I struggled with addiction, self-worth, and codependency. Now, I’m walking with Jesus Christ.
Rachel grew up surrounded by addiction and violence. She remembers her father firing a shotgun in their home while she hid in the closet. Memories like that were hard to process, and she found an escape in substance abuse from a young age. “I was an alcoholic by age 17,” she says. “It numbed a lot of the pain.”
As an adult, Rachel struggled to stay out of legal trouble. Her criminal record made it hard to find a stable job. At the same time, codependency and low self-worth kept her in a devastating cycle of harmful behavior – which continued after she became a mother.
Finally, after an intense relapse, she realized she needed help. “I struggled to find a recovery program that would let me have my children with me. But by the grace of God, there was the Rescue Mission of Middle Georgia.”
Being at the Rescue Mission was hard for Rachel at first. But the longer she stayed, the more it became a place she couldn’t imagine leaving. “This place speaks life into you through Jesus Christ. I don’t want to lose that.”
“No matter what I do, I know God loves me and will never turn his back on me.”
Through counseling and classes, Rachel started to heal from her past hurts, hang-ups, and habits. The anger she once carried was replaced with peace and a relationship with the Lord. Now, she and her children are thriving.
Through God’s grace, Rachel has now graduated, secured employment, and is living in transitional housing where she and her family are continuing to rebuild their lives with ongoing support from the Rescue Mission.
“The world out there is nasty, but the staff will still be here for me.”
Because of you, neighbors like Rachel know that God loves them and they are worthy of a new beginning. Thank you for opening the door to hope and healing this summer! “I’m walking with Jesus Christ. No matter what comes my way, I have peace… because I know His plans for me are to prosper and not to bring me harm.”
Click here to download the May 2026 issue of The Mission Bell.