Jodi – 2015 Graduate

I had a very “normal” childhood. I grew up going to church regularly and attended a very strict Christian school. Growing up I was criticized a lot for my thin figure but came to enjoy the attention. I began modeling at a young age and in an attempt to gain more attention and love, I started restricting my food with bingeing and purging as well. This began my 18 year struggle with bulimia. Out of high school, I lost my virginity to the first serious guy that I dated. One night, I was left at a party and was sexually abused. Afterwards, I was told that it was my fault so I no longer trusted men, women, or myself. I covered all of my emotions with food, alcohol, drugs, or sex. Drugs became so commonplace that I began to run drugs and was later caught and sentenced to prison. While incarcerated, I finally knew that I needed Jesus Christ as my Savior. I had an early release by going to a boot camp for felons. Upon release, I was on house arrest and parole and tried my hardest to be good. I had so many bad habits ingrained in me. I wasted a lot of my time just trying to look like I had it together on the outside, while my shame was corroding my insides. For the next 6 years, I moved around, hopped from job to job, and woke up in the hospital too many times to count.

I was daily waking up hopeless, and I knew that I wanted change, but wasn’t sure it would be possible. After applying to several other programs, someone suggested Mercy. When I was accepted, I was excited and terrified at the same time. When I arrived I played the same role as always, trying to appear like I had it together. The staff saw right through my act, and loved me just the same.

A huge turning point was actually right around two months into my stay. I had been seeing more and more of who God is, and I just wanted to know Him more. One of the staff prayed with me, and afterwards I didn’t really hear or feel anything different. However, as that week progressed, I understood what it meant to have the eyes of my heart be open. It was like things that I had known started to make more and more sense. I took so much time to just sit with God and hear from Him. God began convicting me so spot on, and I began to realize that I needed Him in order to have any real change and the life that I had always craved.

At Mercy, I learned to know God. I learned who He really is, and in turn who He made me to be. Knowing God’s character has really changed my perspective on everything else. My hope, joy, and mind have been restored even more than I thought possible.

After graduating from Mercy, I am moving home to return to corporate catering. In the future I would like to be able to travel, cook and continue learning. I have a love of words, and I’m excited to see what God has planned for me.

I would like to say a huge thank you to Nancy and all the Mercy donors. Thank you all for obeying what God has called you to. I am a walking, praising miracle, and I am so excited for what God’s continuing to do in and through me!