I grew up the older of two children in a divorced family. My mom loved me and my brother and worked very hard to take care of us. It wasn’t always easy, but obviously I survived. I’ve always known Jesus thanks to my grandmother who is very Christ-like and taught me at an early age to love him and have a reverence for God.

But as a teenager I did like most do and I partied some and shortly before I turned 18 I got pregnant with my son Tyler and I gave birth to him on May 31, 2006. I had a difficult time with accepting the role of being a young mother, being that it was definitely unplanned and shortly after my son was born his father and I split up. But by the time I was 21 I was supporting us both on my own working in management for a fast food restaurant. I had a new car, my own place, and everything that Tyler and I needed or so I thought.

My entire life I’ve struggled with bouts of depression and loneliness and as a child I would lay awake at night and pray myself through or talk to my grandma about God but as a young adult I strayed from that and learned instead to experiment with drugs in order to fill that void. Until the year I turned 22 I was able to function and work to provide for my son but as my drug use became more prevalent my supervisors began to notice and I quit my job in April 2010 after I was unable to pass a drug test requested by upper management.

After the loss of my job I began to associate closely with a man who was manufacturing my drug of choice. I began to constantly use without limit and sell part of what he would produce in order to make ends meet. I became totally paranoid. I completely changed and distanced myself from my family. Then in June 2010 my house was raided and I was arrested with this man for unlawful manufacturing of a controlled substance. I spent a few weeks in Marshall County Jail and eventually my dad came and bonded me out. But when I got home my life was totally different. I lost my car, my home and custody of my son. The pain of this realization was overwhelming and I did not seek an open communication with God to give me strength and within the next month I was high again. Eventually I met up with the same man and went on a completely destructive yearlong bender that took me away from my family again.

My personality was completely changed and I turned into a violent, angry shadow of who I used to be. I no longer prayed and we began to thrive on the evil works we were involved in. And eventually my soul was hanging in the balance. In May 2011 I was arrested in Boaz for possession of a controlled substance only to be bonded out by that same man the next morning. Five days after being released from Boaz City, Etowah County task force raided a house I was at along with 6 other individuals. I had my second manufacturing charge in less than a year. After spending 5 months in Etowah County Detention Center I was transferred to Marshall County for 8 more months due to a revoked bond on my original charge.

I spent those 13 months in God’s Word trying to build on my relationship with Him. On June 19, 2012 I was released. It felt so good to be home but I had a hard time readjusting at first. However I was determined to get my life back together and put everything that had happened behind me but unfortunately I also put God behind me. I did well for a year, had a short relapse in 2013 but was able to recover, pick things up where I left off and by October 2013 both of my cases in Marshall County had been dropped and the one in Etowah County was reduced and deferred to a pre-trial program.

I was working by 2014 and the man I had been with for a while chose to move in with me. He had issues of his own but I really thought I cared about him. He however was struggling with addiction himself. For many months, even though he was using, I remained strong enough to stay sober and keep things afloat. But on New Year’s 2015 I began using methamphetamine with him and never tried to stop and it only progressively got worse. I ended up leaving him and getting another place but I was already too deep in to stop on my own.

In May 2015 I was arrested for theft in Boaz and lost the job I had held for 3 years. I managed to barely get by and keep my house and car for a few months but lost more and more of myself every day. In August I was involved in a high speed chase through two counties. Although I managed to escape authorities I had to turn myself in a week later.

This time I stayed. I knew there was no way I could live like this anymore. So I gave in and poured out my heart to God. I asked Him to take control of my situation and do whatever necessary to make my heart right. The first few weeks in Marshall County were hard. I felt like I had never left. I was devastated at how I could’ve possibly ended up back there and hurt my family so bad after everything I had accomplished and overcome. I felt like a failure but I kept faith in God’s restoration power.

After a month I found out about Mercy Home Ministries and agreed to apply. I entered Mercy Home Ministries October 2, 2015. I knew from the start that Mercy Home is where I’m supposed to be. I knew it the first time I stood at the cliff overlooking the lake in front of Mercy Home. I knew at my first church service and I’ve known every moment since.

On April 5, 2016 halfway through the program I lost my little brother to drugs. He was my best friend. When Jordan died I literally broke apart inside… BUT GOD!!!! The devil is out to steal, kill, and destroy and that is exactly what he did to Jordan. He stole his joy, destroyed his life, and eventually he killed him. This was so hard. I was devastated. But I realized through the next few weeks Mercy Home and all those that are involved in the ministry have been a vessel for God to totally restore every relationship I fractured.

God showed himself in a mighty way by healing all my hurt. Each day that goes by I get closer to Him. It’s been a privilege to be here building a relationship with God instead of where my actions could’ve taken me. It’s been such a blessing to be loved and accepted while building my relationship with God. I can honestly say I will leave here with a firm foundation to stand on and mentors to hold me accountable.

God through Mercy Home gave me my life back and I will be forever grateful. God had me exactly where I needed to be. If it hadn’t been for Mercy Home, I don’t know where I’d be, I don’t know what would’ve happened to me, or how I would’ve taken all of this. Had I not been at Mercy Home and grown to learn that I am not defenseless. God saw me through this terrible tragedy in my life. Mercy Home and all those involved in this ministry have been a vessel for God to totally restore me and every relationship I had fractured. God has healed all my hurt. Each day that goes by I get closer to Him.

It’s been a privilege to be at Mercy Home and graduate the program. It’s been a blessing to be loved and accepted while building on my relationship with God. I can honestly say I’m leaving with a firm foundation to stand on, and mentors to hold me accountable. God through Mercy Home gave me my life back. I will be forever grateful.