From Addiction to Redemption:  My name is Melissa, and I am 46 years old. I have a wonderful son named Gabriel, but my journey to motherhood—and to healing—has been marked by deep pain and incredible grace.

In my early 20s, I was overjoyed to learn I was pregnant with twins. But that joy quickly turned to sorrow when I found out during a routine appointment that one of my babies had passed away. Though heartbroken, I continued with the pregnancy, and my surviving son, Christian Daniel, was born prematurely but healthy. I thought the worst was behind me. But just weeks later, tragedy struck again. Christian contracted an infection in the NICU that took his life.

I was devastated. Numb with grief, I turned to alcohol and drugs, desperate to escape the pain. What began as coping became a full-blown addiction. For years, I was lost—empty, broken, and disconnected from any sense of purpose or peace.

In 2010, my addiction led to a prison sentence. I spent two years at Lowell WorkCamp. I hoped that time would bring change, but after my release, I fell right back into the same destructive patterns.

Then, a glimmer of hope: I discovered I was pregnant again. The joy of expecting a child reignited something in me. In that moment, God gave me a second chance at motherhood. When my son Gabriel was born, he brought light and love into my life. But the chains of addiction still held tight, and I struggled to stay sober even with him by my side.

In March of 2022, everything came to a head. I was in a single-car accident with Gabriel in the truck. I broke my pelvis in five places and suffered serious internal injuries. Miraculously, Gabriel was completely unharmed. It was a moment of both devastation and divine mercy. My actions could have taken the life of the one thing that gave me purpose—but God spared him. That miracle was a wake-up call I couldn’t ignore.

Gabriel was placed in the custody of my cousin, Stephanie, through DCF. I was heartbroken, but I couldn’t blame anyone. I wasn’t capable of caring for him. I left the hospital unable to walk and completely dependent on others—but the environment I returned to only fueled my addiction. For months, I spiraled deeper into depression, drowning in alcohol and hopelessness.

But even in my darkest valley, God was there—whispering His love, His mercy, and His invitation to something better. One night, at my lowest, I cried out to Him with everything I had left. I needed a miracle.

That miracle came through Humble House—a faith-based recovery program led by people who believed in the power of God to restore broken lives. I trusted Ms. Rachel, and through that trust, I began to trust God. At Humble House, I encountered the love and grace of Jesus in a way I never had before. Slowly, the chains of addiction began to fall away, and my heart began to heal.

God didn’t just save me—He restored me. I worked hard on my DCF case plan, and God reunited me with Gabriel. I graduated from Humble House. He brought healing to my relationships with my family, including my sister Kristy and my niece Kamara, who now come with me to Most Excellent Way on Sunday mornings.

Today, I have a job at First Baptist Church—more than a job, it’s a calling. I am surrounded by people who speak life into me daily. And now I have the privilege of sharing my story with others, praying that it brings hope where there seems to be none.

I've learned that without God, life is meaningless. But with Him, every single day is a second chance. I am living proof of that truth.

I’m thankful for His love, His mercy, and His grace—because they’ve transformed my life in ways I never thought possible.

I have three children. My daughter named Nevaeh passed away in a house fire.  DCF had opened an investigation on me and less than 24 hours later the fire happened.  I came in Humble House with a DCF case plan that said my case was too far past the due date for us to recover and I would not ever get my children back. But, with God's help and Humble House we all began to work as hard as we could to complete the requirements. The next time we had a family staffing I was told I could keep moving forward with the hopes of reunification.  I have been reunified with my children and we have moved in to our own apartment. Humble House has taught me the importance of reading my Bible, Christian fellowship, and helped me to be a better mom.  I'm excited about my new life moving forward.

I never knew how important reading the Bible was until I actually started to do it. A few months before going to Humble House I dove into the Word and that's when God started to really change me and my life. I was told the house I was living in was going to be sold, so I needed to leave. Then my husband left a couple months later. I was a stay-at-home mom with no money. I was depressed, lost, ashamed, and completely broken.  God provided all the money to sustain us while I searched for a job. Shortly after that I finally had daycare and a job, however, I still needed a place to live.  Rachel welcomed me into Humble House.  I learned I had to follow all their rules and start going to the Bible study classes and it was the best thing I could have done. God shaped and molded me with His Word, while I was there. He healed my brokenness, showed me He is faithful, and my provider. Now we have an amazing apartment and God provided everything the kids and I needed for it. 

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I was born and raised in Tennessee with my family.  I had a very hard childhood and I was addicted to drugs at a young age. My troubled childhood carried over into my adult life and my children were taken from me by DCF before I went to jail.  While I was in jail I was introduced to the Humble House, that’s when I knew God had a plan for my life. My life changed for the better and I devoted my time to all that Humble House had to offer.  Slowly I started to  change and I began to trust the process and the people that the Lord put in my life.  I made the decision to give my life to the Lord and got baptized.  When I graduated Humble House with I had regained full custody of my daughter!  I’m no longer on felony probation and I have a great job. I still attend Most Excellent Way recovery meetings and am involved at my church.  I’m so thankful for everything I’ve learned and accomplished while at Humble House. I am trying everyday to be the woman and the mother that the Lord made me to be.