In a country where violent crime and AIDS are rampant, Ani Tims, as a woman and a mom, was afraid to even walk out her front door, constantly worried her daughters - one of whom was born prematurely and barely survived - would be raped.

Ani looked down the barrel of a gun pointed at her, relocated halfway around the world to start over in a strange country, and survived a house fire and a saddle pulmonary embolism, to name a few.

In this shocking and ultimately inspiring true story, she reveals that God has always been there and how his plans for us, though perhaps difficult to see in the moment, are always miraculous.

Whether we're ready for them or not, life has no qualms about throwing curveballs our way. Sometimes they come in such quick succession, it's like being pummeled by waves: You're tossed around, hit again and again before you can find your footing before you can get up off your knees.

The question is whether you are going to stay down - weighed down by fear, anxiety, uncertainty, hurt, abandonment, and rejection - or find the motivation and courage to face life's hardships head-on, to get up, start healing as you grow in your faith, and continue with life. The choice is yours. But as a Christian, because you know God is guiding and empowering you, it's an easy choice to make.

Through everything, Ani learned that:

• God’s timing is perfect
• We should never underestimate the power of prayer
• We should live close to God and become still often to hear his voice
• It is true that we get stronger through trials
• We shouldn’t attach too much value to earthly belongings
• Serious problems can be resolved if both parties are willing to compromise
• Ultimately, we are never alone