Conquering Through It All

By Madison Esther Panti

A must-read fiction experience about three different couples, each facing life's challenges when suddenly, they face the walls of Jericho tumbling down. Rough times are real and are part of our DNA. In Conquering through It All, the couples still hold fast that whatever good or bad fortune that may come their way, they can always give it meaning and transform it into something of value. The couples' perseverance, focus, positive thinking, mindfulness, spirituality, social relationships, and meditation are all tested differently.

As long as they feel pain, they are still alive. As long as they make mistakes, they are still human. And as long as they keep trying, there is still hope, trust, and forgiveness.

In conclusion, the way they choose to think, positive or negative, has a great impact on the outcome and is mirrored in everything they achieve, hence the importance of having a balanced outlook on life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Covenant Books, Inc.
• Release date: Jan 24, 2023
• ISBN: 9798886446012

Book preview

Table of Contents

Title

Copyright

The Peterses

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

The Waldens

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

The Chapmans

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

About the Author

cover.jpg

Conquering Through It All

Madison Esther Panti

ISBN 979-8-88644-600-5 (Paperback)

ISBN 979-8-88644-602-9 (Hardcover)

ISBN 979-8-88644-601-2 (Digital)

Copyright © 2022 Madison Esther Panti

All rights reserved

First Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Covenant Books

11661 Hwy 707

Murrells Inlet, SC 29576

www.covenantbooks.com

Part 1

The Peterses

Chapter 1

Help! Help! Help! Someone help me! His scream woke her up. Carl was screaming very loud for help in his dream again. This had been the fourth time this week.

What is happening to my husband? Tiffany asked herself in a state of confusion. This had not been the first time Carl's cry from his dreams had woken her up in the middle of the night. He had been having these nightmares for quite some time now, and she was shaken to the core.

Tiffany turned to look at the time, and it was two in the morning. She held Carl by his hands to give him comfort and started praying for him. It had become obvious that the man she said I do to five years ago was no longer the same man lying next to her. It had been over three years since Carl stopped attending church. Everything about her husband had drastically changed; they acted like two strangers living under the same roof. A roof that used to be called a home was now a house.

As Tiffany continued to pray for Carl, still holding his hands, it felt like she was praying for an enemy although they shared the same bed. She couldn't close her eyes as the thoughts of Carl's inhuman behavior toward her made it hard for her. All she could do was ask God if she had done anything wrong to deserve the kind of unfairness from the man who had promised to love her in sickness and in health till death parted them. What happened to the man who had once loved and saw her as his world?

The more she poured out her heart to God in prayer, the more she heard Him say, Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations and the earth, and my ways are many, just trust in me.

As hard as it was to trust God at that moment, Tiffany was consoled by His words and knew that even though tears would come in the morning, joy always came in the evening.

Carl finally opened his eyes and started stretching. He quickly shook his hands away from his wife and with an attitude, he asked her why she was holding his hand at that odd hour.

Are you all right? she calmly asked him.

What was that supposed to mean? Carl arrogantly responded.

You were having another nightmare, she calmly responded.

Again, with an arrogant response, Carl said, And what has that got to do with you holding my hands?

Even though Carl's responses were beginning to agitate her, Tiffany patiently responded, Carl, you have been having these nightmares repeatedly, and I am getting very concerned about you. Every time you experience these nightmares, you do not wake up right away even though you scream so loud, and it wakes me up. I have suggested we go back to church together, but you always give an excuse not to go.

Carl retorted in a loud voice, almost lifting his right hand to hit his wife, I've told you I don't want to know about this God of yours anymore! The next time you mention that name or church again, I will throw you out of this house be it day or night, and I won't allow you to ever come back. Do you understand me?

Tiffany stared sheepishly at him without a word, and he screamed even louder, asking if she was deaf or something. She shook her head in response to his question. He looked her in the eyes with such hatred, telling her to open her mouth and respond to his question.

She answered, Yes, Carl, I understand.

Not good enough! I want you to answer me just like how your father's army of soldiers used to answer him on the battlefield. Now let's try this again, do you understand?

Yes, sir, Tiffany responded.

Now that sounds like you have heard me loud and clear, Carl said, feeling victorious.

He went right back to sleep as if nothing had happened, snoring so loud.

She took her Bible and went to the other room to pray. Crying aloud, Tiffany continually asked God to direct her path and to take her out of the misery.

God, if this man was not what you intended for me, I want out. I know I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, but I am burdened and weary, she cried.

That was all she could say at that point because she was tired of the abuse and pain. It felt like the more she poured out her heart to God, the more He would tell her to be still and keep trusting Him. She was reminded that in all things, God worked together for the good of those who loved Him, so she had nothing to be worried about. But to be honest, the headache and heartache were too much to deal with, and she was very unhappy. She wanted a quick way out. If only she could tell her parents about Carl's strange behaviors, she knew her dad would throw him out of the house in a split second, but she also knew it would greatly affect Carl in different ways.

Living with Carl for the past few years had not been rosy. Carl had gotten more verbally, mentally, emotionally, and physically abusive to the point that Tiffany had started coiling away from her family and friends. She was afraid that she would let her dirty laundry out, and they might end up confronting Carl, which would in turn be a death trap for her. Tiffany was so affected by what was going on at home that she was slacking at work, and she knew perfectly well that if it had not been the favor of God, her boss would have terminated her from the company a long time ago.

Mrs. Peters, you're late again. See me in my office right away. There's no need for you to clock in.

Oh no! It can't be. Not now, not today, she murmured to herself as soon as she heard those words and knew that was going to be her last day at work.

I can't afford to get fired now! O God of heaven and earth, it's me again. Please have mercy on me. I can't afford to lose my job. Please favor me, she prayed silently.

Even though they were both breadwinners, they basically paid only the bills. They sometimes had to count every penny to make ends meet. As she entered Mr. Robertson's office, her legs could not carry her, as she was trembling and sweating. With Tiffany's hands behind her back and her head lowered, to her utmost surprise, Mr. Robertson asked her to sit down. She could not look him in the eyes, as tears were pouring down her cheeks with her nose dripping like a faucet. He handed her the box of tissue paper on his desk.

Mrs. Peters, you don't have to tell me anything about your personal life you're not comfortable discussing, but I have noticed a lack of competence in you for the past year. You have been a loyal and independent employee with this company for over six years until the past year when I started observing the change in your work performance. I struggled with my thoughts and exercised a lot of benefit of the doubt about you. Somehow, I felt you might need a break to rejuvenate your strengths and aspirations, if you still would want to be considered as an employee of the company.

Tiffany had been working at First Class Solutions Inc. for seven years and had always been a top performer, increasing sales and maximizing profits. Her boss and the executives of the company believed in her, and she had been the center of attention year after year, as she was awarded Excellence in Great Customer Attributes and received great yearly bonuses. Mr. Robertson had been a close family friend; not only