Denise

Denise Found “A Way Out”

Denise states that she remembers her childhood as being basically happy growing up with her mom, step-dad, sister and brother until tragedy hit the family. Her step-father, who was the only dad she had really known, was killed in a boating accident.

This tragedy took it toll on the family as now Denise’s mom was faced with providing for the family alone. Denise remembers the day the police came and told her mom that her step-dad had drowned. Her mom fainted and this naturally scared fourteen year old Denise and left her very, very sad.

She recalls life with mom and her siblings as normal but remembers arguing with her brother and sister and at times even having physical fights. She remembers mom trying to provide everything they needed herself. She says, “My mom gave us the best of everything and over all I remember being happy.”

By the time Denise was sixteen years old her mom had begun to date and bring her boyfriends home to meet the kids. Denise also recalls being sixteen when she decided to take some of her mom’s pills that were left over from several operations. This is the first time she began experimenting with drugs. She says, “I started taking downers and then realized that I could sell them which started my experimenting selling of drugs. I then started mixing them with alcohol and I can remember riding around with my friends just getting wasted.” She reports eventually developing the habit of buying weed and pills to make her feel good and at age 18 starting to experiment with cocaine while still drinking, doing pills and smoking pot. Her habit got to be day and night…She was addicted which resulted in lost jobs, missed car payments, and an extreme shift in attitude. She and her mom began to quarrel because of her disrespectful attitude and unwillingness to listen to reason

Denise dated the same guy from age fifteen to age twenty and their relationship was filled with fussing and physical fights and multiple break-ups. At age twenty she met the man who is the father of her two children and they were together for about ten years. Their life was one of drugs, alcohol, and turmoil. They lived together until Denise was 34 and then decided to go their separate ways. They both lost custody of their children and he stopped using and went through rehab before Denise did and now has custody of their children.

Denise’s life continued to spiral downward as the drugs took their toll and she began to do whatever it took to keep her supply. This placed her in the position of being with very dangerous pimps, drug dealers, and abusive relationships and led her further and further away from the safety of family, friends, and her children. She lost everything and ended up in jail.

Denise was court ordered to Karat Place, a transitional home for ex-offenders. The director referred her to “A Way Out” and Carol met with her and she was accepted into the “A Way Out” program’s probationary period November 6, 2003 and was accepted into the program on January 6, 2004, when she was assigned to her mentor, Barbara Pope. Denise came into the program committed to change her life and she has faithfully followed every guideline in her admission contract. Just a few of her accomplishments are: she has kept her counseling appointments; attended growth group religiously where she has learned Scripture, relational skills, and is now working “AWO’s” twelve-step program. She has passed her drug screens; and has been able to work and save to purchase a new car while living at Karat Place and working the “AWO” program. She has been reunited with her children, who she had not seen in over a year, and she is in the process of being reunited with her mother and family. She will leave Karat Place this month, but will stay in “A Way Out” until she completes her program.

The most important thing is that she has received Christ as her Lord and Savior and is active in church. On the night she was baptized, her testimony was, “I have laid down an eighteen year drug habit to follow Jesus.” The congregation stood and cheered.

She states, “I have missed out on a lot of things, most of all my children and being their mother, being able to watch them grow as babies, but today I am happier than I have ever been. The only person I can give glory to is my higher power, whom I choose to call GOD!”