Marty & Thelma

Marty and Thelma Scruggs have learned what it means to trust God when the future feels uncertain.

They describe 2024 as the hardest year of their lives. In a matter of months, Marty lost a job he had held for nearly 22 years. Thelma lost her mother. While she was away caring for her, every stylist in Thelma’s salon left to start their own businesses. The company they had poured their retirement savings into was suddenly gone. Their income dropped to almost nothing, and at age 65, they found themselves facing a financial reality they never imagined.

Yet in the middle of loss and uncertainty, one thing never changed. Their faith.

Each Sunday, Thelma would ask a simple question. “Do I write the check?” And even when Marty did not know how they would pay for groceries or cover the bills, his answer was always yes.

“There were weeks we didn’t know where the money would come from, but we still wrote the check… and God always carried us.”

They call it their “widow’s mite.” A decision to give sacrificially and trust God completely, even when the math did not make sense. And somehow, every time, God provided. Sometimes through unexpected income. Sometimes through the kindness of others. Always through His faithfulness.

“2024 was the hardest year of our lives, but even in the struggle, God gave us blessings we never saw coming.”

As the year unfolded, God’s provision showed up in ways they never could have planned.

Marty received a job offer he truly loved. When another opportunity came with a higher salary, his employer matched the offer to keep him. It gave them stability without the heavy travel demands of the other role. Thelma rebuilt part of her salon in their home and now works in a way that allows her to care for their granddaughter, serve in preschool ministry, and substitute teach.

What once felt like a year defined by loss became a year of restoration and grace.

Through every setback, Champion Forest remained their spiritual home. A place of encouragement, prayer, and steady hope. A church family that walked with them through the valley and reminded them that God was still writing their story.

Now, as they look ahead to the NEXT Initiative, Marty and Thelma are filled with gratitude and expectation. They have seen firsthand how God uses faithful people and a faithful church to change lives. And they are eager to be part of what He will do next.

Their story is a reminder that even in the darkest seasons, God is still working. Still providing. Still restoring. Still faithful.

And for Marty and Thelma Scruggs, that faithfulness has made all the difference.

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