From the time I was 11 years old, I was very ambitious. With four brothers and three sisters, I felt the need to work and help out the family. Even though my father worked, that wasn’t enough for me. Throughout my life, no matter how much I accomplished, it was never enough. From high school graduation to college graduation, I continued to work to help support the family while maintaining honor roll and scholarship status.
Regardless, I always wanted more. I began teaching and also took a part-time job as seamstress; I taught at a correctional institute and attended graduate school where I earned a Master’s degree. Still, with all my achievements, my emptiness only grew. I began to celebrate my victories with alcohol and drugs. Then I just began to use alcohol and drugs for recreational purposes.
As a teacher, I also held office in many professional organizations. I reached the top of my career as Master teacher, but it was—as they say—lonely at the top. The need for drugs escalated to the point that I began to use them daily and could no longer function. I sought help from facilities that taught me to introduce myself as an addict. They taught me that I would always be an addict. Even though I heard about the New Life Dream Centers, I wasn’t yet ready to give up everything. In my endless attempt to fill my emptiness, I got married.
Having everything one could possibly want I was still unhappy. Two marriages dissolved. I left Richmond, Virginia to help take care of my ailing father in Danville. But that demon followed me and again took over my entire being. I was consumed with drugs, nothing else. I quit my recently acquired teaching job and just did nothing but use drugs. A near death experience and close encounters with the law just got me closer and closer to where I needed to be.
At this time, I began to cry out to God for help. The next morning I made a phone call to my brother who had told me about Word Of Life, and on Thursday, August 9th, I boarded a flight for Fort Myers. Entering the New Life Dream Center was certainly an experience that I’ll never forget. Not only did it deprive me of all the earthly things, my belongings and people, I acquired a new relationship with Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of my life.
The emptiness is now filled with the Word of God. Many things have changed in my life now that I am a Christian. Before, my family didn’t come around me and didn’t want me around them. My family is now back together and serving the Lord. Now I have to depend solely on Him. God has shown me so many things that are orchestrated by Him only. My dependence is fully in Christ now. I will continue to work for Christ, be a testimony to others as I continue my journey of faith.
I thank God and the New Life Dream Center for saving my life. I now know that without God, I have nothing. Without Him I will fail. Without God, my life will be empty like a ship without a sail. With God, all things are possible and I stand today on Philippians 4:13. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
— Brendolyn S., 2008 Graduate