Finding Real Life

Finding Real Life

12.02.19 | Stories, Written Stories

    Ten years ago, Dayna Adams was 16 and pregnant. Stories like Dayna’s don’t always end well, but today, her life is a testimony of how anyone can experience real life.

    Dayna’s parents were members at Cross City Church and had raised her to trust the Lord. Many girls her age would have considered terminating her pregnancy, but Dayna knew that she would keep her baby. Early in her pregnancy, Dayna visited Mid Cities Pregnancy Center. They were able to offer their services and encourage her. She had a good support system, but her road would not be easy.

    As a young mom, life moved quickly. After Curtis was born, she attended a special pro- gram that allowed her to graduate from Trinity High School a year early. Curtis’ father was not in the picture and couldn’t support them, so the next step would be finding a job to support her new family. It wasn’t the life she imagined, but she was determined and resolute. “I think you go into a mode,” Dayna recalls. “I had to grow up pretty fast.”

    Through Cross City’s partner organization, Career Solutions, Dayna found a job at a popular convenience store chain. Both of her parents helped her with childcare as she worked to earn a living. In her job, she often traveled between stores. At one of her stops, she met a young man named Michael Adams. Dayna caught his eye, and he would spend the next few years pursuing her.

    “I was outgoing, trying to be charming,” Michael says. Dayna was dating some- one at the time, but after she and her boyfriend broke up, Michael was waiting with an invitation to go bowling. Their relationship blossomed over the next 18 months. Dayna fell in 

    love with Michael, and the two began to think about their future together. As she considered marriage, she began to feel a heaviness in her heart. If she was going to spend forever with someone, that person needed to take their life, work, and relationship with God seriously.

    Michael wasn’t that person. “I felt like God was telling me, ‘no.’ A lot of people go into marriage thinking they will change them. I wasn’t going to do that.” Their split devastated Michael, but in his brokenness, he realized that Dayna was right in her assessment of him. He decided to make some changes.

    He was looking for ways to strengthen his faith when he found the “Can We Walk?” class at Cross City. He began attending and poured time into his relationship with the Lord. Dayna said, “I was a little annoyed by it—like he was putting on a show.” He and Dayna didn’t speak for a month. Finally, the two had dinner, and Dayna began to realize he was making real changes. It wasn’t long before their relationship was rekindled.

    In January of 2018, the two were married and started a new adventure. They have al- ready grown in their new life together. Dayna discovered Financial Peace University, and the two are on a new path to financial freedom. They even sold Michael’s Mustang to help eliminate debt. Through it all, they’ve been able to eliminate $1,000 of expenses each month!

    Their goals are much more than financial freedom—they want to change their family tree. They are working now to see Curtis grow up in a home that honors God. Both Dayna and Michael are fully engaged at Cross City, involved in a Connection Group, serving, and continuing to take classes that help build a strong foundation.

    Life has not been easy, but God continues to be faithful—and the future looks bright!

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