In Recovery Since 5/6/2022

Today, my path to recovery hasn’t been very easy. However, for the first time I am giving recovery a true chance. I am a member in The Healing House and New Beginnings INC. Years ago, if anyone would tell me I would be in a ministry-based recovery program, I wouldn’t have believed them. But along the way after my second trip to prison, I started to get tired. Real tired, and I looked in the mirror and just started crying. I wanted help. I was too ashamed and embarrassed. Shortly, thereafter, I was arrested. Spending 9 months in county jail after only being out of prison for five weeks from doing a 20-month sentence. I was given a recovery Bible. I laughed to myself; I will not be one of them that found God while in jail. That Bible sat under my mat half through my jail stay. Until finally, during a lock down I pulled it out and started reading. The stories, the scriptures were speaking loud to me. So loud that I shut the book and stared at the wall for a long time. I made the choice then that I didn’t want to go back to the drugs. On my court date I asked the judge if he would give me a chance at a program. I applied to The Healing House and New Beginnings a second time and was given a chance. Because of these ladies and this ministry, I wake up each day without the need to have to use or sell drugs to make my way. Because of PFH I get to attend groups and more support to help me with each battle in my life that would cause me to go back to drug use. I have a PO that cares and encourages me to do better instead of pushing me to the point of wanting to mess up. I have a sponsor that works the 12 Steps with me, and we go to meetings. I look forward to going to AA meeting and seeing all the people that are just as broken as me. And they look forward to seeing me. Everyone from the ladies in the ministry, my new found church family, my PFH family/team, and my PO are even helping me fight an appeal to win custody of my youngest daughter. I now even have a growing relationship with God/ higher power. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t have found any of the people that are walking this path with me. God made this way; he gave me a fighting chance to show the world that I am more than my addiction or menace to society. I am not a criminal that ruins life. I am a daughter of God and deserve a way better life than I was living.