As a single mother, I raised Chad and Chase with prayer and the “awareness” of God and Jesus and the occasional church appearance. When Chad was eight and many of his friends were getting baptized in our LDS (Latter-Day Saints) community, I realized he needed and wanted to explore religion and faith. We attended several different churches and became members of St. Francis Catholic Church in Kearns. Chad and Chase were altar boys and went through Communion and Confirmation. However, as many times happens with teenagers, Chad grew away from the Catholic church and practices; but he always had that awareness and curiosity about religion and was constantly seeking a spiritual connection to God.
Chad had many friends, family, and even some strangers helping to guide and encourage him along the way.
I will forever be grateful for Jimmy B. for being a spiritual mentor to Chad, guiding and leading him into his final and greatest journey. Through Chad’s journey, I also started a faith journey. He asked me to read A Purpose Driven Life with him. I had no idea what the book was about but was happy Chad asked me to read with him, so I immediately said yes. It has changed my life. Chad and I would spend hours on the phone discussing each chapter of the book and our faith beliefs.
If you are struggling with keeping or finding faith, I strongly recommend this book by Rick Warren. Chad was my spiritual mentor and always told me to “Let go and let God.” He helped me to seek comfort and healing in the words of the Lord. We both thought it was to help me through his addiction, but I never expected it would help me with his death, too.
