Testimonies

I started doing drugs at 11 years old. Drugs were always around growing up. At the age of 14, I was married to a 27-year-old man, and I had my first son at age 15. I was a wife and a mother while still being a child myself. By 32, I had 6 kids and custody of none due to my drug use.

I had been lost and broken most of my life and had no ability to live a sober life. I would run to drugs or mental health medication in an attempt to deal with the deep-seated wounds in my heart, but healing never came.

I quickly found myself in jail and my sixth child was in DCS custody. I needed Jesus, so I cried out to Him in that jail cell one night and He heard my cries. Two weeks later, I found Women of Hope. That is where I found Jesus and the healing I have always searched for.

I have learned what it means to be truly loved. The old is gone and I have been made new. I have found my identity in Jesus and my future is full of hope.

I had a pretty good childhood. I was surrounded by family. Mom always tried to give my two brothers and I every thing we needed and wanted. My grandmother was my best friend. My dad was in his addiction, so he wasn’t around a whole lot. I have been married for 16 years. I have two beautiful boys, Kayden and Conner. They are my world.

I lost my dad at a young age and that is when my world fell apart. I started smoking weed, taking pills, and I eventually turned to meth. I was partying all the time and doing things I wouldn’t normally do. I got sober until I got the phone call that my mother had lost her battle with cancer.

Shortly after that, I received another call that I had lost my youngest brother. He was hit and killed by a car. The grief was overwhelming and my addiction just got worse. I ended up losing everything – my house, my car, and my marriage. Everything was falling apart.

I was sent to WOH because of a violation charge. This place has helped me to become a new woman. With Jesus, I have no urge to use any drug. My marriage has been restored. My kids see how different I am. I have a relationship with Jesus. I am loved because He says I am. I can do anything because I have him in my life.

I had a pretty good childhood. I didn’t start to rebel until I was in high school. I started dating a man six years older than me. From there, I started smoking weed and drinking occasionally. When I was 18, I met a man that would change my life drastically. He was addicted to opioids. He got me to try my first one and I went downhill from there.

We had a son in 2010 and in 2012. He was killed in a one-car accident five miles from home. When that happened, I went on a downhill spiral, drinking every night. I was doing any drug that I came across and being promiscuous.

After a few years I met the love of my life. I had already stopped drinking, but I was still doing drugs. He never was an addict, so he left me after getting tired of my lying, cheating, and stealing.

Last year, I had overdosed on methadone, Xanax, and heroin, and this landed me with the option of either rehab or 11/29 in jail, so I chose the Women of Hope. After coming here, my relationships have been completely restored, even with my mom and the kids is better than ever. I have more joy than I have had in years. I owe it all to God and to this program.

I had a good life growing up except for one problem: my father abandoned me. However, when he came back into my life I quickly became his caretaker with his health and drinking problems. When I lost my dad, I Iost myself too. I started the downward spiral into alcoholism and a full-blown identity crisis. I began drinking to deal with the pain; but Instead of helping, it only made matters worse. I lost my kids, my mind, and myself.

On the advice of a friend, I FaceTimed with a psychologist to talk about my “bad thoughts” which prompted a police visit. Instead of going away with them, I was able to get a Women of Hope bed after a friend convinced me to. 

Physically and emotionally numb for the first 2 weeks, but then along with 20 other women I was trapped due to an ice storm with nowhere to go. I was really mad about the situation I found myself in and screamed to God.. “If You’re so big, You will have to handle it!” I realized later that I had my first peaceful day since I arrived.  

Since being here, I’ve gained a sense of self – my true identity. Restoration with my beautiful family has begun. Plus, I have a brand-new relationship with God that holds me steady. I now know that I am enough because He says I am. I found myself at Women of Hope.

When I was a young teen, I started trying things like alcohol and smoking cigarettes. When I hit my late teens, I started partying and trying harder drugs. Just being around the wrong crowd is where my addiction started. In the midst of all that, I found out I was pregnant, and I quit everything, including hanging out with the wrong crowd. When I had my daughter, I went back to that lifestyle, and I lost myself to my addiction.

A few years later, I found who I thought was the love of my life, so I decided to move to his hometown with him and start our new life together. Little did I know, he had a bad addiction. The relationship was an abusive one and I joined him in using meth. I had two sons with him and we ultimately lost our kids and everything we had.

By this time, I had no fight left in me. I had no hope for a better future. I had lost touch with my family because I was so ashamed of who I had become and felt undeserving of love. I got tired of being in and out of jail, so I took that first step out and asked for help. I came to Women of Hope in the spring of 2021. When I walked in, I felt my life was already changing. I have hope again and am looking forward to what God has planned for my life.

I was in and out of addiction since the age of 14. I had a very rough childhood that included sexual abuse and both of my parents were in addiction. These things lead me to trying different drugs at an early age. I always felt unloved and like an outcast.

By the time I was 22, I started having kids of my own. I worked very hard to take care of them, but I had so many childhood wounds and roots of bitterness that lead to anger and low self-worth that I looked to all the wrong things for comfort. Turning to drugs to numb my internal pain eventually led me to lose everything, including my kids.

I knew I needed to make a change and began to take classes to fight to get my kids back. But God had bigger plans for me. I entered Women of Hope on November 24, 2020. I knew from the start God was tugging at my heart and he wanted to heal me. He wanted me to seek him.

I began worshipping him and surrendering everything to Jesus and put him first in every area of my life. WOH has helped me find Jesus. I walk in His love and his presence every day. I talk to him more than ever before. He has restored my family.

I went from not being able to see my kids to seeing them on a regular basis. My mother has since turned her life over to God. Because God has healed me and saved me, I am now able to share with others how God has freed me and broken the chains off my life.

I came into the Women of Hope in January 2019 broken and alone-having lost everything to addiction once again. I’ve battled addiction for almost 20 years. I’ve been to countless rehabs and programs, only to relapse time and time again. Each time, I would lose a little more hope that I would ever live without drugs. My life had become a trail of broken promises, shattered hearts, and wasted potential.

I had periods of recovery in the past, but feelings of depression, anxiety, shame, and self-doubt would creep back in. For as long as I can remember, feelings of depression overshadowed every area of my life. I had a great life and loving parents, but I still stayed so depressed. When I was a teenager, I began to self-medicate. My drug use skyrocketed after the birth of my first child. I began using heroin intravenously for the next 8 years. There were times of recovery, but none lasted.

During this time, I had two more children, and would eventually lose custody of all three of them. It was in jail that I met Pastor Marcie and got accepted into Women of Hope. While I was there, I found freedom form the depression and I have seen God’s love for me in new ways. I now have good relationships that I have longed for my entire life. I have now been clean for three years and have been on staff for two years. I am so grateful to give back to the ministry that helped me get my life back. There has been tremendous healing in my family and there is more coming!

I’ve struggled most of my life with addiction. I started at the age of 16 with pill (opiates & Xanax) and marijuana. I managed to maintain this addiction for the most part and still carry out my duties as a daughter, wife, and mother for many years. But at the age of 30 this all changed, I discovered methamphetamine.

I was hooked on the first high it gave me from the very first time. I had energy to do anything and it helped me to lose weight too! I thought I had found the miracle drug. But within the next few years, I had lost nearly everything that meant anything to me. My home, my children, my freedom even. But by the grace of God, I have been given another chance at life.

After yet another probation violation and a failed drug test, I was sent from jail to the Women of Hope. I am almost 10 months into the program now and have found the me that I thought I had lost forever. I now have a good relationship with my children and a newly found relationship with Jesus Christ. I no longer allow the drugs to lead me down that same dark path I did, for now I have the light of the Lord to guide my path.

I’ve been married for 19 years and have three beautiful children. My story shows that there is always hope if you will just reach out and grab it. I’ve always struggled with addiction, but could always rein it back in until my middle child was diagnosed with cancer.

The diagnosis released an overload of emotions, and guilt and shame ate me alive. I fell into the enemy’s lie that it was my fault my baby was sick. I truly believed that. I completely bought into this lie and began using again to make myself feel better, but little did I know it would be the darkest journey of my life.

Within a few months, my kids were taken from me and I was in jail for the first time in my life. I couldn’t see at the time it was God’s way of telling me to sit down. This led me to the Women of Hope. When I came into WOH, I had no visitation with my children at all. But with God’s way and not my own, I began to see them regularly.

Now, my husband has full custody of all three of the children and my relationship has been fully restored. I am now an active part of my children’s lives! I can’t describe all the miracles God has done for me and my family since I have been here. I am so thankful for them. God’s grace and mercy towards me is indescribable and I am completely amazed.

I was 13 years old when addiction grabbed ahold of me. It My name is Tonya and I have been delivered from drugs and alcohol. I am a mother of three children and a grandmother to three grandchildren. My struggle with addiction started around 10 years ago after the death of my mother. All my life I felt an emptiness inside, and after losing my mom I started trying to fill that emptiness with pills, alcohol, and eventually meth.

At the age of 44, I tried meth for the first time. At the time, this drug seemed to be the answer to all my problems. Little did I know that within 6 months I would lose everything, including my children and grandchildren. Meth took me to the darkest place I had ever been and after 3 years I finally ended up in jail. After being in jail for a few weeks, I was given the opportunity to come to the Women of Hope. There are no words to describe what God has done in my life through the Women of Hope. The last 12 months has restored my family and filled the emptiness I have felt most of my life with His mercy, grace, and love. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

My life of addiction began when I was 12. I found some pain pills that belonged to my mom. Although I was young, I had already been through more trauma and abuse than some people face in their whole life. In that little bottle, I had just found what I thought was the answer to all my problems. Drugs became my coping skill for the next 40 years of my life. I pushed those who loved me away. My 25-year marriage was falling apart. I was broken and confused.

I came into the Women of Hope Thanksgiving 2011. Without the use of drugs my mind, body, and soul began to heal. God gave me the grace to do what I had not been able to do. He gave me sanity and showed me how to live a Christian-lifestyle.

I was introduced to art while in the program and fell madly in love with it. I am now honored to be a part of the WOH Art Program. God has given me a passion to see others set free and show them there is always hope. My life verse is Romans 8:28 – And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose. Thank you to so many for sowing into my life!

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.

I am a grateful believer in Jesus Christ. I have been delivered from narcotics, methamphetamines, weed, and IV needles. I was raised by my grandparents since I was a baby. They are the only parents that I have ever known. I had everything that I could ever ask for. I was a good kid, raised in a simple family whose parents didn’t drink or smoke. Since I lived such a sheltered life, I thought I had found love at the early age of 17. Little did I know that the man I that I thought loved me would introduce me to a world that would haunt me for the next 15 years.

I married at 18 and had my son in the same year and a daughter 5 years later. Within that time, I had managed being a wife, a mother, and a college student, where I graduated top of my class as a nurse. Addiction does not discriminate. I had everything, however, I still was dissatisfied with myself and something was missing. I found my happiness at the tip of a needle and it took everything away that I had taken for granted – my 13-year marriage, my children, and all of my possessions. I spent 8 months in jail and was court-ordered to the Women of Hope. There I learned patience, and God reminded me of all the things that I forgot to be grateful for. I rededicated my life and chose to put God first. God restored my children, my career, and today I love myself. I am now the choir director at the Women of Hope and I am a nurse again. I am healed and whole in Jesus’ name. Pastor calls us eagles, and it sure feels good to fly!

I came to Women of Hope in January 2019 broken and alone, having lost everything to addiction once again. I’ve battled addiction for almost 20 years. I’ve been to countless rehabs and programs, only to relapse time and time again. Each time, I would lose a little more hope that I would ever live without drugs. My life had become a trail of broken promises, shattered hearts, and wasted potential.

I had periods of recovery in the past, but feelings of depression, anxiety, shame, and self-doubt would creep back in. For as long as I can remember, feelings of depression overshadowed every area of my life. I had a great life and loving parents, but I still stayed so depressed.

When I was a teenager, I began to self-medicate. My drug use skyrocketed after the birth of my first child. I began using heroin intravenously for the next 8 years. There were times of recovery, but none lasted. During this time, I had two more children, and would eventually lose custody of all three of them.

It was in jail that I met Pastor Marcie and got accepted into Women of Hope. While I was there, I found freedom form the depression and I have seen God’s love for me in new ways. I now have great relationships that I have longed for my entire life.

I have been on staff for over a year and I am so grateful to give back to the ministry that helped me get my life back. There has been tremendous healing in my family and there is more coming! His timing is perfect. I am living proof of the grace of God, and if He did it for me, He will do it for anyone!

I had two loving parents and a great childhood up until the age of six when my parents split up. I spent every other weekend in Covington with my dad and the rest of the time in Jackson with my mom. She struggled to raise three kids on her own and by the age of 12 her new boyfriends had sexually assaulted me and my baby sister.

My mom couldn’t pay the bills which meant living with no electric. So, my siblings and I were sent to Covington for the summer and school year. Things were better until the age of 14 when I started drinking, partying, and smoking with friends and getting into trouble. By the age of 16, I was a full-blown pothead and eventually I went further into my addiction by using cocaine, Xanax, and meth. This was the lowest point in my life. I was alone, scared, and in jail.

In jail, I took the Life’s Healing Choices class. This is where I met Pastor Marcie and after four months in jail I came to the Women of Hope. This is where I found God’s grace and love for the first time. He showed me the life I can have in Him.

When I got to the Women of Hope, I was just so grateful that I had an opportunity to be sober and live differently. God intervened in my life just when He knew I needed it. The mess I had made, God has cleaned up, restored, and made new. My family has been a great support system and an encouragement along this path. I thank God first and give Him the glory for bringing me out of my despair.

I was born to a young mother and father who were in addiction and who did not know how to be parents. This contributed to my abuse and neglect at a very young age. My aunt and uncle became my legal guardians and this gave me a normal childhood, but the issues from my parents had already taken root. At 18, I got married and had a son and then two years later I had my second son. Life was good, but I wore a mask to cover up my issues. During this time, I started drinking regularly. After my divorce, I started using meth. Over the next six years, I was mentally, physically, and sexually abused. I was stuck in a cycle. I would get my life back in order then go right back to using and into an abusive relationship. After several times of trying on my own to get clean and stay clean, I learned I needed God.

I also knew I needed rehab and a 30-day rehab wouldn’t even touch my issues. I needed a long-term rehab where you learn to depend on God. So, I came into Women of Hope. I am finding my worth and who I am in Christ. I have healthy relationships now and I see myself as God sees me. I lost everything in addiction, jobs, homes, my sons, and even myself. God restored my mind. He is restoring all my relationships with my family and my boys. My happiness comes from God and the peace and comfort he gives me.

My name is Laura. I am a grateful and firm believer in Jesus Christ. I have been delivered from a drug addiction. I came from a family of many siblings. Growing up I did not have a normal childhood. There was always substance abuse with my parents. This led to me and my siblings being surrounded by emotional and physical abuse. We were always living from house to house. I grew up thinking that it was normal because it was all that I was used to.

Over the next several years into my teenage years, I stated becoming a very confused and rebellious teenager. I was in and out of court and lock up. This carried on into my adult years. My mind was so focused on the world instead of Jesus. I never grew up in church, so I never knew how much Jesus really loved me.

My life was like walking in the pitch dark with no light at the end of the tunnel. I got addicted to drugs and lost myself, my children, and everyone around me. Then I knew it was time for a change. I cried out to God and he picked me up and put my feet upon a firm foundation. I walk in his light now. My family has been restored. My relationship with my children and my husband has been restored. I will ever be so grateful for what Jesus has done and still is doing in my life.

I’m a grateful believer in Jesus Christ. I’ve been delivered from sex, opiate, and meth addiction. I grew up in a church going family. Everything was good until I was about 12 years old. Our family stopped going to church and Mama & Daddy started drinking and partying. When I was about 21, my mom introduced me to pain medication and it wasn’t long until they ran my life. When I was 23 years old, I had my first daughter and was addicted to pain medication throughout my pregnancy. Then 19 months later, I got pregnant with my son and used throughout that pregnancy as well.

In 2015, I lost custody of my children and started using meth. I was in and out of bad relationships and became pregnant for a third time. I used during this pregnancy as well. In 2018, I gave birth to my third daughter. She was placed into foster care and I came into the Women of Hope. I graduated the program in May of this year. God has truly blessed me since I came to the Women of Hope. I have a relationship with all three of my children. I now have a job and my own apartment. Soon, I will gain custody of my youngest daughter. God is not done with me yet!

Though I had a true Holy Spirit-inspired encounter with Jesus Christ when I was 4 and was saved, the tragic death of my sister, Meredith, when I was 11 was an open door for the enemy to attack. The enemy attacked my identity and offered a mask to hide grief and pain. Then, after the deaths of my parents I became a prodigal. I lost my way and forgot who I was.

The mask of addiction, failure, pride, and selfishness would completely overtake me. Thank the Lord for Pastor Marcie and Kristie. They stood in the gap as a parental presence and let this prodigal come home. All I did was praise, all I did was worship, all I did was bow down, all I did was stay still and Jesus Christ completely freed me from my mask. He illuminated me and today I walk in freedom. I know who I am because Jesus knows my name.

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, and eventually began using drugs at 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 which finally came to a halt when I lost everything and landed myself in jail multiple times.

It was in my darkest hour that Jesus called my name. I felt this unexplainable pull to know my Savior more and leave that old life behind. I fought it for awhile until I couldn’t go another day living like I was. I contacted Women of Hope and my life has changed drastically. 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. Jesus saved me, He restored my family, He is making all things new. I live to glorify Him!

I was born and raised in a Christian home with the most wonderful loving parents and family anyone could ask for. I excelled all through school and was a good child for the most part. At age 13, my parents divorced and my world was shattered. My mom soon remarried and my new family was good, but my acceptance of it was not. I struggled to adjust and started looking in all the wrong places for approval and attention.

After high school and some in college, I found myself in one bad relationship after another. I lost focus of all the important things and discovered marijuana, cocaine, and crack cocaine.  At age 25, during my crack addiction, I had my oldest daughter, lost her to the state of FL, caught my first felony charge, was raped, and did a year in jail. God intervened during my incarceration and by His saving Grace I was delivered.

I got custody of my daughter and was soon blessed with a husband and 3 more wonderful children. I soon realized I had married a functioning alcoholic and trying to keep up with the night life he required and raising 4 young children virtually alone soon overwhelmed me.

Once again, I looked in all the wrong places for help. I left my husband and neglected my family. I turned to more abusive relationships, returned to a lifestyle of drugs, and my life spiraled out of control again. I battled alcoholism for a time and was eventually introduced to meth around age 40. After a near death experience by the hands of an abuser, I still didn’t heed God’s calling and I dove deeper in my addiction. Jail became a revolving door and I soon found myself facing 16 years in prison.

I fell to my knees on the cold hard concrete floor. Right there, I totally surrendered and rededicated my life to God. He led me to the Women of Hope and has set my feet on level ground here. He has restored so much in my life; relationships with my family that I thought were beyond repair and most importantly, I’ve developed a most amazing relationship with Him.

I am blessed in so many ways and I am even employed now by the ministry that has given so much to me. I’ve gone from a lifestyle of dope to being a dealer of hope. Now, I get to do what I love every day – serve God and others while using my God-given talents and passions to do so!

I was born into an abusive family. At the age of 3, I was adopted into my permanent family. My childhood was great, but the older I became the more rebellious I became.

I moved out of my parents’ house at the age of 19. I met a guy that was soon to be my addiction for next 4 years. He was extremely abusive and introduced me to a whole new lifestyle. He and I took a break and I got hooked on meth, cocaine, pills, and the needle. I got tired of living that lifestyle, so I went to the Women of Hope. I completed the program and graduated. I went back to the man who introduced me to the old lifestyle and I ended up relapsing. I came back to the Women of Hope and did the 90-day maintenance.

I went back to people who were drinking and smoking weed. I ended up becoming an alcoholic. The situation that I was living in was horrible. So, I came back to the Women of Hope for a third time. I gave God everything that held me back. I completely let God do his work in my life. The chains of addiction have been broken. God has even restored my relationship with my parents. I graduate in May and I am excited to see what God has in store for my life.

I started using drugs about the age of 16. That’s when I first realized that I could numb all the hurt I was feeling on the inside. I didn’t really care what drugs I did, just as long as it changed the way I felt and stopped the pain. Over the past 30 years, my drug and alcohol addiction has taken me to some pretty dark places in my life. It has even caused me to attempt to take my own life. I knew that I was addicted when I chose my addiction over my kids, grandkids, and other family members.

I found out about Women of Hope in February 2017. Even though I stayed for only 7 months, God’s seed was planted in my heart. I relapsed not too long after I left and my relapse lasted for about a year. In August 2019, I came back to Women of Hope. Since then, I have learned to accept life on life’s terms. I have an amazing relationship with Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior. I graduated in September 2019. God has restored my relationship with my oldest granddaughter. I help out at WoH whenever I can and I have a job at with a local church. I have been clean and sober for 16 months, 29 days, 12,385 hours! All the glory goes to my Heavenly Father!

While growing up, I moved around a lot with my mom and my two brothers. After my grandmother died, I stopped seeing my dad. Around the age of 12, I began to sneak out of the house and starting drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana without my mom knowing. By the age of 14, I found out I was pregnant and continued smoking marijuana my entire pregnancy. After having my son, I started taking pills and that led to using crack and meth. At this point, I could take it or leave it but by 2018 I started using meth intravenously.

In 2019, DCS got involved and my mom was given temporary custody of my son. In order to regain custody of him, I was told I had to complete long term rehab. I arrived at the Women of Hope in March of 2019 and since then God has restored my life. I now have a great relationship with my mom and brothers. I get to see my son frequently and I now love the person that I am today. I am also engaged to a wonderful man. I’ve learned how to deal with my problems the correct way and I have become so close with God. I fully trust in God and I’ve allowed him to guide my every step of this journey. I graduate the Women of Hope in March and I’m confident about what my future will hold.

I didn’t have the greatest childhood. I was abused physically and mentally my entire childhood. My parents divorced when I was 12, and my mother, my sister, and I moved around a lot to get away from my dad. I lived in a constant state of fear because he would find us and threaten to kill my mother. This was also the time I began drinking and smoking weed.

At 19, I had my son and at age 21 I had my daughter. After she was born, I was introduced to meth. It gave me the energy to work and take care of my two children as a single mother. This went on for a couple of years.  Things had gotten so bad that I decided to leave town and to start a better life, but on the way out of town I was contacted by DCS and told I had to come back. My children failed their hair follicle test and their grandparents took custody of them. I was arrested and spent 4 months in jail.

I entered the Women of Hope program in February. It took me awhile to get comfortable here, but once I did I began to have a relationship with God that I have never had before. I never realized that I judged people, but as I have grown in Christ I realized that I did. He has helped me love people and not be so judgmental. I am learning to freely give people grace just like God has done for me. I have forgiven those who have hurt me in the past. I have even forgiven my father.  I graduate the program in February 2020 and I am looking forward to being the mother that I know God created me to be. I am grateful for what God has done for me and what I know He will continue to do.

I became involved with drugs when I was about 22 years old. After having my 2nd c-section the doctor sent me home with pain medication. I noticed it was giving me more energy and that’s exactly what I needed with two small children…so I thought! My drug of choice started out as pain pills but one day I tried meth and absolutely fell in love with it. My thinking was so distorted that I couldn’t understand why everyone wasn’t so proud of me because I had finally kicked the habit of pain pills. I was doing meth all day every day.

I don’t think I ever got to the point to where I thought I had a problem during my addiction because I really thought I could quit IF I wanted to, but I just never wanted to quit. I got pregnant with my youngest son and that wasn’t even enough for me to quit. My son was born addicted to drugs. He had to stay in the NICU because he went through withdrawals. I was charged with aggravated child abuse and I went to jail several times because I would not stop using drugs.

The last time I went to jail (2012) I heard about WOH and was court ordered to complete the program. I graduated the program, but had a relapse in 2014. This is when I finally let GO and let GOD! I had lost everything by this time. Since I completed WOH in 2014, I have had so many blessings. My biggest blessings have been that my family has been completely restored and I became the Director of WOH. My whole life is revolved around helping other ladies in the cycle of addiction and letting them know that if God did it for me he will do it for them also. This is definitely not a job that I was qualified for, but God doesn’t call the qualified he qualifies the call. My life verse is Jeremiah 29:11 and He has definitely shown me that He has plans for me to prosper and through God I have hope and a future!

I came into the Women of Hope on January 8th broken and alone – having lost everything to addiction once again. I’ve battled addiction for almost 20 years. I’ve been to countless rehabs and programs, only to relapse time and time again. Each time, I would lose a little more hope that I would ever live a life without drugs. My life had become a trail of broken promises, shattered hearts, and wasted potential. I had periods of recovery in the past, but feelings of depression, anxiety, shame, and self-doubt would creep back in. For as long as I can remember, feelings of depression overshadowed every area of my life. I had a great life, and loving parents but I still stayed so depressed.

When I was a teenager, I began to self-medicate. My drug usage skyrocketed after the birth of my first child. I began using heroin intravenously for the next 8 years. There were times of recovery, but none lasted. During this time, I had two more children, and would eventually lose custody of all three of them. It was in jail that I first met Pastor Marcie and got accepted into Women of Hope. Since being here, I found freedom from the depression and I have seen God’s love for me in new ways. I now have good relationships that I have longed for my entire life. I see my daughter regularly and am working to regain custody of her. I am still waiting to see my sons, but I trust God! His timing is perfect, I am living proof of the grace of God, and if He did it for me, He will do it for anyone!

I found recovery on April 20, 2016 right after I lost my mother to her own addiction. I came from a broken home. When I was 12, I left home and not even a year later, I was using meth. I quit school because I was suffering from anxiety and depression. For years, I was in and out of toxic relationships that made me forget who I truly was. I struggled with self-doubt, self-hatred, and self-worth. I let fear hold me back from my full potential. I had my first child when I was 20 and that’s when my addiction worsened. The guilt that I carried and the burden I felt for my son because I couldn’t quit on my own and wouldn’t get help lead me even deeper and deeper for the next 8 years. I lost everything because of my addiction. I have never been so ashamed of what my life had become. I became pregnant with my second son and was using pretty heavily.

I ended up in jail and that’s when I was given the opportunity to come to the Women of Hope and have my baby. That was the best thing that has ever happened to my family and I. God has given me a new story to tell, one with a purpose. Today, I live for Him. I still struggle with myself at times, but God is with me in those dark moments, and that’s exactly what they are now… moments. I have healthy relationships in my life now and God is restoring everything that I lost. I have my boys and am a great mother to them that strives every day to be better, work on myself, heal, and break the generational curses that have run in my family. I never experienced true joy and freedom until I came to the Women of Hope and surrendered all that I was to God and let Him work in me to be who He created me to be. With God, all things are possible! I am so grateful for my awesome support system and Hope Recovery Church. I love each and every one of you.

I was raised in church as a preacher’s daughter. When my parents divorced, I felt abandoned and at the age of 14 I began using. It started with alcohol and marijuana, but after a traumatic experience I began using crack, meth, and taking pills. I wanted to distance myself as much as possible from God, Christians, and the church that I was raised in.

I began to hate Christianity altogether. By 17, I was an IV heroin addict and lived in a constant, vicious cycle of addiction and hate, almost losing my life countless times over the next 13 years. In 2018, I hit rock bottom and ended up in jail. I was given the opportunity to enter the Women of Hope, but even though I didn’t believe in God I decided to give it a try.

Shortly after arriving, I experienced something I have never felt before and realized I could no longer deny or run from the Truth. I accepted Christ into my life and was later baptized by my father.

Today, I cannot imagine going back to that world God delivered me from. I am now employed by Women of Hope and I’m beyond blessed by all the restoration that Christ has done and continues to do in my life. I am forever grateful for this program giving me the opportunity to have a true relationship with God and my family, and restoring all that the enemy had stolen.

At 15, I start using with marijuana and alcohol. After I got married and gave birth, I was prescribed pain meds which I quickly became addicted to. Over the next few years, I was caught in a vicious cycle of getting clean, prescribed pain medicine, repeat. Eventually, I discovered meth and used it for several months behind my family’s backs. After going through a divorce and my father passing away, I hit a severely low point in my life. I did eventually remarry. I felt like God had given me a second chance at life.

My husband knew of struggles and tried to help me the best he could. I had no idea that my life was about to flip upside down. I got a call to rush to the hospital. By the time I got there, the doctors explained that my husband had passed away despite their best efforts to save him. I gave up on life at that point. My addiction spiraled out of control. I went to several rehabs with hope to finally “get it”, but never fully surrendered.

Eventually, my addiction led me to heroin and intravenous use which was the “rock bottom” I never dreamed of hitting. I cried out to God for help and He answered me. Women of Hope gave me another chance at a life – one free from bondage and restored which I so desperately desired. Since being here, I have experienced true love, peace, and joy. I have learned to fully surrender. Let God take control because it’s not in my power to fix anything. He is working in me every single day and I am so happy with who I am today. He has also restored my family relationships. I will be eternally grateful for God and for the Women of Hope.

I was born to a beautiful couple caught in a world of addiction. I was later adopted by a loving, kind, godly woman after being transferred to multiple foster homes. Around this time, I received a phone call that my father had overdosed on heroin at the age of 45. This just added to the pain I already felt inside. I was introduced to pain pills after suffering a miscarriage and discovered that they not only numbed the physical pain, but my emotional pain as well. It wasn’t long before I was introduced to meth and that took me down a dark and deep spiral downwards.

I turned my back on my family and put getting high above anything else. I went through two relapses before finding myself here at the Women of Hope, and it is by the grace of God that I made it here. I am so grateful for this program and all that I have learned since coming here. I chose to let God take control of things that are out of my hands and let him heal things that I have been holding onto for far too long. God has completely restored the relationship I have with my husband and my four beautiful daughters. I am so blessed to have been given the opportunity to come here and work this program. I have been set free, and whom the Son sets free is free indeed!

At 21, I tried meth for the first time when my heart was broken due to a break-up. I wanted to forget the pain. I didn’t know that it would also make me forget about everything in my life that I loved as well. Within 6 months of using, I dropped off my son with his grandmother and became a full-blown meth addict. While in this addiction, I got married and had two other children. It wasn’t long until I got divorced and gave my two sons to their grandparents. This vicious cycle continued and my drug addiction lasted for 17 years.

At times, I didn’t know if I would ever escape… at least not alive. Until one day, God showed up and showed out! I was given the opportunity to come back to the Women of Hope, graciously, after leaving early before. This time was different, though. I was ready and committed to find recovery, but more importantly to find a real, true, and deep relationship with Jesus Christ, the only answer to my problems. Because of Him and the Women of Hope, I am free from drug addiction! I am not a “recovering addict.” I am a firm believer in Jesus Christ. I live each and every day to serve Him and help others. Women of Hope teaches women like me to break free from the bondage of our old lives.

Today, I am 20 months clean and sober and I have a restored relationship with all three of my sons! I am now employed at the Women of Hope and work at our Hope Store. God has blown my mind with the abundant blessings, restoration, and redemption that He has poured over my life. I am truly grateful for Women of Hope. I wouldn’t be where I am today without this program and the guidance, love, support, and prayers of the leaders and workers here.

Growing up, I never really had a relationship with God. I began to experiment with alcohol and drugs in high school. I got a job at a pharmacy and went to college. During this time, I got to see the effects of addiction up-close through a relationship I was in. I watched his withdrawals, so I began stealing meds to help him. It wasn’t long before I daily began snorting pain medicine. I would steal for personal use, but also to sell in college. With all the money I obtained, I kept using and completely wrecked my life. I was unrecognizable even to myself.

Before I knew it, I was a full-blown addict that couldn’t live, sleep, or function without drugs. I quit college, my job, and my relationship to move back home. After a 30-day rehab at my parents’ wishes, I was back out there – now worse than before. However, this time I was injecting and became pregnant. My baby ended up in NICU due to the drugs in his system. I’ve never felt so hopeless.

Shortly after, I came to the Women of Hope. I completed the program, but after entering into a new relationship I started using again. Eventually, I became pregnant again with twins while I was taking Subutex. They were delivered healthy, but after their first year I discovered a new evil: methamphetamine. I spiraled out of control. For over a year, I was trapped in a cycle of trying to find my next high, a place to lay my head, and a meal to fill my stomach.

I came back to Women of Hope and this time has been different because I fully surrendered my life into God’s hands. I have more peace than I’ve ever had. I don’t worry about what the future holds because I know that God is in control.  Since I’ve been here, God has been restoring my relationship with my family and I get to see my kids often. I teach praise dance to the girls in the center which is a huge passion of mine.  I now know my worth and I know that He has a purpose for my life.  I know God loves me despite my past and my mistakes. He has made a way for me even when I thought there was no way. Because Christ died for me, I will live for Him.

My parents divorced when I was five years old and I felt the effects of this terrible split throughout my childhood. At a very young age, I was also molested. My whole world changed. I picked up patterns that would follow me for years.

At the age of 12, I taught myself how to play the guitar and started singing in church. In going to church, God had become a prevalent person in my life. I was full of anxiety and fear because of the abuse I went through. I finally started to feel loved, valued, and important, until my friend and I were molested on the school bus by a high school boy. I tried to tell my teacher, but she became upset with me and told me I would ruin his football career. After that, I never spoke about it to anyone. After high school, I experienced a very physically and emotionally abusive relationship.

After all of this, I found myself injecting pain pills daily. Through my addiction, I distanced myself further and further from God. My best friend talked me into going to rehab, and so I did. One morning, tragedy struck when I learned that friend had been in a fire accident and died. Whatever belief I had in God, left me at that very moment. After a short-lived binge, I got sober and it lasted for 3 years.

However, I hit rock bottom in 2016 and soon after I found myself in the Women of Hope. I was skeptical and reluctant to believe anything at first, but Pastor Marcie told me to keep an open mind. I accepted Jesus Christ into my heart. I started leading worship here and found such joy in doing it. After enduring a miscarriage, my husband and I relapsed on the very same day. I can honestly say this time here is different. The last time I relapsed took me to deeper levels than I ever imagined possible, but this time I have experienced God on such a deeper level than ever before. I am leading worship again, and God is opening new doors for me all the time.

God has kept every promise He made to us and restoration is taking place right before my eyes. The Holy Spirit is so present in this place and I am so thankful to be accepted back here to find true freedom from the bondage of my addiction and sin.

Growing up I had a good and happy childhood, but we didn’t go to church and had no knowledge of God. With Dad in the military, we traveled and moved around a lot. I did well academically in high school, but my first boyfriend introduced me to marijuana. Later, I met a man who was a meth dealer which I eventually found myself being abused mentally and physically. I tried committing suicide and ended up in ICU for three days. The devil had me and almost killed me.

Then, someone new came into my life and it was much worse than the last one. After being in and out of jail several times, something changed. The jail chaplain handed me a Women of Hope brochure and I was very interested, but the enemy wasn’t through with me yet. I tried to numb my pain by using more and ended up with two felony warrants. The judge agreed to send me to the Women of Hope and I knew I needed help. I successfully completed the program in 2011 and remained sober for years. However, I relapsed in 2015 and needed to complete a 90-day maintenance program.

After I left again, I eventually fell into deep depression which led to relapse, being homeless, and selling drugs. The Lord has His mighty hand on me and brought me back in early 2018. Since being back, I feel the Holy Spirit more than ever. I’ve learned not to put God in a box. He is part of me and I’m looking forward to following the path He has set for me.

I wasn’t always a believer of Christ because of the way I was raised. I was born to two very lost parents who did the best they could with what they had. My dad was always a heavy drinker as far back as I can remember and my mom was simply a stay-at-home mom who did her very best to take care of six kids. Dad was really mean, both verbally and physically, when he was drinking.This caused a lot of emotional pain for all of us; I believe that he did more emotional damage during that time to us than any physical harm he could have ever done.

At 15, I started smoking weed and drinking. I had my first child around this time too and found a love I had always wanted. My dad continued to stir up old feelings in my life and I fell back into a depression and unhealthy emotional state. I even went through a miscarriage not long after, and then a divorce. My life began to spiral out of control quickly. I found myself in an abusive relationship. After taking all that I could after he locked me in a room for two days while emotionally, verbally, and physically abused me, I left him and never looked back. This caused my pain and fears to heighten and I continued the downward spiral. Because of all the abuse I had endured, I was prescribed Xanax and pain pills. This became the new love of my life and took me down faster than I had ever imagined possible.

When I was 21, I met the man of my dreams and fell insanely head-over-heels in love with him. We had a baby boy together and I thought I had the family I always wanted. Unfortunately, I later found out my husband had cheated on me while I was pregnant. That rocked my whole world. I got so depressed and I cried all the time because I just couldn’t understand how someone who loved me so much could ever do that to me. I chose to stay and try to work things out. It did get better for a while, but our relationship took a new turn when we began using meth.

We thought we could keep it under control, but it wasn’t long before we were injecting it every single day. I watched the man I loved most become a monster right in front of my eyes. He became abusive and even tried to kill me one night. My life completely fell apart and I cried out to God begging him to rescue me. Be careful what you ask for. Almost a week later, I was arrested for an old warrant. After spending 30 days in jail, I came to Women of Hope.

Since being here, I have learned of a love and strength that I never thought I would find. God is amazing, and He is doing such big things in my life. I am so thankful for this place and the change it has made in not only myself, but my family’s life as well. I have learned to put old things behind me that no longer serve a purpose or only seek to tear my down. I now reach for heavenly things and find my strength in my Savior, Jesus Christ. I can honestly say that I love the person I am becoming. It truly is a miracle and I could not have done it without this place and all of these people that seek to help lost souls like mine was.

As a child, I grew up in church. I knew about Jesus, but I didn’t realize how He really worked. It wasn’t until I was confirmed at 12 years of age that I morally knew right from wrong. I became a rebellious teenager. I started smoking cigarettes and sneaking out of my parents’ home all hours of the night. Things were already starting to get out of control. I found a guy that I thought hung the moon, but little did I know he would ruin my confidence and trust for others for years to come.

After the traumatic experience of this relationship, I became depressed and cut myself off from the world. I was prescribed anti-depressants and anxiety medications, but all that did was suppress my feelings. I felt so alone. Not long after this, I did meet the man that I married and had two beautiful children. However, due to my migraines, I began relying on pain pills to make it through the day. I began going to doctor after doctor because I couldn’t get enough meds to get me where I could be numb to all the emotional and physical pain. My family and friends would tell me how I was acting, but I was in complete denial. I had finally put myself in the devil’s playground.

I did complete rehab after getting myself into trouble with the law, but the devil found a way to creep back into my life. My family was done with me. I had no home, no friends… NOTHING! For a year, I went house to house until one day I prayed and told God I wanted my life back. I called my old friend Jessica and she said let your pride down and call Pastor Marcie. I was at the Women of Hope within three days. God has truly blessed me. I’m growing daily in my walk with God. I have prophetic dreams, visions and words, and restoration not only with my girls, but my whole family. I have a calling on my life for leadership. Thank God and this place for the change I am able to embrace in my life today.

I tried drugs for the very first time as a teenager. I was only 15 years old when I tried meth for the first time. I never fully fell into addiction until I was prescribed diet pills when I was 34 years old. As soon as the prescription ran out, I was hooked. Then, I was reintroduced to meth and that’s when I knew I had a problem. By the age of 35, I felt like I had to have it to get through the day. Going through a miscarriage and a divorce without it seemed like too much to bear. By October of 2017, I had lost my family and had supervised custody of my children. I had lost myself completely. I was using everyday just to keep the pain and hell I was living in manageable. You would think being miserable would have stopped me, but it didn’t. This monster I was fighting was way bigger than I am. It took going to jail and hitting rock bottom for me to realize I needed help.

My family recommended Women of Hope and I made the decision to go get help, so I could get my life back. Women of Hope has been such a blessing. I have gained so much knowledge, but more importantly I now have a loving and personal relationship with my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I have a wonderful support system here and people who love me unconditionally. God is continuously doing big things in my life restoring what satan tried to steal from me. I have an overwhelming sense of peace and joy that literally blows my mind and today, I can honestly say, I love the woman God is creating inside of me. I am so grateful for Women of Hope and all that they have taught me and done for me in my recovery. I’m also thankful for a loving God that never gave up on me and always loved me, despite my mistakes and mess-ups.

My mom tried to always make sure that I was in church as a child. I thought I knew everything I needed to know about God growing up. Now, I realize there’s a difference in knowing about God and having a relationship with God. I began using drugs after I had been sent home from the doctor with a prescription for pain pills.

I noticed the energy they gave me was just what I needed with two small children. I kept taking them and found out it was very easy to get them from doctors. After a while, I had to move to stronger pain medication and take more to get the feeling I was looking for. By this time, I had to take them just to keep from being sick.

Eventually, I found a new love: meth. It wasn’t long before I lost everything.. and I mean everything: my children, my house, my family, and my freedom. I was in and out of jail and Drug Court with no sign of hope left. When I got arrested in January of 2012, I knew that I had already been given too many chances. So, I knew that I would be going away for a while this time. My mom told me she was fasting and praying that I would get to go to a rehab and that she had heard of a place called Women of Hope.

In January 2012, a miracle happened when the judge let me enter into the Women of Hope program. It took a while for me to fully surrender. On April 20th, I hit my knees and begged God to forgive me. I wanted to read my bible daily and see what God had to tell me.

My children started coming around and talking to me. My daughter and I were even baptized together in September 2012. I thank God for restoring my relationship with all three of my children and my entire family. After two years of doing well, the devil tried to steal my testimony once again. I thank God for sending people my way to save me. I knew exactly where to run to… the Women of Hope.

My intentions were to stay just for 45 days. However, I have been here almost 5 years and I’m now the Director of the program. Five years ago, I was a mess. I was headed to prison and I was staring death right in the face. I didn’t even care because I really didn’t think there was a way out.

Today, that same miserable person can walk with her head held high and a smile on her face because God has blessed me with so much and He continues to pour blessings on me daily. Only God can turn the mess I was in into a message. I am forever grateful for all the blessings that He continues to pour down on me every day.

From an early age, I battled depression, panic attacks, and obsessive-compulsive rituals. I remember feeling suicidal and hopeless at times. I did, however, give my life to Christ as a young teen, but I hadn’t yet established that intimate relationship with him. I began experimenting with drugs in college, but managed to still graduate. My world truly spiraled out of control when I became addicted to prescription pain killers. I worked in the medical field at the time, so it was fairly easy for me to find ways to get them.

My use continued to escalate and my tolerance grew higher and higher. How no one noticed I was using during work is a work of the devil. God was telling me during that time “if you don’t quit, you’re going to die,” but I continued to ignore his warnings. This continued until June of 2009 when I finally responded to that still, small voice and cried out to God for help. God heard my cry for help, and it came in the form of an arrest. He locked me in a jail cell to set me free. It was in those next nine months that I went from religion to a real relationship with him.

When I returned home from jail, I went to the doctor about my problems with physical pain. I thought I could handle taking the prescription pain killers under doctor’s orders, but I was so wrong. I began that vicious cycle of addiction all over again. I began living a double life. I was active in my church and even taught Bible school. My life looked normal, but I was physically sick, emotionally desperate, and spiritually torn. I finally expressed my thoughts and feelings to my family and asked for help.

Shortly after, I detoxed and came to the Women of Hope. I learned so much from Pastor Marcie and all of the leaders here. My relationship with God developed to a whole new level and I knew I had found a safe place. Even when I thought I had it all together and decided to leave the program early, they welcomed me back with open arms. It is because of completing this program and growing my relationship with Christ that I am now truly set free.

God has done a miraculous work in my life and has offered complete restoration. I now know that I cannot change my past, but I can let God’s love change me, and he has! I have joy that I never thought I would have again. I am so grateful that God had a plan for a hope and a future for me, even when I couldn’t see it. I’m also thankful for the Women of Hope for helping me to discover that hope.

I began using drugs when I was 24 years old after being involved in a serious car wreck that resulted in some extensive injuries. My drug usage started off slow, but escalated quickly to the point where I began using meth, LSD, and heroine together. This drug cocktail is a deadly mixture and I shouldn’t even be alive to tell my story. I knew I was addicted and needed help when I realized I just could not stay clean no matter how hard I tried or wanted to be.

Life became a dark, bitter place for me and I knew that I needed something more to bring me out of it. I first heard about the Women of Hope through Englewood Baptist Church. With some help from a few ladies that attended there, I was able to enter the program and they even agreed to sponsor my stay here. Women of Hope is different from any other rehab that I have been to because it is faith-based and I truly found God here. I learned that Jesus is that missing piece I so desperately needed because only He has the power to heal me. Not just of my addiction, but of all my hurts, habits, and hang-ups.

As I am transitioning out of the center, God has brought so much restoration. I now have a job, better relationships with my family, and I am able to be a beacon of light to them. I even have some new family that I found through the Women of Hope. My relationship with Jesus continues to grow daily. It is the firm foundation that I needed to not only get clean, but stay clean. I’m so grateful for this place, and all that the program has done for me

I began using drugs when I was sixteen years old because I wanted to feel numb from all the emotional trauma that I had been through growing up. I didn’t want to feel anything at all and drugs seemed to do just that for a while. Meth became my drug of choice and my first love. I knew I was addicted after the first use. I thought it would solve all of my problems, but in all reality it made everything worse. I lost sight of who I was and became everything I never wanted to be.

At my worst, I was using 3.5 grams of meth daily. I was desperate for a way out of the grave of addiction and abuse that had swallowed me up, in an attempt to end it all. Just as I was losing sight of any light left around me, God reached His hand into my life and guided me into the Women of Hope after a friend had told me about the program. Since being here, I have learned my addiction does not identify me and that my identity is in Christ. I now have a relationship with Jesus and have been given a second chance at finding and loving myself. I’m grateful to the Women of Hope because I know I would not be where I am today without this program.

I grew up with a void in my heart, always feeling as though something was missing. I tried to fill that void with drugs, alcohol, and bad habits. However, nothing was ever satisfactory enough to completely fill me up. The void I felt got even larger when I went through an intense depression after my divorce a couple of years ago. I began drinking or taking pills almost every day, and before long I found myself in a deep pit called addiction. I lost myself completely and every ounce of self-worth I had left slipped through my fingers.

I found out I was pregnant and thought I could straighten up long enough to have my baby, but in a matter of weeks I was using again. It wasn’t that I didn’t love her, I just couldn’t do it on my own and I was too afraid of what others would think to admit I needed help. At my worst, I was using $450 of Oxycodone daily. I began thinking I was too far gone and that nothing I could ever do would be able to save me or my unborn baby girl. Just when I was about to lose all hope, God reached His hand down into that pit to rescue me. My mother noticed money missing from my parents’ account, so she drug tested me and of course, I failed. She immediately called my brother, who used to work for a men’s rehab and he recommended the Women of Hope.

Two days later, I arrived at the center – broken, bitter, angry, and full of resentment for myself and others. I gave birth to a beautiful, healthy baby girl. She has lived with me ever since. Women of Hope has taught me how worthy I truly am and how to fill that void with a true relationship with Jesus Christ. Now, I get to be the mom that I always dreamed of being and my own mother has her daughter back. I’ve been set free from the bondage of addiction, brokenness, bitterness, anger, resentment, and unforgiveness. I couldn’t be more grateful for this ministry and all that it is doing to break the cycle of addiction for women and their families.

I was only fourteen years old when I became involved with drugs and my life was full of ups and downs. I’ve never been sure of who I was or what my purpose for this life was. Every time the hurt and pain came back, I used drugs. I didn’t want to feel anything.

First, I started with smoking weed and pills and it was so easy to justify, so I kept doing it. Of course, when you start one drug it always leads to another. Soon, I became heavily involved with meth and the lifestyle it came with. On my worst days, I was using up to a gram of meth every day. I had no sleep, no food, and no place to stay. I had lost every stable thing in my life because of the decisions I had made.

I knew my life was out of control when my every need depended on drugs and I needed it to function. All the hope I had ever had for myself was gone. My older sister had a drug problem just like mine. She had gone through a faith-based rehab called Hope Recovery Center/Women of Hope and she had proceeded to work there. When you hear people say, “God’s timing is everything,” you should believe them because just at the right time when I needed her help the most, she helped me get into the program.

Women of Hope stands outs from other rehabs because of their faith in God and their trusting in what He can do. He has delivered me from the pit along with many other women. Through Women of Hope, I have learned how to replace the feeling of sorrow with joy and I am confident to stand tall in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I have already been blessed with a job as soon as I get out of the center and will be looking forward to making an amends with my family and getting an education. God is already opening so many doors for me!

Drugs became a part of my life when I was 21 years old. The reason I started using drugs was to just numb the pain. I didn’t want to feel anymore. I didn’t want to feel anything. My oldest son’s Dad and I separated, so I found myself trying to escape the hurt by using drugs. My drug of choice was Methamphetamines and on my worst days I was injecting meth every day and as much as I could. I absolutely knew I was addicted to drugs when I gave up my three boys for my addiction. My family had found out about a place called Hope Recovery Center / Women of Hope. It’s a faith-based rehab and with my addiction going nowhere fast – I decide to go.

Women of Hope was the first rehab that I had ever gone to. It was very different from anything that I had ever experienced. I could tell that God was doing great work there and that Holy Spirit filled each building. The first time I attended Women of Hope I left early while I was in my three-month period. Finally, during the third time that I came to the Women of Hope program, I realized that this is where Jesus had put me to save my life. Coming through the Women of Hope, I learned that there is a right way to deal with the hurts and stresses of life.

Jesus Christ is there for me whenever I call on Him. He gives me peace that passes all understanding and He tell me that I don’t have to go back to my old lifestyle. I can feel comfortable in having a relation- ship with Him and living my life how He has always meant for me to live it. When I graduate Women of Hope, I know that God is going to restore my family even more than He already has. Jesus has healed the broken pieces of my life that I had thrown away.

Drugs became a part of my daily life when I was only 15 years old. I started using drugs because I thought by doing them it would make me feel accepted by others. Looking back now, I know that using drugs was not the answer. It didn’t make me feel more accepted. It led to something much worse.

My drugs of choice were marijuana, pills, and heroin. On my worst days, I was using heroin several times a day and doing it every day. I knew my addiction was full blown when I couldn’t even feel normal without it.

I found out about the Women of Hope from a previous program graduate and I saw what it had done for her. Women of Hope was the first rehab that I have ever been to and it was the best experience anyone can hope for. What makes Women of Hope so different from other rehabs is the Spirit of God. God has blessed me through this program by renewing my faith in Him and I know He hears my prayers.

My spiritual walk with Him is what keeps me clear-headed and I finally feel like myself again. Through Women of Hope, I have learned how to overcome my addiction through Jesus Christ. I know that He will never leave me, nor forsake me.

When I graduate from this program, I hope for God to restore my relationship with my kids. I hope for job opportunities and also to move back in with my grandma so I can help her. I never thought I could be the person that I am today. I have been clean and sober for 8 months.

I became involved with drugs when I was 17 years old. I started using because everyone else was doing it and I was going to parties to fit in with the crowd. My drugs of choice were Opiates and Xanax. At my worst, I was using Xanax everyday and I was taking handfuls at a time. I knew I was addicted to drugs when I didn’t have them and it was all I could think about. My relationship with my family had completely gone downhill. Things had gotten so bad that I had also lost custody of my first daughter and was put in jail for driving under the influence. At the time of my arrest, I was also five months pregnant. I found out about Women of Hope through a lady at the jail whose daughter had went through the program, and because I was pregnant upon my arrival, I got to keep my second daughter.

Women of Hope is different from any other rehab because it’s faith-based. I am always free to worship Him and it has taught me that Jesus Christ is my higher power. Through Women of Hope, I have learned that I am powerless over my addiction and only the love and power of Jesus Christ can help me conquer it. When I graduated from Women of Hope, I was able to see my daughter often, and start over with both of my daughters. The relationship I once had with my family was restored back to me and it seemed even better than it was before.

The first time I got high, I was 12 years old. It started with weed and alcohol; eventually I found pills. I met an older guy that became my boyfriend. He introduced me to meth, and I thought I loved it. Never did I think that it would bring me so much pain. After many more twists and turns, I finally understood that it was Jesus bringing me through the storms of life. He was guiding my footsteps to the Women of Hope where I would find my healing.

I have completed the nine months and could not be more thankful for God showing up. I’m learning to take every thought captive and pray without ceasing. I’m learning what works and what hasn’t worked in the past. Thank you to everyone for all the forgiveness, mercy, grace, and second chances. I couldn’t do it without y’all.

I had a bunch of 100 mg Fentanyl patches. I put one on and I didn’t feel any effect, so I put another one on and so on. They told me when I woke up two weeks later in ICU on life-support that they found a total of five patches on me. The doctor said they didn’t think I would make it; and if I did, there would be a chance that I would have brain damage. The doctor told me that it was miracle that I was still alive.

After that, my addiction increased to shooting heroin and prostituting to support my drug habit. However through Women of Hope, I’ve been able to begin to deal with my past and learn how to process my feelings. God has restored my family. Most of all, my relationship with God has been restored. God has given me a peace that is unexplainable. He has taken my brokenness and turned it into light.

I had tried weed, pills, molly, LSD, and cocaine. I was partying, having sex, and living a life that could only become disaster and possibly even death. At 19, I was living with a meth user and dealer and began smoking, eating, and snorting meth heavily. I was unstable and very sick. After two years of abuse, I felt completely helpless and hopeless. However, God is good and heard my cry for help. He gave me a chance to start my life over. Thank you to the Women of Hope staff for accepting, loving, and helping me to see that I am able to overcome and become the woman that God created me to be.

After three months in jail, I met Kristie Butler. I was meaner to her than a rattle snake, but she showed me the Light at the end of the twelve-year tunnel. I had never been so sick and tired of being sick and tired. I had been in addiction so long that there was only One who could pull me out, and that was Jesus Christ himself. I was living in the pit of hell, but He broke my chains and now I’m redeemed. I got saved on September 7^th, 2016, and baptized shortly after that. I got my family back and I found myself.