In this time of economic uncertainty that is undermining many family, social and moral structures, many people are wondering what the future holds for them. I, like many others, am faced with making hard choices for my life just to support my household.

Getting a part-time job was one of those hard choices I needed to make. It was hard because by doing so, the time spent with my children became limited and this was especially disheartening for me because my children are growing up in a single-parent home.

However, to continue providing shelter for my children and meet their basic needs, I needed to earn more money. Due to these circumstances, I had no doubt in my mind that I needed to draw upon the strongest value I have to get my children and I through this uncertain time in our lives, and that is my never-ending faith in God.

Having put faith in God and believing that he will walk me through this difficult time has calmed my spirit and eased my mind of the great amount of stress that I was experiencing. Going to church, drawing upon his word and surrounding myself with positive influences has brought peace and hope in my life where there was once none.

A scripture in the Bible that I have been using as a platform in my life, and which I can build my faith upon, is Proverbs 3:5-6, which commands us to "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your path straight."

Many people find it a far stretch of the imagination to believe in something one cannot see or touch.

A woman I met recently confided in me that she was taking anxiety medication. She asked me how I get through my own anxieties and my reply was simple: "I pray a lot." She gazed at me and said emphatically, "Oh you're a Christian, I don't know anything about that."

Her words solidified my faith because many people turn to substances — drugs (prescribed or illegal) and alcohol — to overcome their troubles. I have witnessed close friends and family members ruin their lives by abusing drugs and/or alcohol. The deeper they get into their addiction, the less apt they are to have faith in anything else.

As a teenager, I also experimented with drugs and it brought such an empty feeling inside me; I did not know how to control my emotions. Conversely, I have seen many people turn their lives around, just as I have, when they chose to have faith in God. I am free of drinking and smoking and have never felt more fulfilled in my life. I am working on being a more patient, compassionate, giving and loving human being.

My fears about not being able to spend much time with my children have dissipated because I believe that God has a purpose for our lives. Psalms 139:16 states: "Thy eyes beheld my unformed substance; in thy book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me." This gives me hope for that purpose. And my children have shown me that they are mature enough, both being in their teens, to take care of themselves and to make the right choices for their lives. Although money is tight, the quality of our lives is rich because we are enduring this difficult task together with patience, acceptance and love for one another and sheer faith that God is guiding our paths.

Faith will reside in my heart and will continue to grow, because I believe that there is an existence out there, greater than I could ever imagine. An existence I may not be able to see but through my faith, I believe exists. I call that existence God, and I believe that God is directing me down a path that he has paved out for me and my family. And I have great faith that in these uncertain times, God has my back.

Janelle Paredes is the single mother of two teenage boys and a member of Word of Life Christian Center.