Hello Dear Friend

I am writing this letter to share with you some things about myself and why I founded the Perseverance
Foundation. I realize that in order to do the kind of ministry we are doing it takes going through the fire in
order to better understand and support others on their journey. Had I known all the things that I would go
through in my life to be where we are, I think I would have run the other way as hard as I could. I know
that I have been through more than most will ever go through in a lifetime. But being where I am today, I
would say that even if we save, encourage and make a difference in one person’s life it would all be
worth it.

In order to spare you the details here I will just give a run down of the things I have been through, there
were times all I could do was say I trust you Lord through the tears and not understanding. There were
times that I was so mad at God that I wanted nothing to do with Him and did everything I could to prove
that. But He waited for me for two years to turn my heart back to Him. When I tell you I understand it’s
not just words it is truth from my story. There were times when I felt so alone and did not understand why
I was so isolated from friends and family and it was then that He was digging my roots deep because I
only had Him.

Today when I look at the words that describe the way I have felt throughout my entire life that I can not
imagine having gone through it without knowing God. Words like disconnected, unvalued, guilt, unworthy,
never enough, betrayal, abused in many ways, being on the outside, fear, abandonment, failure, poverty,
used, brokenness, shame, divorced, struggle, and the list could go on. I was a struggling single mom of
four for eight years and sometimes there are sacrifices you make of yourself just to survive and provide,
and there are many other things I have been through. I took care of my parents in their later years. I have
watched my family fall apart and begin to be restored. I lived in survival mode for so many years that I did
not know how it felt to have peace in my life.

I now can replace those words with words of affirmation like grace, mercy, love, worthy, protected,
healing, restored, courageous, overcomer, I am adopted into Gods family, I am a child of the King, loved,
a new person in Christ. I can do all things through Christ, valued, chosen, conqueror, strong, blessed,
righteous, pure, kind and so much more.

I have almost died twice once in February 2022 and while I was in ICU in one hospital my mom was in a
different hospital and she died. The last in February 2025 where both my lungs collapsed, my kidneys
shut down and I was in a coma for three weeks. They called my husband in to decide when to turn off life
support. I am still healing and struggle daily but I am here.

I lost my mom, dad and step dad in an eight-month span and a few others during that time too. On
Christmas Eve 2025 I sat with one of my brothers while he took his last breath, he was 10 years younger
than me. I watched him struggle through mental illness for I don’t even know how many years.
My experiences come from childhood to present day but in different ways than before. I believe I am still
here so you know that whatever you are going through you do not have to go through it alone. Our goal
is to support you and encourage you on your journey.

Every Board Member has their own stories with a passion to lead others through healing. Not because
we think it sounds good, but because we have been there.

Here is to healing, hope, and restoration. I hope that you will join us whether in helping others to heal or
in finding healing and breakthrough for yourself.

All my love to you,

Barbara Haddox