I had married a man who was abusive and somehow managed to hide it from everyone else, including the kids. After hours and hours of prayer, I remained hopeless in knowing what to do. As I sat there in my thoughts, my eldest son, who was about 14, came up and sat down beside me. Although I was distracted, I could tell that he was in deep thought about something.

We sat there in silence a few minutes and then he spoke. "Mama, could you withstand the things that Job did?" I answered quickly saying, "Adam, I would have a hard time losing my children."

He did not answer, as we sat there again in silence. A few moments later, he said, "Mama, could you withstand the things that Job did?" This time I hesitated and reflected upon his question a little more, realizing that he needed an answer. I thought about it a moment more and then said, "Well Adam, as I said, I would have a hard time losing my children."

He nodded and we continued to sit there, with my mind returning to what I had been thinking before he sat down. After a few more minutes of silence, Adam said, "Mama... could you withstand the things that Job did?" This time his question hit me like a bucket of cold water.

I realized that either I could or I couldn't. I looked at my son and said, "Yes, Adam I believe I could." I always wondered why Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved him. Now I know.

Adam is now attending college, studying to become a minister. But his ministry began years ago, as he sat there beside me asking, "Mama, could you withstand the things that Job did?"