Why grace is more powerful than judgment

In the story below, learn what kind of impact you have had on Samantha, a ProGrace Connection Group participant at St Peter Lutheran Church. She told us about what the church and this group meant to her and her family. Be inspired!

My name is Samantha. I am 26 years old. I am a happy mother of two kids – Ryan who is 5 and Charlotte who is 3.

I was only twenty years old when I found out I was pregnant.

I remember being scared because I didn’t know how my family would take the news.

My family happened to be very supportive, more supportive than I thought they would be. Despite the support I had, I was in a dark place. I suffered from post-partum depression, and that’s when I came in contact with the Connection Group.

I didn’t think I was going to make it through. I thought I was going to be in the dark.

Coming to church… I was kind of scared, because I was only twenty, and I was not yet married. I married my husband six months into my pregnancy.

I was scared I’d be judged, but I ended up getting quite the opposite response.

I was given spiritual guidance for my marriage, for my baby, and for myself. To have these women around to help guide me through it just impacted me so, so much. My mind was put at ease that my baby and myself would not be judged but we would be accepted. I will always carry, show and give that to my kids.

My hopes and my dreams are that my kids would have the best outcome in their life that they could possibly have.

My son, he has so much integrity and so much love. Out of all the school, his picture was chosen to be on the school website just because of his beautiful smile. And my daughter, she is quite the opposite (laughs). She is very outspoken, very strong-willed, and there’s nothing I’d be more happy for, because I know that she’s going to make it and she’s going to do great things.

My hope is to go back to school and finish my nursing degree, and I know I will. There’s no doubt about that. With everything that the group has taught me — not to give up on something that’s important.