Throughout my life I have experienced a lot of trauma, from the death of a sibling, to witnessing a murder, divorce, domestic abuse, sexual assault, mental illness of a family member, and eventually started using alcohol and drugs by the age of 17. Over the next 18 years, drugs came in and out of my life whenever things were going wrong. It seemed to be the only way I could escape all the thoughts and hurt. That finally came to a halt when I lost everything and landed myself in jail multiple times.

I can remember crying out to God in desperation to please end it all. I no longer wanted to live. It was in my darkest hour Jesus called my name. I felt this inexplicable pull to know my Savior more and leave that old life behind. I fought it for a while fearing I could never get sober, fearing the future, and fearing I would never be good enough. FEAR IS A LIAR!

I stepped out in faith and contacted the Women of Hope and my life has forever been changed. It is by no human power that I am here, but it is clearly the divine power of the Holy Spirit that lives within me. Since graduating the Women of Hope, I work with others in recovery. I am pursuing my Peer Recovery Specialist Certification as it has become my desire to give others hope and fight the good fight. Jesus saved me, He’s restoring my family, and He is making all things new. I live to glorify Him.