Leslie – 2012 Graduate

I was raised in a Christian home and had a really good childhood. I accepted Christ at a young age, and I really loved God. In middle school, I began searching for my identity in a variety of bad relationships and veered off the path of my relationship with God. I looked to drugs and alcohol for my identity as well. At my lowest point, I was raped by a man twice my age, used IV drugs and was working at a strip club. God intervened, and someone gave me a couple of books by Nancy Alcorn. Then I stumbled across the Mercy website. I knew I needed help and decided to apply.

At Mercy, God showed me my identity in Him. Because of Jesus, I am courageous, beautiful and strong. I have learned that I am a leader, and God has shown me how valuable I am to Him. I know that I am loved and that God will be with me all along my journey.

After Mercy, I plan to go to Los Angeles and pursue a career in acting and modeling.