What happens when life defies all your expectations and forces you to navigate one impossible challenge after another? Karen Dittman knows this reality all too well.

Karen's extraordinary parenting journey spans over 25 years, bookended by infertility struggles and a shocking pregnancy at age 46. In between, she's navigated what she calls "the five A's" with her children: adoption, anxiety, ADHD, autism, and addiction. Perhaps most heartbreaking was the period when her daughter disappeared into addiction, leaving behind a three-year-old child and Karen wondering if she was alive or dead.

With remarkable vulnerability, Karen shares the painful lessons she learned during these dark days. "I was going to help her, fix her, fight this battle," she recalls thinking about her daughter's addiction, "but that was my mistake. It wasn't ever my battle to fight." This profound realization – that we cannot fight others' battles for them – serves as a beacon for anyone loving someone through addiction or mental health challenges.

Karen's story isn't just about surviving difficulty but finding ways to thrive through it. She offers practical wisdom for those in similar situations: find your community of people who truly understand without judgment, and make time for spiritual renewal daily, even if it's just "seven minutes with Jesus." These practices sustained her when hope seemed impossible.

The beauty of Karen's testimony lies in its resolution – her daughter has now been sober for nearly two years, is working, has her own place, and is rebuilding her relationship with her child. It's living proof that even our most desperate situations can transform.

Karen and her husband Michael have channeled their experiences into their book "Thriving in Grace: Unleashing Wellness from a Biblical Perspective," written during the very trials they were enduring. Visit karenadittman.com to connect with Karen and discover more about finding peace amid your own chaos.

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