My Testimony

He Holds My Right Hand

By:  Victoria L. Stankus

When I was young, my parents were active with Child Evangelism Fellowship, so I often heard them teaching Bible lessons to other children. One day, when I was four, I was with my mother in our home while she taught a Good News Club to the children in our neighborhood. I listened that day, understood I needed Jesus, and then asked Jesus to forgive my sins. I believed in Him and trusted Him for my salvation that day.

As I grew into my teen years, I realized the importance of having a personal and growing relationship with my Savior. So, I began reading my Bible more on my own, and at the age of 15, I discovered my favorite verse: 

Isaiah 41:13 - For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. (NIV)

This verse became special because it helped me remember I was not alone. God would always be there for me, helping me through my journeys. He didn’t promise my life would always be easy, but He did promise He would be there to hold my hand. This has helped encourage me during my most difficult times.

To be brief, here are a few of the journeys God has used in my life to help me learn and grow, and hold tightly to His hand:

• Watching my husband (of 3 years at that time) undergo a tricky open-heart surgery to replace a valve and part of his aorta. 
• Two years of infertility. 
• Hearing our daughter, our first child, was diagnosed with moderate autism at the age of 2 (a neuro-developmental disorder affecting communication and social skills), as well as a diagnosis of mild intellectual disability.
• Helping our son, our 2nd child, through the difficulties that come with Tourette Syndrome (a neurological disorder that presents with uncontrollable tics & vocalizations, fatigue, sensory processing issues, OCD, ADHD, and learning difficulties). 
• Undergoing treatments for breast cancer - twice! 
• Seeking medical help for our daughter when she was diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of 14. Testing also revealed a pituitary tumor that is, thankfully, non-cancerous, but is still being monitored for potential growth.  
• Coping with the loss of loved ones - specifically my grandma (2013), my dad (2017), and my mom (2024). I was close to all 3 of them, especially my mom, who lived with our family for 5 years after Dad passed away. 

Being a Christian obviously does not mean everything will be perfect in life. Every one of us has gone through struggles, some harder than others. But I have learned that a relationship with Christ can help us through the difficult times. Knowing Him has made a difference in my life, and without Him being there to hold my hand, I don’t know how I would survive.

If you allow it, God will be there to hold your hand also, and will be your strength to help you through your difficult days.

Last revised: 4-21-2025
Longer version available upon request