How Faith Carried Us Through: Christian Hope Amid the Trials
Photo by jcomp
Life is just a coin flip away from being bad or good. There's no fixed path through life, and the whole world, in an instant, could just flip over without us even knowing how.
For Darlene Lamoureux, that moment came with a shocking diagnosis: a brain tumor that was the size of a grapefruit. Faced with a terrifying surgery and the risk of either paralysis or death, she had a powerful anchor to ground her amid her trial.
An Almighty God?: Get Serious! is a Christian brain tumor survival story that is a profound testament to how faith carried her through the storm. Alongside Karen Hanson’s story of childhood trauma and redemption in Trophies of Grace, their combined testimonies reveal a powerful truth: in our darkest times, God’s presence provides hope and strength.
Trusting in God During Hardship
When doctors presented Darlene with a waiver listing grim possibilities—“Paraplegic, quadriplegic, comatose, or dead”—she felt a surprising peace settle inside of her.
“My soul was confident that God… was also ready, and He would orchestrate this process from start to finish."
This wasn’t blind optimism, for it wasn't based on the groundless idea that things would turn out for the better. Darlene was confident because there was a deep-seated trust that had been built on a lifetime of connection. She knew that she didn't face the unknown alone; she was facing it with her Creator.
Photo by mindandi
This is the heart of trusting in God during hardship: the decision to believe that God is good and in control, even when circumstances scream otherwise.
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).
For Darlene, this meant trusting that her surgeon’s skilled hands worked together with God’s plans, and acknowledging every small mercy as evidence of His care for her.
How Faith Carried Through a Medical Crisis
Darlene’s journey was a physical and spiritual marathon. Having awoken from a 13-hour surgery and unable to speak or move most of her body, she clung to God and His guiding light.
Her spiritual resilience was tested in grueling rehab, where frustration boiled many times over. Yet, in her weakest moments, she was filled with divine strength and found cause to endure.
In An Almighty God, she vividly recalls a critical point when the built-up spinal fluid inside her brain wouldn’t drain out, threatening her life.
Doctors planned a permanent shunt to relieve her from the pain the spinal fluid caused. But this had its own concerns--risks that she wasn't willing to take, already deeply exhausted from what had been happening since her diagnosis.
Darlene prayed desperately, “I’m going to talk to God about this because I really don’t want a shunt.” And by the grace and mercy of God, the fluid began flowing on its own overnight.
“How did it start to flow? I don’t know. But what I do know is: no shunt!”
Overcoming adversity with prayer is entirely possible, as Darlene can attest. It wasn’t about demanding her way, but about surrendering her fear and inviting God into the situation.
Her faith didn’t guarantee an easy path, but it guaranteed a faithful Companion for the journey, providing perseverance through divine strength.
Finding Hope in Difficult Times of Trauma
While Darlene’s battle was physical, Karen Hanson’s in Trophies of Grace was a fight for her very soul from a young age.
Enduring deep trauma from a childhood full of abuse and fear, she felt like a sheep lost and constantly targeted by an enemy.
"A child was
scared
Her death was planned
But the Father stepped in
And stretched out His hand”
For Karen, finding hope in difficult times began when she stopped seeing herself as a victim of her past and started seeing herself as a trophy of God’s grace. Her healing was a process of allowing God to rewrite her story.
"The pain is
gone
The scars are old
But the reason for
Her hope must be told"
Karen's testimony shows that no wound is too deep for God’s redemption.
Tools to Get Through Tribulation
Darlene emphasizes meditating upon God’s Word:
“I love the Scriptures because I’ve found they offer something powerful to meet every one of my difficulties.”
This grounding gave her the peace and perspective to guard her heart against despair.
* * *
Karen found strength in her “Keys Connection sisters” who prayed and walked with her, reflecting the Biblical principle that we are meant to carry burdens together (Galatians 6:2).
Faith should be lived out in community, for it is how the body of Christ becomes God’s hands and feet on earth.
Photo by freepik
A Life Transformed by Hope and Faith
So, what is the result of a life where how faith carried us through becomes the central theme?
It’s not a perfect, pain-free life by any means. Both women still have to live with ongoing physical and emotional scars.
But it is a life transformed from the inside out.
Darlene found her identity not in her career plans, which were shattered, but in her role as a wife, mother, and child of God, discovering profound joy in the “abundant life” Jesus promises—a life rich in love, purpose, and peace that circumstances cannot steal.
Karen found freedom from her past and a calling to share her story so others could find the same hope.
"I lift His
name
So all can see
This trophy of grace
God gave to me"
Their stories echo the Apostle Paul’s discovery:
I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances... I can do all this through him who gives me strength (Philippians 4:11, 4:13).
This is the ultimate victory: a hope that endures, a peace that surpasses understanding, and a strength that is made perfect in our weakness.
Their powerful, complete testimonies are a beacon for anyone facing a storm; so, discover the full depth of Darlene’s medical journey and Karen’s story of redemption with An Almighty God? Get Serious! and Trophies of Grace, and see how faith can carry you through, too.