My Story

by Elizabeth Smart

I thought about other children I’d seen on the news, children who’d been kidnapped and didn’t come back. I thought they were the lucky ones. They were in a better place.

I began to realize that there were some things worse than death.

many times children suffer for the sins of others.

God still cared for me, that He hadn’t forgotten or forsaken me, that He was doing everything He could to help to carry my pain.

“You know that ‘popular’ is just another word for rude.”

It doesn’t matter where you go, or what you do, or whatever else might happen, I will always love you. You will always be my daughter. Nothing can change that.”

In my life, I have come to believe there are lots of examples where God provides us little miracles to give us hope. Most of these experiences are not as obvious as waking up and finding a cup of water. Some of them are much more subtle. We may even have to look for His miracles along the way. But they are there. And they’re important when we are struggling with the challenging battles of this life.

If I could fly … if I could fly … I would flap my wings and fly home.

“Elizabeth, what this man has done is terrible. There aren’t any words that are strong enough to describe how wicked and evil he is! He has taken nine months of your life that you will never get back again. But the best punishment you could ever give him is to be happy. To move forward with your life. To do exactly what you want.