Breakthrough to Hope

On the day after Christmas, recently recovered from her second battle with cancer, Victoria packed up and left. Still wrestling with the shadows of divorce, she struggled to hold her family together as a single mom. She desperately needed change. Stuffing the few belongings she had left into her Camry, she drove out of St. Louis and headed west. She felt God leading her, but was unsure where they were going.

As she drove across the country, winter storms slowed her progress. It took a week of driving and, at times, sleeping in the car before she arrived in Sacramento to crash on her cousin’s couch.

After a few months, the pieces started fitting together in her life. She began a new job in Orange County, got an apartment, and slowly rebuilt her life.

“I added second-hand furniture and household items to our apartment,” Victoria said. “I recently upgraded my air mattress to a twin bed — set on a full frame.” It doesn’t sound like much, but a significant improvement on the pool raft she slept on the first few nights in her new apartment.

Victoria eventually settled in Orange County and started a new job. Through the transition, Victoria and Juliana, her daughter, began to feel the stress. Meeting new people, making new friends, and starting in a new school isn’t easy.

One Sunday, when Juliana refused to go to church, Victoria found herself upset and overreacting. She realized what was happening and sat down with Juliana in her room to discuss what they were going through. As Victoria and Juliana worked through these stressful situations and changes, they’ve helped each other adjust and have grown stronger together.

A few months later, she heard Pastor Rick talk about starting 34 days of praying for a breakthrough. This was just what she needed. “I felt behind on everything,” Victoria said. “My car had issues, there was so much stress — I needed that breakthrough.”

Victoria prayed. She journaled. She made the list of things she was thankful for. She tithed for the first time that weekend and decided to join in the all-church fast. Victoria took the entire week just for herself and God. Approaching burnout, it was everything she needed at that moment.

She began building habits to focus on God into her routine. She listened to Daily Hope while she got ready in the morning, she made sure she was praying the way Pastor Rick had taught. She was doing everything she needed to do.

A week into her 34 days of praying for breakthrough Victoria walked into work on an ordinary Monday morning. Her boss invited her into the conference room and told her the news.

Victoria was being fired.

“I almost couldn’t breathe when they told me,” Victoria said. “I needed that income! What in the world was God doing?”

An exasperated and confused Victoria retreated to her car to think, cry, and pray. “I called a friend and had her pray while I cried in the car before going back in and cleaning out my desk.”

A strange sense of peace settled on Victoria. The next morning, she watched the sunrise. An unexpected sense of peace settled on her. The image reminded her that God would help her triumph over this situation as well. He had carried her so far, brought her through so much — through cancer, divorce, job loss, moving across the country — she knew he would provide again. She got ready for her day, hoping to take care of a doctor’s visit before her insurance expired.

In little moments throughout the day Victoria experienced God coming to her aid. A women’s business mentorship and support group she was part of united in prayer for her and let her know they were there to help. When she pulled into the doctor’s office parking lot she received a notification, $1000 was deposited into her account — a collection from the women in her group. She met with her doctor who helped her get needed prescriptions. Her rocky situation felt like it was looking up.

The next day, Victoria had to return to her old workplace to drop off some paperwork. She could feel the tension in the office but she reassured her boss that she didn’t have any hard feelings and that this was probably for the best. “I thanked him for giving me a chance,” Victoria said. And I told him that I feel released for new opportunities now.” Her situation hadn’t improved, but she was focused on the hope that God would provide her with the breakthrough she had started praying for a week and a half before.

The next afternoon she checked her email again. Another business she had expressed interest in, contacted her about a job. The new position paid more than the job she had lost, and Victoria realized the new position better aligns with her skills, values, and goals. Victoria was accepted for the position and told she could start within two weeks.

After finishing Class 101 Sunday night at the Lake Forest campus, Victoria sat and cried tears of joy. Praising God for everything he brought her through and the new home he brought her to. “Even after struggles and adversity, I want to fight for bigger causes,” Victoria shared. “I want to inspire others to truly love their life and make a difference.”

Her path to a breakthrough was difficult and unexpected, but through it all Victoria could cling to the peace that God gave her until he could guide her to her breakthrough moment.