Saved From A Life Of Drugs And Physical Abuse
I was baptized in a church at a young age and followed Jesus for a few years. But as a young adult, I got away from the church’s teachings and became quite rebellious. I started taking drugs, drinking, and acting like a fool.
When I was twenty-two, I was brutally raped, and when I was twenty-six, my brother was murdered. I struggled with drug addiction for many years. I jumped from man to man, but my heart remained empty, never finding the love I felt I deserved.
I stopped doing drugs and started getting better, but got involved in an accident that left my leg broken in three places. I became addicted once again, but to painkillers this time. When doctors would no longer prescribe them to me, I became a heroin addict. For several years, I was deep in addiction and miserable.
I started attending Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meetings and drew closer to God through my NA fellowship. But I eventually stopped going to the meetings and following the teachings of the Bible. When my father passed away, I felt lost again.
I got involved with a man I had known from childhood who also struggled with addiction before. We went to church and read the Bible together frequently. However, sometime later, we stopped doing that and instead, began taking drugs together. He became very violent and for the first time in my life, I was in an abusive relationship.
For a year, things were unimaginably bad. The drugs we used became a daily staple and the beatings happened every day as well. One night, after injecting a drug, I found myself alone and sobbing on the floor of our filthy house crying out to God, “Please save me!”
I called a cousin that morning to come and get me. I was terrified that the man I was with would kill me. My cousin came and picked me up, and delivered me to an old friend of mine, who had been so much a minister to me throughout my life. She and her family took me a thousand miles away and only asked that I let them love me.
I was so unworthy and I knew it. I had injection scars all over my arms and I was malnourished and empty. I went to church every Sunday with her family and she introduced me to the grace message of Joseph Prince Ministries. I began watching the messages every day.
I also began reading my Bible that she gave me and learned about the God of grace—one I was unable to connect with as I was taught at a young age that God was judgmental and I could never live up to His expectations. It later dawned on me in one of Pastor Prince’s teachings that God loved me so much even when I was alone and empty with a needle in my arm and sobbing on the floor in a vile, filthy place.
God loved me at my very worst and because He loves me unconditionally, I could stand up and receive His love. I have been clean for months now and am experiencing blessings in abundance. I have a new job and am receiving job offers daily. I wake up and look forward to reading the Bible. I don’t even think about using drugs anymore and for once, I’m experiencing the love I’ve sought for all of my life in Christ.
I have always heard the phrase “my cup runneth over.” Well, I am here to tell you that mine runneth over. I have been able to forgive the man that raped me and the man that murdered my brother—only because I see that God has forgiven me for all that I have done.
God is so awesome, Pastor Prince. I have literally seen rainbows in the sky when there were no rain clouds. It brings tears to my eyes when I think about how much He loves me. Thank you for your ministry. Your message helps so many people—it helped me, even when I was an unworthy, messed-up drug addict.
Thank You, Jesus.
Alabama, United States