The Altar of My Kitchen Table

Giving It All to God

By: Dianne McKim

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by life—like the weight of everything you’re carrying might finally crush you? Have you found yourself in a moment where your emotions were screaming one thing, but deep down you knew you needed to trust God instead?

If so, you’re not alone.

One of the most important lessons God has taught me through years of storms is this: our faith must inform our feelings, not the other way around. That truth didn’t come easily. It was forged in pain, uncertainty, and countless moments when the math didn’t work, the answers didn’t come, and trusting God felt risky. But it’s also the truth that sustained me—and it’s one that can sustain you, too.

Living in the Storm

For many years, my life felt like a perfect storm that never let up. I had survived an emotionally, verbally, and mentally abusive marriage that ended in a painful divorce. I became a single mom for 14 years, working full-time, constantly scrambling for childcare—especially when my kids were sick.

My boys were living between two very different households: my Christian home and their father’s “anything goes” environment. That contrast created confusion, rebellion, and heartbreak. I faced continued legal battles with my ex-husband even after the divorce was finalized. Eventually, my children chose to live with their dad, and I was legally required to pay him child support.