“Even though things didn’t turn out the way we hoped,” she said, “God was there every step of the way.” She leaned into God’s Word for solace and was comforted by 2 Corinthians 5:12, which reminded her, For we walk by faith, and not by sight.
During her teen years, Jazmin had the realization that she couldn’t “just can’t feed off my parents’ faith anymore” and began wondering about the reason for attending church.
In October 2010, she made the decision to transfer from a public school to Hinsdale Adventist Academy. It was there she began to know God for herself and see Him work in her life.
In the years after high school, Jazmin’s faith and devotion to God remained steadfast, even as the group of friends she’d been attending church with since childhood started to dwindle. Over time, she found herself taking on more responsibilities in the church and, most recently, she led out in the church's efforts to feed the homeless.
However, it was three years ago when Jazmin was confronted with a family crisis that her faith really deepened. In January 2018 her father started getting very sick. Initially, she and her family thought it was his diabetes acting up. Unsure of the exact cause, he made several visits to the emergency room. After continued digression, he was admitted to the ER for blood work, MRIs and a series of tests. They found a mass on his brain and eventually had to do an operation. While in surgery, he experienced complications, had a stroke and, as a result, ended up in a coma.
Almost as soon as word got out, the hospital’s waiting room began filling up with her church family. The waiting room got so full they had to go to another waiting room. “You felt this warmth, that you were not alone. Not only because God was with us, but our church family was with us. Who has that blessing to have their church family there?” she marveled.
In the weeks that followed, her father did wake up, but he was not the same. Eight months after his diagnosis, he passed away. “Even though things didn’t turn out the way we hoped,” she said, “God was there every step of the way.” She leaned into God’s Word for solace and was comforted by 2 Corinthians 5:12, which reminded her, For we walk by faith, and not by sight.
For Jazmin, this daily walk is a testimony to the truth that we should Hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering (for He is faithful that promised) (Heb. 10:23).
Elijah Horton is a Chicago-based freelance writer.
