Presley – 2017 Graduate

I grew up with an alcoholic dad and a working mom. I felt very alone and didn’t spend a lot of time with my mom. My parents divorced, and my mom started dating my stepdad. I felt neglected by my mom, as if I was pushed aside and forgotten about. This caused me to keep to myself and be quiet, so everyone assumed I was shy. I started to get bullied by kids at school. After being bullied for a while, I became depressed, started self-harming, and developed an eating disorder. I started to hang out with the wrong crowd. I became sexually active because that was the only attention and “love” I got. I took advantage of that and began accepting anything a guy had to offer me. By the end of the year, I started drinking and began to take pills at the same time. My eating disorder caused me to become malnourished and get sick. I attempted suicide by overdosing on medication I stole from my mom and stepdad. My mom found me, and I was then rushed to the emergency room and stayed at a behavioral hospital for a week. Everything went downhill from that point on. I began therapy for my behavior, depression, anxiety, and eating disorder. I began to trade sex for drugs and alcohol. I would persuade guys to bring me alcohol at school, and I drank there. I got caught and sent home and was put on probation. I had to go to a drug class and received around 40 hours of community service. I stopped going to school due to missing so many days because of therapy. I started homeschooling and became very isolated in hopes to keep me safe. An older guy ended up coming to my house multiple times, and he kept threatening me to engage in sexual activity. I gave in, and the next day I went to church feeling disgusting for what I let happen. Another guy who promised me alcohol, drugged me and raped me. I woke up in an ambulance not remembering anything that happened to me. After regaining conscious, I was told I was hypothermic and I had alcohol poisoning. I knew I needed a change.

I learned about Mercy Multiplied from my parents who heard about it from church. I started my application and walked through the doors ready to work.

The Mercy program has changed my life. While at Mercy, I have been renewed and transformed through Jesus Christ. I learned God is love and He works all things for good. My chains are gone, and Jesus has set me free! I am forever changed. I have rededicated my life to Jesus Christ and have purified myself in Him, saving myself for marriage. I learned that it is never too late to ask Jesus to be pure again.

God has completely changed my heart and mind, He has made me into the person He designed me to be. My Mercy journey has changed not only my life but my parents’ life. God has restored my mom and stepdad’s marriage, and they are now just radiating God’s love and are proof that God does work ALL things for good. My dad has also rededicated his life to Jesus and got baptized during my time at Mercy. I’ve been able to be an inspiration to him. This all just shows God is truly big enough for anything.

After Mercy, I am going to finish high school. I plan to start fitness training and doing volunteer work in my community. I will also start on the path to lead something at my church and will be joining the worship team. I plan to spread God’s Word to anyone willing to listen and share my testimony to bring others to know Christ.

Mercy donors, thank you for helping save my life.