As a child, Dave had plenty of reasons to become disgruntled. His father struggled with alcohol. His parents separated, and he and his siblings took a bus to Southeast Texas where they spent their first night on a front porch.

He persevered and came to Buckner Orphans Home in Dallas. The experience changed his life. “Not only did Buckner feed and clothe us physically, but the biggest gift Buckner gave me was Jesus as Lord and Savior of my life. They let me know I needed a savior,” Dave said.

For many of us, 2018 was a struggle. There were a number of obstacles we had to overcome. Maybe you dealt with depression, job loss or even the loss of a close friend or family member.

If that’s you, 2019 represents a fresh start. Take heart in the words of 1 Peter 5:10: “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”

God was with you in your trials. He is with you as the new year begins and will bless you in the days ahead in ways you cannot yet imagine. Much like he did for Dave.

Years after he left Buckner care, he returned for an alumni event. There, someone asked him to take a photo with a baby girl who had just come into Buckner care. There he stood, the oldest alumni, with the youngest recipient of care. Little did he know, that little girl would be adopted into his family a short time later. He was the first to hold her.

“That was a God moment,” Dave said. “Only God can move in this way. All the blessings in my life have been for our Lord’s name, his glory and his will.”