Testimonies

CATHY

I spent most of my adult life in Jails and programs, I had become addicted to heroin and crack cocaine, and most of the time lived on the street just surviving. The programs I went through seemed like they would work a little while, and then I was back on drugs again. The last time I went to jail, my youngest daughter was 2 years old, and I had already lost one daughter who was then 7. I was at the lowest point ever in my life, and I knew something, somehow had to change. 3 nights after being there the Aglow ladies came in. They did not care what I did, or why I was there, they loved me back to life. That night I gave my life to the Lord. Still I was looking at going to Prison and I would lose my little girl. I had already lost one child, and I was really afraid for the first time about going to do time. I was not afraid of prison, but I was afraid I would never see my baby again. I was slammed down in a lockdown cell for bad behavior, and the Chaplain walked by. I had court later that day, and I yelled at her under the crack to come and pray for me. She did pray for me, but what she prayed for was Gods mercy, and that is not what I wanted, I wanted to go home. I thought to myself that was not much of a prayer. What happened was the judge released me to a Christian Discipleship Home for Women. I thought that would be better than prison, but I didn’t really know what that would mean. I had been in homes and jails for a great part of my adult life, and I just figured I would play my usual games, tell them what they wanted, and get out. Boy was I in for a surprise.

The home was VERY hard. It was so bad I had to pray. I could not get away with my usual games, and my family was so threw with me, they were trying to take my daughter. Nothing could have been worse. When I was finally given the papers to sign away my daughter, I still refused. I finally could not take it, and I asked the Lord for help. What I heard him say was “Surrender”. I looked it up in the dictionary, and it should not having to fight anymore. And that is what I did. I quit fighting my family, the home, the system, and I quit trying to do everything my way. My way had gotten me here in life, I decided to surrender it all to God.

That is when my whole life started to change. I finished the program, (that was a miracle in itself) My God is also a restorer, I have my daughter and my family back, and my relationship with the oldest daughter is slowly being restored. We live in a nice apartment, and I have come a long way in 4 years. Looking back now on that Chaplains prayer, the Lord really did show me Mercy that day. If I would have went home, I don’t know where I would be today, but he sent me somewhere that I could really search for him, and find him. It has not all been easy, I daily have to surrender, but the Lord is with me. He has truly changed my heart, which was one of my first prayers. Now my hearts desire is working with women in jail, and in similar situations like mine. I get to go into that same Jailhouse, and share with the ladies that with the help of the Lord, there can be a new life. I am a licensed Insurance Agent, and Full time straight A honor Student at College, with my degree in addiction studies, I hope someday to open a home for women like the one I went through.

Cathy serves with the Central California Aglow Prison Ministry