--- title: Birthed in a Crucible of Despair description: A true story of despair, a miraculous intervention from heaven, and an immediate, life-changing conversion. --- [![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) [![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2014/07/17/birthed-in-a-crucible-of-despair#) # Birthed in a Crucible of Despair Jul 17, 2014 9:30:16 AM  |  by [Melanie Jean Juneau](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/melanie-jean-juneau) [![Moritz Calisch,Young woman in prayer: Wikipedia commons](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/493px-Moritz_Calisch_1819-1870_Jonge_Italiaanse_vrouw_in_gebed_1850_Olieverf_op_doek_photo2-328x400.jpg?width=328&height=400&name=493px-Moritz_Calisch_1819-1870_Jonge_Italiaanse_vrouw_in_gebed_1850_Olieverf_op_doek_photo2-328x400.jpg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/493px-Moritz_Calisch_1819-1870_Jonge_Italiaanse_vrouw_in_gebed_1850_Olieverf_op_doek_photo2.jpg) Moritz Calisch,Young woman in prayer: Wikipedia commons A true story After a grueling nursing shift, Caroline sat alone, slumped, at the kitchen table. Head bowed down, resting on her arms with a glass of cold beer beside her. Just like the other night and the night before that. Alone A traumatic childhood, A husband dead after eight years of wedded torment, Caroline was Alone. Shattered. Too exhausted now to carry out any nefarious plans she had concocted to end her own life. Depressed, empty, seemingly devoid of hope At a dead end of nothingness. Yet, a tiny flicker appeared, a flame of inspiration birthed in a crucible of despair A thought rose up, swelling until all other notions were pushed aside, A thought of surrendering everything to God, her past, present, and future with plans, hopes, desires, and disappointments. Even more, Caroline offered her identity, her very core self. Suddenly she grew warm, pleasantly warm, Felt an actual physical heat on her arms, back Raising her head she was startled to see a beam of light focused just around where she sat but the room, the room looked different, brighter, as if a veil lifted off her eyes. Then Caroline smiled sensing words, words within, strange words "Live in the Light. Seek the Truth." She glanced at the ever-present beer. Did those words have something to do with that glass of beer? What if, just for tonight, she didn’t drink that beer or the next one after that? Was that part of living in the light? Caroline smiled, dumped the glass miraculously fell asleep, into a deep, restful sleep A sleep that was the beginning of a new way of living. "Live in the Light. Seek the Truth." It became her mantra, guiding her like a beacon for years to come. Two simple sentences. "Live in the Light. Seek the Truth." *Copyright 2014 Melanie Jean Juneau* ### Share this article [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2014%2F07%2F17%2Fbirthed-in-a-crucible-of-despair%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2014%2F07%2F17%2Fbirthed-in-a-crucible-of-despair%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2014%2F07%2F17%2Fbirthed-in-a-crucible-of-despair%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=Birthed%20in%20a%20Crucible%20of%20Despair) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2014%2F07%2F17%2Fbirthed-in-a-crucible-of-despair%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2014%2F07%2F17%2Fbirthed-in-a-crucible-of-despair%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ** #### About the Author ![Melanie Jean Juneau](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Melanie-Jean-Juneau.jpg) ### [Melanie Jean Juneau](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/melanie-jean-juneau) Melanie Jean Juneau is a mother of nine children who blogs at [joy of nine9](https://melaniejeanjuneau.wordpress.com/wp-admin/melaniejeanjuneau.wordpress.com.). Her writing is humorous and heart-warming; thoughtful and thought-provoking. Part of her call and her witness is to write the truth about children, family, marriage and the sacredness of life. Melanie is the administrator of [ACWB](http://associationofcatholicwomenbloggers.blogspot.ca/), the Editor in Chief at [CatholicLane](http://catholiclane.com/author/melanie-juneau/), [CatholicStand](http://catholicstand.com/author/melanie-jean-juneau/), [Catholic365](http://www.catholic365.com/author/melanie-jean-juneau/) , [CAPC](http://catholicap.com/author/melanie-jean-juneau/) & author of [Echoes of the Divine](https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/521798). ## Related Blog Articles [ A Seeker Discovers Truth in the Catholic Church Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2015/02/05/a-seeker-discovers-truth-in-the-catholic-church) [ What Does GOD Want From Us During Lent? Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2016/02/18/god-want-us-lent) [ How To Win the War Against Sin Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2017/03/02/win-war-sin) ## Comments ## Donate now [![Support Catholic Mom](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545) [![CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png?width=1806&height=731&name=CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png "CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) ##### Subscribe to Catholic Momcast on iTunes or Spotify [![itunes-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/itunes-logo-black.svg)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-momcast/id1362352357)[![spotify-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/spotify-logo-black.svg)](https://open.spotify.com/show/15CoipHL7z61IDcYErV0b8?si=hqaQJSxDQgq7S1hxCwsoxQ) ##### CatholicMom on Social Networks [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) ##### About Catholic Mom [Who We Are](https://www.catholicmom.com/about-us) [Contact Us](https://www.catholicmom.com/contact) [Support CatholicMom.com](https://www.catholicmom.com/support-us)   ##### Associated Links [Holy Cross Family Ministries](https://www.hcfm.org/) [Family Rosary](https://www.familyrosary.org/) [Family Theater Productions](https://www.familytheater.org/) [Congregation of the Holy Cross](https://www.holycrossusa.org/) [Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.](https://www.fatherpeyton.org/) [The Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life](https://www.peytonfamilyinstitute.org/) ### **Stay connected!** Don’t miss a thing! 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