Testimony - Abby Pope
Hope In My Advent
On May 2nd, 2010, my world was flipped upside down. In a single day, everything I thought was steady was shattered. What followed were months - years - of trying to pick up the pieces. Trauma, pain, and deep brokenness marked that season of my life. But even in the darkest places, God never left me.
He sat with me in my brokenness. He saw me when I felt unseen. He caught every tear that fell and whispered my name when I didn’t even know how to pray. Slowly, He began to heal what was broken. He took what felt messy and beyond repair and He redeemed it - revealing His glory in ways I never could have imagined.
Through that pain, God gave me a purpose. I’ve had the privilege to talk with and minister to others walking through their own valleys, sharing that same hope that He gave me. I’ve seen firsthand that no situation is too far gone for God to redeem.
Looking back now, I can see how the story of Christmas mirrors my own. When Jesus entered our broken world, He brought hope into the darkest night. Just as He entered my darkness, He enters all of ours - bringing light, peace, and the promise that we are never beyond His reach.
There was a time when I believed I was worthless and unlovable. But Jesus changed that. He met me in the middle of my mess, lifted my chin, and reminded me that I am worthy, loved, and cherished - because I belong to Him.
I wouldn’t wish the pain I experienced on anyone, but I’m strangely thankful for it, because that’s what brought me to my Father. That’s where I finally saw Him standing with open arms, ready to welcome me home. Now, every Christmas, when I think about the baby born in Bethlehem - the God who came near - I’m reminded of how close He came to me too.
I could look back and ask why God allowed suffering, but instead, I choose to see how He worked through it - how He protected me, how He loved me, and how He continues to restore even the most broken things. He is still writing my story. And every time I share His love - especially with the sweet little ones I now get to serve - I see His redemption at work again and again.
This Christmas, my heart rests in this truth: there is always hope, because Jesus came.