Patricia
Graduated January 2008
Last update - April 2010
Hello, my name is Patricia. I am 29 years old. I am married with two beautiful children. I am going to tell you a little about my background and about what God has done in my life, and what He is doing for me now!
I was addicted, not only to drugs, but to selling them as well. It all began when I was 21 years old; I started using cocaine here and there. By the time I turned 24, drugs had completely taken over my life and depleted my marriage, which quickly ended in divorce.
I began running around with a prominent drug dealer and began selling drugs for him. Around that time, I became a heavy intravenous drug user. Somehow, I kept it hidden from most people. It was then that I met my current husband. He took on the responsibility of taking care of me and my two children. He was totally unaware of how deeply involved I had become with a dangerous group of people. I had to live two separate lives just to pull it off; this went on for a long time.
Over the course of the next two years, I overdosed on drugs three times that almost led to my death. I weighed 98 pounds, and the doctors gave me three months to live. I finally gave in to my family's desire for me to get help. I realized that death was knocking at my door, so I decided to go to Teen Challenge. I stayed there for three months, just long enough to get a little Jesus in me and to detox before I left.
Soon I found myself in the same place again. My marriage was falling apart. I began running around with the same dangerous people. I further involved myself by selling ice (a higher, more dangerous form of meth) on my own, completely living four separate lives; "Addict-Dealer-Mother-Wife."
My world fell apart when I got pulled over in a school zone and was arrested along with my dope cook. When the police searched my vehicle, I had 28 grams of red phosphorous (a main chemical for making ice and meth), several narcotic prescriptions in other people's names, one gram of ice, and other drug paraphenalia.
Living in a small town, I managed to trash my name and disgrace my family. I was in fear for my life, as well as my family's lives, due to the group of people I mentioned before. I had to sign over Power of Attorney of my children to my parents. I needed to get them out of my town as fast and as safely as I could before I bonded out of jail.
My "career" as a dealer was over, so when I got out of jail I began popping pills to deal with my life. My family had disowned me, and my husband and children were gone. I was so depressed, I tried to commit suicide. I was diagnosed as being "crazy" and placed on a whole slew of medications.
God intervened and had other plans for me, and they were good! My pastor saw where I was heading, so he bent over backwards to help save me. He told me about Mission Messiah, and on January 23rd of 2007 I was accepted. Praise God!!!
When I arrived I thought I was crazy, but after a few days, God began a deep work in my life. I completely and utterly surrendered to Him. Since then, God has renewed my mind, my memory, restored my family and my marriage, and restored my relationship with my children.
Today I walk in victory and freedom from bondage of drugs and medication. I am free from the fear of the people I was involved with, and I have peace in my heart that I have never known before. I encourage everyone who reads this to give up and give in to God... He is just waiting for you to say O.K.!