For someone outside looking in, I grew up in a polished and orderly home. However, inside, I experienced a strict and disengaged home life. At the age of seven, I began self-medicating to escape my unwanted emotions. Reaching for something externally to make me feel better continued into my later twenties. I felt broken and alone. After years of trying to get sober and failing, I finally had a reason to be sober. At 25 years old, I found out that I was pregnant. Knowing that there was a baby inside of me, I put more value on her than I did myself and was able to drop everything "cold turkey." Unfortunately, I relapsed two months after giving birth to our first child. It was during this relapse that I experienced a moment with God. He told me I could keep drinking and end up on the same road I was on. Or I could set the drink down, and he would give me the strength I needed. I chose to set the glass down, and on June 1st, 2023, I celebrated my 10th year of sobriety. While my journey through sobriety has not been easy, I have seen God work in my life and keep His promises. In 2014 I got involved in a recovery group with Pure Desire Ministries. It was amazing to connect with other women that were struggling in similar ways. I found connections in ways that I never knew were possible. My passion for helping others this way has grown throughout my recovery process. Seeing the effect that others had on me in both a positive and a negative way has motivated me to become a positive light to those in their darkest days. I have often wondered how my life would have been different if I had someone safe to help me when I was younger. Because of this, it weighs in my heart to help kids or teens struggling with substance abuse. It is incredible to help anyone that is struggling with substance abuse. However, helping those whom many look down on as "attention seekers" has become a passion of mine. I want to be the person I wish I had in my life growing up. Pure Desire Ministries offered me a staff position in 2019, and a couple of years later, I decided to go to school to get a psychology degree. This is another step toward helping more people, and I have enjoyed every moment.

When looking back over my life I see so many ways things could have been different if I only had a mentor. Instead of living a self serving life filled with addiction I could have found happiness in my own achievements. My mentoring teens and other moms now I hope to give them the tools and confidence to go after the life they have always wanted. I hope for a teen to feel seen, heard, and accepted. While this may seem so simple it will have the greatest impact on their current situation as well as with their future. The way they will grow into adulthood and make an impact on the people around them will be determined by the value that they perceive themselves to have. By mentoring other moms I will be able to shine a light on what their children are going through and give them the proper tools or exercises that they can use to assist them as a parent but also as their own human being. Allowing the mom to live her best life and lead by example to her children.

In the picture attached below, I am climbing at a nearby gym. Rock climbing became a new hobby for me when I decided I wanted to face my fear of heights. I have always been so scared of heights and even tried rock climbing in the past. This resulted in me climbing only a foot or two off the ground before being hit by an anxiety attack and trying my best to hold back any tears. I still feel this whenever I climb but now I have learned to breathe and continue climbing. Resulting in a sense of pride.