buy the house and you’re going to be happy. Get the right car and you’re going to be happy. Go on a vacation and you’re going to be happy. I was looking for happiness that I had never had. On the outside I think people looked and me and saw someone who appeared to be extremely happy. But on the inside, I was falling apart.
After a few years of being with this company, I was actually given ownership in it. And I thought, this is great! I’m just finding my way into happiness but the happiness never came. And in 2002, I discovered some things that had been going on in the company that I was part owner of and I was hurt. I was so hurt. And my hurt turned to anger and my anger turned to revenge. I walked hand in hand with the enemy and made some really, really bad choices.
In 2010, they walked in and they terminated me and took back my interest in the company and a federal investigation was started. I signed a plea agreement three days before Christmas in 2011.
In 2012, Cheryl was sentenced to 24 months for tax evasion. On June 18th, her husband and two sons drove her to a federal prison camp. She was released early after serving 18 months. On January 2nd, Cheryl came home.
Every moment I spent away from them, I just threw myself into God’s Word and to finding Christ. I just knew I had to strengthen my faith, I had to know Christ and had to trust Him completely. Not just say the words, or go through actions or pretend. I had to really, in my heart, I had to center my life around Him.
Once I committed myself to Christ and accepted Him as my Savior, my heart was filled with this joy that I can’t even explain. You know, I used to hear people talk about faith and I just thought, it’s just a bunch of words. It’s an act. It can’t be what they say it is. But it is. It’s the only way to be happy, to be complete.
His love has completed me as a person. He’s healed my pain. He’s allowed me to forgive myself. He’s allowed me to forgive others. And I look back and think every second of everything that I went through to get where I am today, I am so thankful. I’m so thankful. He saved me. I didn’t deserve it and He saved me.
I was baptized at Door Creek on April 13th of this year and it was thee happiest day of my life. To profess my love for Christ meant everything to me. I can’t imagine where I would be without Him.