Growing up, Stacy Guillory-Ross was taught not to question God. But those formative years is when that mustard seed of faith was planted. Like the old gospel song – “Faith, faith, faith, just a little bit of faith; you don’t need a lot; just use what you’ve got” – she began to seek understanding during some tough times.

“When I began to question God about my circumstances, he showed me the answers in His Word,” she said.

The local artist’s first marriage was abusive, and she described the drawings she did during this period of her life as “dark.” The marriage ended after 18 years. Hoping her second time at the altar would offer a fresh start, it wasn’t long before she realized something was missing. For 10 years, she didn’t draw or paint, which was usually an outlet for her emotions.

“I just bottled them up,” she said, “and because the task fell to me, my priority became working to provide the financial support my family needed.”

That marriage ended, and she realized it was on God and His promises of hope, health and provider, she should have been depending on all along.

She is now with husband number three, and she sincerely believes their marriage is a God thing. They both knew each other’s family members for years and years without crossing paths until God’s timing was right.  She enjoys being creative again, and recently she was able to comfort someone through a grave loss because of her experience of receiving comfort (2 Corinthians 1:4).

“He is our only hope,” she said, about her faith in God. “Sometimes you have to wait for answers to prayers. But I have learned that if I chase the things of this world, money, status, God will strip those things from me, one-by-one until I chase Him. He has to be first. He is a jealous God. When I chase HIm, the things He has for me will come,” she said, “like it says in Matthew 6:33. ‘Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you.’”

She said she knows others have been through similar experiences, trials, but she wanted to offer her story with a reminder to others to be steadfast and in a place where they can be a vessel of honor to God, ready to be poured out in service to others.

“Never let anyone or anything shed darkness on your purpose,” she said. “God has a purpose for you. He might even have purposes for you, plural. Go boldly to that throne for mercy and grace in your time of need, and remember – in the wait is the opportunity to gain understanding and wisdom.”