On March 17, 2017, the unthinkable happened. We lost our only son, Justin, to suicide. This after battling a 10-year addiction problem. I can’t even begin to describe the pain, grief, hurt, anger, and depression that followed. I lost my faith in God. Though raised a Christian, I questioned everything I once believed. I’d been praying for God to help Justin, to take away the pain from the addiction, to take away the addiction all together. When we lost Justin, I felt as if my prayers were just ignored. I felt God apparently favored some people over others. I say this because all my life, I had seen prayers… Read More
Recovery
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In the depths of my darkest days, consumed by addiction and despair, I found solace in the unwavering love and guidance of Jesus Christ. His divine intervention ignited a transformative journey that rescued me from the clutches of addiction and instilled within me a profound sense of purpose and a burning desire to serve others. Through my recovery and subsequent community advocacy work, I strive to demonstrate my unwavering love for Jesus Christ by embodying His teachings and spreading His message of hope and redemption. One of the ways I put my faith into action is by volunteering at a drive-thru… Read More
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Arriving home on my 21st birthday to a house filled with my beloved family, the air buzzed with anticipation of a joyous celebration. Little did I know that this day would forever be etched in my memory as a pivotal one. With a heavy heart and trembling voice, my dad mustered the courage to utter the words that had consumed our thoughts for the past hour, "She has cancer." The atmosphere instantly shifted from jubilation to a profound silence, punctuated only by the collective tears and anguished expressions of my loved ones. What was to be a celebration turned into a… Read More
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This is the story of how God brought me through a difficult Lyme diagnosis. I had an ideal childhood, it was wonderful. But life was difficult, too. I experienced migraines, digestive issues, and more. I didn’t know what was wrong, but the Lord did. Finally, I took a Lyme test, which showed that I tested positive for Lyme. Lyme disease is a bacterial infection either from a tick which invades your body, or it’s passed down from one of your parents. It takes over your body and causes severe symptoms such as numbness, fatigue, joint pain, and headaches. Following my diagnosis… Read More
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I am often known as “the girl who has heart issues”. I have a rare heart condition that led me to have open heart surgery at age 17. Several years later, I had to undergo two more open heart surgeries in just a three-week period. And last year, I was about to undergo a fourth heart procedure, but doctors were concerned about my blood count and discovered that I have leukemia. So, I'm currently in the midst of some very difficult chemotherapy treatments. I believe everyone has struggles and a story to tell. Some may look different than others; my struggles… Read More
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I grew up in a very secular home, I didn't go to church, and I never saw my parents read the Bible. I thought that if I just did whatever I wanted, without any rules or restrictions, then I would be happy. That's what my friends did, and they seemed to be having a lot of fun. I saw no point in God, and instead of going to church, I would go to the local tattoo shop. The money I earned went towards my tattoos, alcohol and pot. By the time I was 22, my parents had disowned me and I was… Read More