Hello, I am glad you are visiting my site. I love to meet new people and to share stories. Our stories are what define us and when we get to know a person we become connected. As Christians, we already have a common bond that unites us. The love of Jesus draws us together. When we learn about the other person, we see we are more alike than different. Everyone has struggles and has to overcome adversity in their lives. We can find the strength to battle our own problems when we learn another person’s story, and see we are not alone in facing adversity. These stories remind us how God can change lives and restore the peace and joy we long to experience.

I grew up in St. Louis in a happy home. I have three sisters and a brother. My parents had a beautiful marriage. I knew at an early age what I wanted to do with my life and began working as an athletic trainer in high school. My next step was to become a physical therapist so I could become specialized in orthopedic and sports medicine. I received a scholarship from St. Louis University and worked as the women’s trainer for their sports programs. Life was good until the summer of my junior year when my mother who was also my best friend, died of breast cancer. Not only did I lose my mother that summer, but also my father who emotionally detached from our family. My perfect world collapsed around me. I lost my carefree attitude, and I held onto the anger of my mother dying and my parents not giving us much time to prepare.

Although we were raised in a Christian home, God was not an active part of our family. After my mom’s death, we all went our separate ways trying to cope with our pain. Upon graduation, I began working as a physical therapist working in the clinic and taking care of sports teams in the St. Louis area.

Several years later I was married, and God blessed us with three beautiful boys. Shortly after my third son was born, my husband left us. His leaving was another blow to me, and I held onto a lot of pain and anger. I found it hard to forgive him for disrupting our family. I raised my three boys on my own, and we had many great times and experiences. The greatest job I ever had was being a mother. I was fortunate to have a job that allowed me to work two days a week so I could raise my children. We spent our summers traveling and seeing the United States, which is where I learned to love taking pictures. When my children were all in school, I went to work for Special School District. I have worked for the district for over 20 years.

Six years ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer. For most people, this can be a devastating time in their life. For me, it became one of the best years. It was during this time that God overhauled me. He not only healed me physically but more importantly spiritually and emotionally. It was during this time I was able to let go of the anger and pain I had carried with me for so long. I was able to forgive my husband for leaving me and forgive my mother for dying. God became the center of my life and not only did I come to know the Bible, but I also built a relationship with God my Father. When I experienced God’s love, my life changed.

One of the nurses who had been part of my cancer journey from the beginning said she saw the most drastic change in me when God became my priority. She recalled that when she first met me, I talked about exercise and diet as being how I was going to help myself stay healthy. Then one day I mentioned faith. She said when it became FAITH, exercise, and diet she saw a major transformation. God restored the joy and peace in my life. People who saw this transformation God had done in me wanted to know more about what God was doing in my life and Nugget of the Day was born. I started writing this devotional to share my new found love of God with these people.

God is amazing, and every time we reach a new level of trust and intimacy with Him, He raises the bar. God loves to take us out of our comfort zone and show us what He can do in our lives when we allow Him to be in control. After finally becoming comfortable with writing the daily nuggets, God led me to write books. Writing was never my strong suit. Therefore, I had to trust God completely to help me accomplish these goals. It has been a fantastic journey, and God has opened doors I could never have unlocked on my own. I have learned to trust Him and follow His direction in my life.

When not working, I enjoy spending time with my boys, writing, and spending time in nature taking photographs. I enjoy doing home improvement projects with my boys. I lead several bible study groups at my church, teach classes on my books Rebuilding and Remodeling Your Temple and enjoy speaking about healthy living and sharing my testimony.

My trials and struggles have led to my I AM F.E.D. ministry. I want to help other people who are struggling with healthy living. God changed my life, and I want to help others improve their lives so that they can live life to the fullest, come to know the love of our Father and fulfill their God-given calling.

You too have a story. It will not be completed until you stand before our God on that glorious day and meet Him face to face. I pray that you allow God to take you out of your comfort zone and trust Him to make the changes necessary to live the life He has planned for you. I also pray that if you do not already know the love of our Father, you work hard at developing a relationship with our God. It is life changing.

Laurie K. Dahle