Taylor – 2015 Graduate

When I was about two years old, my mom gave custody of my brother and me to my grandparents. I was raised in a Christian home and had so much love from my grandparents, but I was so confused as to why my mom left us. When I started going to school, I found out I had a learning disability. That was very hard for me because I didn’t want any special treatment. I started counseling at a very young age after telling my grandma I wanted to kill myself. For the first time I had to talk about things that I never had before, and it brought up a lot of anger and depression. During middle school I began looking for love in all the wrong places. After I lost my innocence, nothing ever felt the same. I was pulled out of high school and home-schooled after I faced horrible bullying. As I continued looking for love, I turned to drugs. I barely finished high school, and the day I graduated, I moved to live with my mom. I thought it was a dream come true. However my mom was an addict and was physically, emotionality and mentally abusive. We always fought. I started talking about suicide and ended up in the hospital a few times. I moved back in with my grandparents and overdosed. I was so hopeless and hurt.

After I overdosed, I was in the hospital on a ventilator for a few days and was eventually taken off of it. My grandma had heard about Mercy from another graduate and suggested I consider applying. I was hesitant and just wanted to stay with my family. However, after a few months I was not getting any better. I told God if He wanted me to live, He had to do it. I called my grandma, and I started applying.

One of my biggest turning points at Mercy was when I forgave my mom and all the people who had hurt me in my past. I chose to forgive them because God forgave me first. I give grace because God has shown me grace.

While at Mercy I found great grace, healing, and restoration. I no longer have a religion, but a relationship with God. I found hope, love and peace.

After graduating from Mercy, I’m looking forward to spending time with and loving my family. I want to get a job and go to school to be a nurse. I want to work in a children’s hospital and help give families hope. I just want to show people God’s love and mercy.

Thank you so much to the Mercy donors for making it possible for me to go somewhere to really press into an amazing relationship with God. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!