Welcome!  My name is Gloria Stucky.  Thank you for your interest in my story.

I grew up in a loving Christian home in rural Ohio as the youngest of 4 girls. Although, I attended church regularly where my father served as pastor, I was not in a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ until much later in life.

At the age of 21 I met a handsome man on the beach named Steve. Within six months we married.  We were young and naïve, determined that our love was enough, but soon learned how difficult marriage could be – especially with a newborn. Although Steve worked long hours to financially support our family, my emotional needs were not being met and I found myself extremely lonely. My immaturity and loneliness led me to make choices that did not support my young marriage. By the grace of God we worked through many difficulties and remained married.

After six years of marriage, Steve’s job transferred us to Kentucky. The job promotion brought a pay increase, a larger home and a new baby! I had miscarried a few years prior and cherished the addition of this new baby boy, Samuel. I would spend hours holding him and singing to him. My life was perfect and I could not imagine being any happier.

However, with the job promotion came longer work hours for Steve and I missed him. Amanda, our firstborn, soon went off to kindergarten, and the transition was miserable as I missed her terribly. Since I did not know anyone in our community – as much as I loved my new home and expanded family – I once again found myself extremely lonely. I felt guilty, “How can my life be so good and yet it’s not enough?”

In time, I began to meet women in the neighborhood and other moms at my daughter’s school. I noticed many of them had something in common – they were Christians. I found myself drawn toward them as they were dynamic Christian women who joyfully loved the Lord and openly praised His presence in their lives.  I wasn’t exactly sure what it was, but I knew I wanted my life to have the fruit I witnessed in their lives. One day, I asked one of these ladies: “How can I have what you have?” She invited me into her home where she and her husband sat with me and told me what the Bible teaches about having a personal relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ. I realized the void in my life (those feelings of intense loneliness) came as a result of that missing relationship with Jesus. I had tried to fill the void with other relationships, money, and material items, which brought temporary satisfaction, but my loneliness eventually would return.

My friends explained that even though my sin kept me from having a personal relationship with God, He had provided a way through His Son, Jesus. I prayed that day and confessed my sin, asking for God’s forgiveness, and deciding to turn (repent) from my sin and turn toward God through His Son, Jesus Christ. That very day, I confessed Jesus as my Savior and entered into a real relationship with Him. I was a new person and would never be the same.

My relationship with Jesus has continued to grow over the years. Even though at times I may experience loneliness, as life can be difficult, I will never experience that same void again because I know He will never leave me nor forsake me. I am His and He is mine!

Saved by His grace,

 

Gloria Stucky