"I began to see for the first time that God did love me! I had never known that kind of love before."

Nov 27, 2023

My name is Laura, and my story at the Mission begins more than ten years ago. In 2013, my husband and I found ourselves completely alone with nowhere else to turn. We were both severe alcoholics, and we had lost our children and home due to the nature of our addiction. I was genuinely hopeless, but I remember feeling safe the moment I came to the Mission. I stayed in the shelter for about a year, and it became what I now consider my “safe place.” After listening to the stories of the staff, I decided to join the women’s recovery program at Grace’s House. At this point I still was not ready to fully surrender myself to the Lord, my only focus was getting my children back into my life. I didn’t want to give up alcohol, and I didn’t feel like I should have to. I still wanted to live life on my terms, even though my choices were destroying me.

 

I was raised in the Catholic faith, but I never truly understood what a relationship with God meant. Through my time in the program, I slowly began to understand that the Lord was trying to get a hold of me. I remember Ms. Edwina, the assistant director of the program, telling me “Whether you get your kids back or not, you are here to let the Lord work on you and show you how much He loves you.” That statement was life-changing for me. Through Scripture, Christian literature, and the Bible classes, I began to see for the first time that God did love me. I had never known that kind of love before. I trusted that I could put my faith in His plan, not mine.


During my time at Grace’s house, I was able to have regular visitation with one of my sons. This meant so much to me, and I knew that God was working behind the scenes. After graduating from the program, I started working as a resident assistant in the women’s shelter. I surrounded myself with accountability and stayed in the Word of God as I learned what it meant to live a Christian life and stay sober while living independently. I still prayed earnestly to be reunited with my other children, and I know that God heard my prayers. In 2020, I received a phone call from my mother, who my children lived with. She asked me if I would like to have my oldest daughter come stay with me for a while. I couldn’t believe it! I was so overjoyed. This began many months of reconciliation between me and my children. My daughter now lives with me and my husband, and my sons visit us all the time! I am a grandmother now and have the joy of seeing my son raise his kids. I could have never imagined how much God could do with my life if I had a willing heart. I am still deeply involved in my church community, and they provide so much valuable support that my husband and I need. We took my daughter to church, and she got saved at a youth Bible camp. Praise the Lord! I am so deeply grateful.

 

I still work at the Mission 2 days a week, because it truly is a safe space for me; it is where I found the Lord. Not every moment of life is easy, but I now know that you turn your life over to God, He will be there for you through all the ups and downs. I always tell the guests in the shelter that this is not the end for them, even though it may feel like it. Jesus is all you need when you find yourself in that hopeless place. Your donations to the Mission help keep the doors open and the lights on. Even though you may not physically see it, you are changing lives. In a tough world, this ministry is a beacon of light. Thank you!

"I could never have imagined the life that I am living now: 6 years free of addiction and full of hope!"

25 Jul, 2023
Hi, my name is Jennifer, and my story has been anything but what you would consider easy. Growing up, I faced every form of abuse you could possibly imagine. After a lifetime of being violated and hurt, I decided at the age of 17 that I wanted nothing to do with God at all because if He really loved me, He wouldn’t have put me through all that. I was so angry, and I felt like I could handle life better on my own. After getting married and giving birth to my daughter, I became addicted to the pain pills the doctor gave me while recovering from my c-section. This began many years of chaos and turmoil as my life fell into shambles. I completely lost my relationship with my daughter, McKenzie. All the while the unresolved trauma from my past fed my addiction and I felt like I just couldn’t stop. However, I now see that God saw me in my despair. After surviving human trafficking, overdose, and a lifestyle of destruction I found myself in prison. As soon as I was released, I completed another residential recovery program in Rhode Island. There I learned how much God loved me and for the first time found myself staying clean from harmful substances. However, the Lord was still not done working on me, and my journey was only beginning. Eighteen months into my recovery, I suffered a life-altering injury when I shattered my knee in four places. I was in and out of hospitals, nursing homes, and rehabs for months. I felt depression and darkness overcome me as I couldn’t figure out how I could possibly move on from this. It seemed as though God had abandoned me again. It wasn’t until one Sunday at church when someone gave me the name of Marbeth Carew, the Director of the Women’s Program at the Mission, and said they were hiring. The Lord showed me that he had an amazing purpose for me and opened all the doors for me to take on a position in ministry there. Since coming to the Mission in 2019, I have experienced so much growth in every aspect of my life. I have never felt like just another employee on a list. Sean and Marbeth have invested so much time and energy into my spiritual and emotional growth by encouraging me to seek Christian counseling, walking me through the Genesis Process, and pouring truth and wisdom into my life. They have been with me every step of the way, and I cannot even begin to describe how my relationship with my daughter McKenzie has transformed in the past four years. I was given the space and time to prioritize the restoration of our mother daughter relationship. The Mission has 100% made it possible for that to happen. We now see each other often, talk every single day, and the relationship that we have now feels as though we never lost those years due to my addiction. She now tells me that she looks up to me! Wow! I never thought I would hear her say that. I am so thankful to my leadership for giving me hard truths, lessons, and knowledge to navigate these new phases in my life. I have so much love for Sean, Marbeth, and the Mission. I truly believe that the Lord led me here in a time of deep darkness. I now work as the Development Coordinator at the Mission, overseeing fundraising and planning events. God has provided the means for me to have my own apartment and my own car, something that I never thought would be attainable for me. I could never have imagined this life that I am living now: six years free of addiction, full of hope, and having a true, genuine relationship with my daughter. I want to thank all of you who donate to the Mission to make stories like mine possible. I feel so grateful and blessed! Thank you!

"The Mission has been such a blessing to me and my family!"

10 Apr, 2023
My name is Kelsey, and I am so blessed to be able to share my story with you. I am a graduate of another recovery program in Rhode Island. When I graduated from that facility, I thought I had dealt with all my past issues and trauma. I soon realized that there was some more struggles I must work through. I became pregnant soon after leaving the program, and I didn’t know where to turn. I had spent a lifetime in dysfunctional and abusive relationships, it was all I knew. Thankfully, God gave me my now fiancé Darnell, who taught me what a healthy relationship can be. After I gave birth to my son, I lost my father in a tragic accident. I was deeply struggling with postpartum depression and didn’t know how to cope with the loss of my dad. While I stayed clean from my previous drugs of choice, I didn’t know how to go on with my life and turned to alcohol. When my children were removed from my care as a result of my drinking, I knew I had to get my life under control. I got sober and turned to my church for support. However, I still lacked the financial resources to fully provide for my children. I regained custody of my kids in December of 2022. I was so excited, but I didn’t have the means to provide Christmas for them. The Mission gave me everything I needed to give my family a great holiday. The best part for me was, that my kids didn’t know any of their gifts came from the Mission, they just knew that Santa came! The Mission has been such a blessing to me and my family. They have provided food and clothing during many times when it was simply hard to make ends meet. To have somewhere to turn when I was at a very low point in my life was honestly a gift from God. To everyone who donates to the Mission, I want to thank you for making a way to help people who are struggling. In a time when everyone is having to make tough financial choices, you are still choosing to help others and I am so grateful. Thank you!
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