In this episode of My Story Matters, we hear from Noelle Stanley — whose life took an unexpected turn the day she got a phone call that changed everything. At just 23 and newly engaged, Noelle went from college graduate to overnight parent, stepping in to raise her three younger siblings after the sudden loss of her mother. What followed was a journey of sacrifice, grief, resilience, and above all—faith. Noelle shares the honest wrestle of identity, the struggle to surrender control, and how God provided every step of the way through community, divine timing, and a church that welcomed her just as she was. Her story is a reminder that God is present in the detours, that surrender leads to strength, and that your calling doesn’t disappear when your life doesn’t go as planned.
Guest: Noelle Stanley
Feature: My Story Matters from Vertical Church
Originally Shared: During worship on June 22, 2025
Growing up in a Southern Baptist family in Gluckstadt, MS
Sudden loss of her mother in 2018
Becoming a parental figure to her younger siblings at 23
The struggle with control, pride, and surrender
Finding refuge in friends, faith, and the local church
Discovering Vertical Church and joining The Table women’s ministry
Learning to let others in and accept help
Living out obedience through service and community
“If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans.”
“You’re not all your family needs—and that doesn’t mean you’ve failed.”
“The work you do should never be your identity. I’m a Christian first.”
“They didn’t care about the ugliness that got me there. They just cared about helping me heal.”