In this shocking and ultimately inspirational true story of faith and survival, Ani Tims gives a personal testimony that God has always been there, and how His plans for us, though perhaps difficult to see in the moment, are always miraculous.

In a country where violent crime and AIDS are rampant, parenting became a nightmare as Ani was afraid to even walk out her front door, constantly worried that 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, she survived a house fire and a saddle pulmonary embolism to name a few.

Whether we're ready for them or not, life has no qualms about throwing curve balls 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 be motivated enough to find the courage to grow through suffering, to get up, start healing and overcome personal challenges?

The choice is yours. And as a Christian, as long as you know God is guiding and empowering you, it's an easy choice to help yourself get up and get going again.

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 in our process of spiritual growth

It is true that we get stronger through trials

We shouldn't attach too much value to earthly belongings

Problems can be resolved if both parties are willing to work together

And ultimately, we are never alone