I grew up knowing the Lord, along with being raised by loving and God-fearing parents. In childhood, I rarely suffered any negative circumstances. However, in middle school, I experienced bullying by girls I thought were my friends. When I moved, I had a fresh start from that situation.

Before high school, I began a relationship with someone who verbally, emotionally, and sexually abused me for 2 years. When we finally broke up, I started to experiment with marijuana & alcohol. Substances didn’t numb my shame enough, so I started to cope with self-harm as well. This cycle of vices was covered up by my high performance and perfectionism in all areas of my life. It all caught up with me and was too much to bear… so, at 19 years old, I applied and later went to Mercy Multiplied.

My time at Mercy was miraculous. I was surrounded by love and encouragement everywhere I went. I had an amazing counselor and amazing staff who helped guide my walk to freedom. Having the influence of Jesus’ love made even more of a difference. I learned who I am in Christ, and that I am Abba’s beloved daughter. The things I accomplished or failed didn’t matter in His eyes. He loved me first! I released control, perfectionism, and codependency in exchange for the will of God. My love for Him became more prevalent than the opinions of others. I’m accepted by the Most High King! Whom shall I fear?

The thought of my future used to fill me with anxiety & dread… but the Lord has ignited my visions for it! My dream is to become a personal trainer, so I’ll be working on my personal training and nutrition certifications. Fitness has always been a great outlet for me emotionally, so I want to give back with this gift.

I also aspire to learn ASL. My heart goes out to the deaf community, and it would be my dream to help bring hard-of-hearing people to Christ. Last, and most importantly, communing more intimately with God is my greatest desire. I want to follow in step with Him. Not because of what He’s done, but because of who He is: My Good Shepherd.

Because of you, I was given a place to sleep, counseling sessions every week, and 3 meals a day, for 8 months at no cost. You made my healing possible. Thank you for being the hands & feet of Jesus. I’d give you a big hug if I could!