Galatians 5:1, New International Reader's Version)

“Christ has set us free to enjoy our freedom. So remain strong in the faith. Don’t let the chains of slavery hold you again.”

My name is Jeniffer. I was born in Pittsburgh in 1978, arriving 2½ months early. I grew up as an only child and never met my biological father—he passed away the day after my 3rd birthday on Christmas Eve, reportedly while on drugs. In my home, drinking was woven into everyday life. My basic needs were met, but dysfunction was always present.

I had my first drink at just five years old and moved thirteen times before age nine. My childhood ended quickly, and by my early teens, I was already working, drinking, using drugs, and dating. By fourteen, I was essentially taking care of everything on my own.

From the beginning of my teenage using, I knew I was different. The amounts I consumed, the way I spent money, and the hours I worked—all of it were excessive. At nineteen, I attended my first recovery meeting and went to treatment for the first time, but I wasn’t ready to surrender. Things spiraled. I went to treatment again in 2002 — a six-month women’s program I believed I had completed successfully. But without a true spiritual transformation, I slipped back into old patterns and only stayed sober for nine months. My brain easily forgot that I had the disease of addiction.

After a few “geographical cures” and several 30-day programs, I met my ex-husband. Even though we weren’t sober, the Lord still watched over us, and we were blessed with two beautiful children before our marriage ended. During those years, I received two DUIs and consequences that eventually led me to Celebrate Recovery at my home church in Westerville, Ohio. I stayed sober for a season, but addiction is baffling and progressive—even when you think it’s asleep, it grows.

When I moved on with my life, my children were five and two. I was in counseling, attending church weekly, going to CR, and involved in Mom Life groups. That’s when I met my third child’s father, and we welcomed our baby girl right when COVID hit. Isolation became easy. All my support groups and counseling disappeared overnight. I convinced myself that having a happy life with my three kids would keep me sober—but addiction doesn’t work like that.

It started with a harmless-seeming glass of wine… then sneaking around… then losing control. On November 18, 2023, I received another DUI. I lost twelve hours of memory. I thank God every day that I didn’t kill myself or someone else.

Desperate for a true bottom, I knew I needed something deeper. I sought out a faith-based, year-long program where I could learn to change the way I think, feel, and act. That search led me to Hannah’s House.

Here, I am learning that while life isn’t always fair, God is bigger. I am committed to breaking the generational curses that were handed down to me and teaching my children a different way to live. I thank God that He never gave up on me and brought me to a place where I could finally begin healing. The more I heal, the more I become who God created me to be—not only for myself, but for my kids and my future.