His name means God has Healed

I'm still not a perfect Christian. I'm not even trying to pretend to be one. I simply try, in my own way, to be good to myself and to others. I try to give my sons what they need. I try to protect my marriage because I believe meeting my husband was another blessing placed in my path. And now, I read the Bible every day through Bible plans on my phone. I can see the impact it has on my life. A few months ago, I was drowning emotionally. I felt completely overwhelmed. Then I had a dream. It was pouring rain. I was walking along a highway when I stepped into what looked like a puddle. But it wasn't a puddle. I fell into deep water. I tried to reach the surface, but the water had the thickness of lava. I couldn't pull myself out. I could feel myself struggling to breathe. And in the dream, I asked God to save me. The moment I said those words, I came out of the water. I woke up. The next day, it was pouring rain. And I walked through it without fear. It reminded me of that first Evangelical church all those years ago. I had walked in under pouring rain. I had walked out into sunshine. My faith today isn't about pretending bad things won't happen because I believe in God. I've lived enough to know that isn't true. It's about knowing where I turn when they do. Looking back, I can see moments that once seemed completely disconnected: Vanessa. A babysitting job. A mother who encouraged me. An apartment shared with roommates, closer to work. My husband. Three children. A hospital room. My cousin's prayer. But I also see blessings I once took for granted. My health. Being born a woman, a Black woman. My creativity and strategic mind. My instinct to pay attention to everything around me. The strength to survive traumatic experiences without losing my determination to keep going. I have fallen. I have doubted. I have been angry, scared, and exhausted. But somehow, I have never completely given up. Because I know that God is God. And when I truly turn to Him—when I tell Him about my fears, my worries, my trauma, but also my happiness and gratitude—I feel myself healing. Maybe that is one of my greatest blessings: knowing that whatever life brings, I don't have to carry it alone. Today, I try to leave everything in God's hands and stay conscious of my blessings. I count them, one by one. Especially when I'm happy, but even more when life feels hard or unfair. Because in those moments, I need to remind myself: Since day one, I have been blessed.