I am a walking miracle
I am a walking miracle
Kristy (left) attends the recent Franklin Graham crusade with her former caseworker, Barbara.
I am a recovering meth addict and have been clean since April 2015.
I have been a victim of domestic violence. I’ve used dirty needles and contracted hepatitis C. I’ve been homeless. I’ve broken into houses and shops and stolen a car, leaving me with a police record two pages long. I’ve been to university and quit, I’ve had a Department of Housing property and lost it. I’ve had my youngest son taken from my arms by police. And I’ve been to prison.
I was lost. I was broken. I tried to stop but I couldn’t.
After leaving prison, I was offered a place at a Salvation Army refuge. From the moment I entered, I felt a kindness and warmth that was so unexpected.
I remember thinking, “If there is a heaven, this must be what it is like.” Just one night later my worst nightmare happened. There was a knock at my door and a caseworker was there telling me that the police were there to take my youngest son. He was taken from my arms while I was screaming.
I was now hanging on by a thread, going through the emotions of deep sorrow and heartbreak. I needed to make a choice: run back to my old life where a quick fix [of meth] could instantly make this feeling go away, or choose to stay at The Salvation Army and get the help that I clearly needed.
I chose to stay. That Sunday, there was a refuge bus to a Salvation Army church, and I went. That day I gave my life to God. I started asking millions of questions. I would run down to the refuge office and ask my caseworker Barbara about God, about dinosaurs, or what I should be doing now.
I started reading the Bible and from there I started to get to know who Jesus is. I started to understand and feel how much he loved me and that I was forgiven for everything I had done.
It was tough having my son taken away from me, but I now know that Jesus was right by my side and he was never going to leave me. I made the decision to start fighting for my kids in court.
I remember going to court with my support person and reading the Bible while we waited. I also got a job in a café. I was really beginning to worry about my hepatitis and the effect it was going to have on my long-term health.
One night I asked my friends at church to pray for my health. It was an amazing, strong, rebuking, powerful prayer. A few weeks later I went to hospital to start my hepatitis C medication. They did some tests and the doctor told me I didn’t have anything wrong with me.
This was just one of the many miracles that occurred in my life. I was then given my own Salvation Army home. I got my youngest son back in my care and worked out a shared-care arrangement with my daughters.
I have been clean from drugs now for four years. Recently, I took up a position at The Salvation Army as a support worker for men and women in crisis and I’m finishing my Certificate IV in Community Services at TAFE. I asked God for his help and he gave it to me.
By his grace I have been saved.
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