My name is Judith Gray

and this is my story...

Growing up, I expressed pretty basic, 60's attitudes toward faith and Christianity. Though church and Sunday School were a weekly observance, my only familiarity with the Bible was the 23rd Psalm. It gave me the "willies" because I associated it with fear and death. It wasn't until I heard Chris Wright read it at a memorial service last Fall that I realized it was about life – not death, and peace – not fear.

Like many of my generation, I spent my college years traveling and seeking answers and exploring spiritual matters, which were well beyond the boundaries of my youth. Eventually, I found myself enrolled in USC's School of Film. At that time, I – like my friends – worked in film production, music, acting, and modeling. I lived on the beach, drove a sports car, and seemed to be living life as I supposed it was to be lived. Unfortunately, I felt no true satisfaction or fulfillment. After a few years, I returned to the Midwest where I happily married.

Several moves brought my husband and I to Pittsburgh where we were blessed with the birth of our son, Chance. After several years of struggling with infertility, we were able to adopt our beautiful son, Galen – just 24 hours old. At that time, we did the "family" thing and visited a number of churches, but never found a fit.

Christmas Eve, 1990, we visited Orchard Hill. The Pastor directed us to turn to one another, wishing everyone a Merry Christmas. A man turned and greeted my 2 sons with such warmth that we all felt genuinely welcome. That night, I did something I'd never done: I asked God for a special blessing for our family. Two weeks later, I was pregnant with my daughter Madeline. After 11 years of infertility, it seemed like a miracle. God had seemingly led me to Orchard Hill…I had no idea of the storms that lay ahead.

In a few short years, my marriage was over. I wrestled with pain…sadness and rage…betrayal and grief…despair and panic. How was I going to raise my children alone? Teach them about dating and how to drive? How was I going to prepare them for SATs and take them on campus visits? Mad was 3, Galen 8, and Chance 14. How could I assure them that everything would be all right?
 
The morning after my husband left, I found myself across the desk from an Orchard Hill pastor. I didn't want to do things my way any more – my life's principles were a sham. I did not want to lose my children, my family, in the crashing waves of my circumstances and I didn't even know there were other storms on the horizon. Galen was soon to be diagnosed with autism and all of the challenges that accompany the condition. I found myself stretched to even communicate with my son and many times, felt totally lost…finding no answers. By that afternoon, I was connected. An angel, in the person of a little southern woman who coached in Orchard Hill's small-group ministry, embraced my family and me. I was in desperate need of help – knowing little about Jesus, but needing to know and wanting to learn. Soon, it seemed that God was sending an army of angels our way.

I was encouraged to participate in DivorceCare and there, God used my fear and hopelessness to guide me onto His path and into a relationship with Christ where gratitude replaces pride and hope replaces fear. I learned that I did not have to weather these storms alone, but God was beside me and I could trust Him.

The Wednesday and Weekend Services taught me great lessons of God's love for me and through small-group experiences, I learned that He commands us to forgive those we believe have hurt us and I began to understand my own need for forgiveness. A group of mature, Christian women built me up, supported me, and showed me how 4 heartbroken people could sit with an empty chair at the head of the table and become a whole family again with Christ at the center of the household.

Instead of being lost in the storms of life's circumstances, we've been rescued – each one of us – to serve and worship with God's family. I honestly don't know if I, and my children, would have come to faith in Christ had our storms not swept us to the door of Orchard Hill Church and God reached out to us though the lives of the people here. The lessons I've learned here have changed the lives of my family, changed all of our relationships, and God has blessed us beyond my wildest imaginings. Through His grace and love, we now experience the freedom to feel peace and security regardless of any storms that might blow our way.
       
My name is Judith Gray…and this is my story.