‘God Gave Me A Second Chance In Life’

“God gave me a Second Chance in life!”

—by Sophia Roman

Tough times can be unbearable, yet God uses di cult circumstances to make us grow and to bring us back to Himself. Shelley du Plessis lost her mom at only one month old, and was reared by her precious grandmother. Constance Coetzee, now 83-years-old, has been a constant in Shelley’s life. Constance’s son Joshua lived in the house and when Shelley was growing up he was not only her uncle, but her father gure, brother, and role model. Shelley accepted the Lord as a young girl as she saw granny serving Jesus whole-heartedly – a true woman of prayer and faith.

Survivor’s guilt

Shelley is married to Jared – the love of her life – and their son Jonah is her everything. A few months ago both Shelley and the Director of the company where she worked contracted Covid-19. On the day she was hospitalised, her boss was diagnosed with Covid. Shelley’s ght to live cannot be described – prayers covered her, but the near death experience in hospital was the darkest place. The sight of seeing others in the same ward wheeled out as corpses was unbearable. She struggled with only one lung as the other collapsed. It was dark. Family anchor There was granny, the family anchor, not tech-savvy at all. Constance had to learn to use her phone optimally to be in touch with Shelley. The daily WhatsApp

messages never stopped, nor did the video calls with prayers. Sometimes the calls came while the doctors surrounded her bed, and she had to let granny know to call later. Depression was real; feeling despondent that granny herself may not make it through this tough time. Shelley’s thoughts of growing up without a mom and thinking of 5-year-old Jonah, who may have to experience this too, became a reality. Thoughts that Jarred may be without his wife. She prayed harder than “My message of hope she ever had before, and rededicated her life is that God abandons never you.” to Christ. Three weeks later, after cult time in hospital, Shelley a long and di was discharged. On the same day, it was her boss’ funeral. The deep sadness of not being able to attend his funeral left Shelley at a loss for words. She felt as if she was not there for him, his family, or her colleagues. Why did she make it? And he had to die? The guilt was overwhelming. Second chances “I had gone astray and failed God,” Shelley said. “My message of hope is that God never abandons you. God gave me a second chance in life. I had to learn to walk again. There is hope to bring your joy back. Live life to the fullest and count your blessings. “I had gone astray, but in my failing God, He was still there and brought me through. My time in hospital – being all alone not having my family with me – made me put my trust in God again. I prayed like never before. I am thankful each day for my breath, my life, and hope again.” God gave her a second chance to start fresh. “New beginnings can only come from God. I invited Jesus back into my life.” A newfound calling Shelley shared how she had saw how God had given her t over the years. She re e her work and others her calling. Today she i girls, teaching them t this cautiously as her lu stronger. He is the God and another chance. 

Shelley du Plessis Jarred, Shelley and Jonah du Plessis and Granny Constance Coetzee