Althea Winifred’s life came to a crashing halt one day in 1998.

The mother-of-two had given her ex-husband permission to take their children on holiday.

Before she knew it she was being denied access to them.

“The children were eight and nine years old and my ex-husband came to Bermuda to pick them up and take them for the summer,” Ms Winifred said.

“I never thought in a million years he would kidnap them.

“I thought everything was fine until I flew up to Miami for a business trip and tried to go see my children.

“That’s when he told me I would never see them again.

“I didn’t know where they were and didn’t see them for six months.”

She was initially lost as to what to do or where to turn, so she got down on her knees and prayed.

“It was a really dark time in my life,” she said. “I couldn’t take anymore. I was stressed out and heartbroken.

I said, ‘God, I give you my life. Not only do you have my heart, you have my life. I ask for my children to come back’.”

Her children, Joshua and Jodi, were returned to her three weeks later, on Christmas Eve.

“Since then I’ve totally lived by faith and not by facts,” Ms Winifred said.

“I still state the facts, but I wait in faith.

“That hardship totally changed my relationship with God because I knew without a doubt God answered my prayer. Through that experience, and many others, it has taught me to rely on God and not man.”

Ms Winifred started Ministries of Substance, a Christian-based organisation that teaches women how to grow in their faith and lean on God in times of trouble.

Part of that ministry is the latest edition of her book, Who Is She Within You. It was first released in 2006. The 21-day devotional helps women better understand their roles as wives, mothers and individuals — and shows them how to be confident in who God made them to be.

“This book aims to help women identify as being the apple of God’s eyes.

“Most women don’t get this simple truth. They allow life’s experiences — both good, bad and the ugly — to define who they are.

“But God knows better than we do. God says, ‘You are valuable’. And once that woman’s attitude and the way she sees herself changes, then she can finally understand her value is not based on circumstances, situations or people.”

Women are given a short Bible passage to study each day. They are then encouraged to listen out for anything God might be saying, and write that down.

After the three-week series is complete they get to look back over all the promises and assurances God has spoken over their life.

“This book is about hearing the voice of God, so that women know who God says they are,” she said.

“If you know that you are worthy and loved, you can walk in self-confidence even in the trials and hard times.

“You can look back and say, ‘Wow, if God says I’m valuable, the second someone else says I’m not, I know not to believe them’.”

Ms Winifred’s goal? To help women find healing and restoration from past and present pain, hurt, abuse, bitterness and unforgiveness.

“The hope is that they will receive godly answers and counselling to some of the questions over the lives. I want them to deal with their struggles with compassion and understanding and know who they are within, as an individual and a wife.

“We all have walls and bars up to protect ourselves from getting hurt. But during this study you’ll come face to face with some realities about yourself and eventually those walls will come down to get to the ‘she within’.”

• The guide book is $20 and available on ministriesofsubstance@gmail.com or 777-2816.