This story is dedicated to all of those who hunger and thirst for righteousness - and to those who have prayed for many years to see our city and region transformed in a way that will see unity and love prevail. This book is also dedicated to the one I love, my Saviour who first loved me: Jesus Christ. He wooed me as a young woman in my late teens. My life was transformed from that time.This story of hope is also lovingly dedicated to my three precious children: Christopher, Michael and Summer. And, of course, this is written in honour of a man who loved me dearly and loved those he encountered daily: my late husband, Bert Petkau. Bert, you are always close to us, and you will never be forgotten.I regularly meet people who have suffered loss, felt disappointment with life, or experienced difficulties that they weren’t expecting. Perhaps you are one of them.Not in a million years did I think I would go through an experience that would so suddenly change my life forever - let alone that I would write a book about it.This chronicle is a true account; the testimony of one love story ended too soon, and another story of faithful love that never ends. It is the story of the wondrous workings of the God I know called Abba (an Aramaic word that means Daddy’‘). He is a loving Father who meets us in our most troubling circumstances and stays by our side to comfort and heal. I pray that my testimony of walking out of despair and into hope will encourage you. Welcome to my journey and I encourage you to ponder and meditate upon the scriptures, and devotional thoughts relating to my story as well as some of my poems, and lyrics from Bert’s music. I’ve included links to the songs Bert wrote so that you can listen, and perhaps enjoy them as much as I do.- Teresa Petkau