Heather – 2016 Graduate

I was raised in a Christian home and attended church regularly. I was taught more about doing good works than about having an actual relationship with God. When I was in the fifth grade, I was sexually abused and never told anyone. The summer going into high school, I was raped by a friend I knew from church. This planted lies that my worth and value was defined by others, and that my sole purpose in life was to please them. I turned to partying in an attempt to drown out my feelings. This led me to experiment with drugs and was the beginning of a seven- year drug addiction. I started off with prescription pain killers, which quickly led to harder street drugs. I prostituted my body for drugs and was raped by drug dealers. I was in and out of jail and was finally court ordered to a six-month treatment program. I graduated from this program, but didn’t change one bit. A month after being home, my older brother died from a drug overdose. I didn’t want to feel the pain that came from losing my brother, so I dove deeper into my drug addiction. After I overdosed multiple times, my mom begged me to find help.

My mom told me about Mercy. Her friend’s daughter had gone to Mercy for similar issues and graduated. My mom saw how this girl’s life was transformed, and she wanted the same for me. I knew deep down that I didn’t want to continue living the way I was. I was desperate for something more. I knew if I didn’t apply to Mercy, I was going to die from an overdose like my brother. I couldn’t bear the thought of my parents losing another child.

One of the biggest turning points I had while I was at Mercy was when I chose to forgive my abusers. I always thought that forgiving them meant that I was okay with what they did, but I realized that holding on to the bitterness and anger I felt towards them was actually hurting me. Forgiving my abusers allowed me to release my pain into God’s hands. Another big turning point for me was when a speaker came to the home. Through her, God told me that this was a season of surrender. I finally was able to let go of all the burdens that I had been carrying for so long.

My time at Mercy was a season of complete transformation. I was able to grieve my brother’s death in a healthy way. I chose to engage with the emotions I had suppressed by taking drugs. God revealed all of the lies I believed and replaced them with His truth. He revealed my true identity: I am His beloved daughter. I am loved, accepted, chosen, forgiven, and lavishly blessed. God rescued me from death and gave me a beautiful new life.

After graduating from Mercy I am moving to a new state to live with my aunt and uncle. I will be attending church with my accountability partner, and I plan on getting involved in a small group to stay in fellowship with other believers. I plan on looking for a receptionist job in a hair salon while pursuing my dream of becoming a cosmetologist. I am so excited to share my story and minister to those who are broken, lost, and need Jesus!

I am so thankful for all of the supporters of Mercy. Because of Mercy I was able to find the freedom I so desperately needed. This program restores hope, allows God to break through chains, and makes a way toward a future that will last for eternity!