It was a cold March morning. I was sitting at my desk, working. It was just like every other day, but things had been tough lately. I hadn’t spoken to my husband in 5 days. The last thing he said to me was “maybe we should see other people,” and I told him I no longer cared what he did. He had hurt me too many times, but I was trying to go about life as normal as possible. As I followed up with doctors about patient prescriptions, an older gentleman walked in dressed in a sheriff’s uniform. It didn’t affect me until he came closer and stated he was looking for Sara Renfrow. Me! Why was he looking for me?

With fear trembling through my body, so much so I am sure he could hear it, I informed him that I was Sara R_____. He handed me a large envelope, told me I had been served, and walked away. As I opened the envelope, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing: petition for divorce. I knew we hadn’t been doing good, but I didn’t think he was serious. Divorce. What was I going to do? As I began reading through the paper work, my heart was beating so hard that I could hardly hold it. What I read next would forever change my life. “Plaintiff requests full custody of parties’ minor child, Wyatt R_____.”

Over the next six months, my life spiraled out of control. I began drinking heavily, and found companionship in a new boyfriend who was abusive and introduced me to drugs. I became addicted. Soon, I became homeless, tried to commit suicide several times, and stopped seeing my son. I had lost my job, my license, my home, and my family. I had hit rock bottom.

sara_nebc

Sara is now a Receptionist/Clerical Specialist at NEBC

Two years later, after remarrying, getting clean, finding a new job, and fighting a nasty custody battle, my brother Jacob told me about Northeastern Baptist College. I knew right away that God was calling me here. Although I was raised in a Christian home and although I thought I was saved at 8, I had never truly committed my life to Christ. In one moment, though I had not even seen the school yet, I gave my life to Christ and decided I was going to NEBC.

Once I started going to NEBC, one of my first assignments of the semester was to share a gospel tract with someone I knew wasn’t saved. That night I went home and read the tract to my husband. To my surprise, he said “yes. I want to accept Christ.” That night, one year after we had been married, and only 3 weeks since I had started at NEBC, I knew everything had been worth it for this moment. Today, I am still at NEBC. I have recently finished my second full year of college and have been hired on as staff at the school. My husband, son, and I have found a church we call home, and are becoming more active in that church.

Sara with her son and husband.

On that morning in March four and half years ago, I could have never imagined my life being where it is today. It isn’t perfect by any means, but God has a plan and His plan is working perfectly. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere other than NEBC because when those days don’t seem so perfect, I have more than a school, a job, or brothers and sisters in Christ–I have an actual family that will cry with me, laugh with me, pray with me, and see me through both good times and bad. NEBC is surely my place to be.