I lost my mother and my boundaries at age 14.  My father remarried 7 months later, and my stepmother was very manipulative.  Since I had no boundaries, I thought that having boyfriends (i.e., sex) was how you expressed and were shown love.  I didn't know any better.  No one had ever told me or shown me what true love really was.  Even until the 5-Day Biblical Counseling Program, I did not know what true love was!

Once my father found out that I was actually having sex with boys he was very disappointed in me.  That's when things really fell apart in my life.  We all started fighting!  They ‘cell-blocked’ me.  I couldn't see or talk to the boy anymore.  They took away my phone privileges and I wasn't allowed to go anywhere or do anything!  My stepmother had to take me everywhere that I needed to go.  I felt that my parents were very unfair, and I felt more unloved then ever!

My stepmother did things for me to make herself look good to my father, but she was never kind or loving to me.  She never made me feel accepted, and she hated the attention that my father gave me.  She caused my relationship with my father to be very strained.  She was jealous of the affection that we had for one another and would constantly interfere.  We all went to church together and I even got baptized in her church to try to please her.  That didn't work.  Of course, I did not even KNOW Jesus at this point in my life.  I didn't understand the act of baptism or how important a personal relationship with Jesus is!

I started attending a Christian school during my senior year of high school because my parents thought that it might straighten me out.  My father wanted me to take my GED 3 weeks before graduation so he could go ahead and send me to Missouri, because I had always wanted to live in Missouri.  However, I wanted to graduate with my class so I told him, “No way!”

After graduation I did move to Missouri to live with an aunt.  I met Nick and married him because he asked me.  We were married on February 8, 1987.  I wanted a baby, and finally conceived (it was the happiest day of my life)!  I miscarried at 6 weeks…my world crashed!  I sank into a deep depression.  I couldn't do anything but cry.  I went to my doctor and he put me on medication that did absolutely nothing for me!  I continued to get worse.  They put me into a mental facility for 5 days.  It was a Christian organization, but it didn't help either.

After trying numerous medications that didn't help, I heard about Addicts Victorious through my church.  There was a support group meeting being held there, and I started to attend.  Rev. Jenkins came to our church to speak and I felt that Addicts Victorious could help me.  Just the things that he shared that day helped me begin to feel better.  I knew that there was help for me through this ministry.  I always held on to God…I knew that He was there…I asked Him to not let go of me.

My marriage was horrible…Nick left.  I began going to church more, and started feeling more a part of my church.  I finally broke down and shared with my pastor all that I had been feeling and what I had been through.  He suggested that I come to the Addicts Victorious 5-Day Biblical Counseling Program.  The church sent me…both spiritually and financially!

The first day was pretty hard!  The second day was awesome!!  I found the LORD!!!  I was totally delivered from every worry, fear, anxiety, problem, and addiction!  I saw, believed, and received the simple hidden truth about the Word of God, and I also received the baptism of the Holy Spirit!  My life is TOTALLY CHANGED…FOREVER!!!

I would like to thank Jesus for using the AV Staff to teach me how to understand the truth of the Word of God!  I didn't understand who really created me…they showed me in God's Word (John 1:1-4, and John 1:14)!  Look it up!  Seek and you shall find!  PRAISE THE LORD!

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