In this emotionally charged, coming of age memoir, Loretta Paige takes us on her journey of how her faith in God blessed her, broke her, and then restored her. In this book, Loretta answers the question: How do you hold on to your faith when your faith disappoints you? Still Full: When God Breaks Your Heart is a book about Loretta's tenacious determination to do just that in the midst of confusion and heartbreak. She never thought that when God immensely blessed her with the love of her life, Vincent Gerard Paige, Sr., that He would take him from her so soon. This memoir takes the reader through 26 years of their life together; from their initial introduction until she places her hand on his chest to feel the last beat of his heart.
There was nothing honorable about the circumstances of how Vincent and Loretta met, but God still blessed them with a marriage they could never have dreamed of. Growing up in dysfunctional and sometimes toxic homes, Vincent and Loretta should never have had the marriage they had, but God's love pursued them, captured them, captivated them, and raptured them so that they could have the marriage He had prepared for them.
At the age of 46, Vincent was diagnosed with an aggressive malignant cancer. The cancer diagnosis did not rattle their faith in God because they knew cancer was nothing for God to heal. After treatments of radiation and chemo, Vincent was cancer free only to have the cancer return. At the age of 48, Vincent died from cancer and his death left Loretta confused and broken, because why would God give them something so beautiful only to take Vincent so soon?
This book is heartbreaking but profoundly hopeful and inspiring for anyone who's navigating life and grief. When Vincent died, Loretta's heart was shattered, but her faith wasn't. She looked to God and only God for answers because He was the source of her joy while married to Vincent and the source of her heartbreak form his death. Although the condolences of friends and loved ones have value, oftentimes they do nothing to assuage the grief that lingers. Loretta knew that only God could give her what she needed and that's who she gave her grief to. Loretta believes that God knew Vincent's death would shatter her heart, but she also believes that God knew His love was more than enough to heal her broken heart. This memoir is Loretta's declaration of being Still Full, not only of the love her husband gave her but also of the love God continues to give her daily.