Hi! My name is Jennifer. I moved to San Antonio when I was 17 to attend college at Trinity University. I graduated in 1999 with a degree in Business Administration, Marketing and Psychology. I had my son in 2006 and a few years later, I got very sick. I was eventually diagnosed with fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis and degenerative disc disease and was really struggling raising my son on my own. My son went to live with my family in Houston, I lost my house and my son’s father passed away. I started using cocaine to numb the pain and quickly graduated to methamphetamines and heroin. I was living at friend’s houses, in my car, and trap houses. I had lost all hope. Sin ruled my life and I was hopeless.
When I got arrested, I was relieved. I started going to church immediately. I didn’t like jail at all, but I experienced an unexplainable peace while I was there. Mr. and Mrs. Thornton came by the unit I was housed in to pass out applications for Grace House. I filled it out immediately and was accepted on the spot! I didn’t know at the time that the peace I was experiencing was learning to trust God and live in the center of His will for my life. Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose.” God began to do a good work in my life and reward my obedience to Him. He began to reconcile my relationships with my family and heal my broken heart.
Living at Grace House has been a huge blessing in my life and I will never be the same! I have been embraced by my sisters in Christ, by the staff, and by the Thorntons and I have been overwhelmed by God’s incredible love and forgiveness. Through God’s Word and learning how to walk with Jesus, I have been given new hope and a future. Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” I have pursued God and He has been so good to me – so merciful, so gracious. “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:18) He has redeemed me and set me free – free from addiction, hopelessness, guilt, and condemnation. I still have struggles. I still have obstacles to overcome. Life is not necessarily easy now. I don’t know exactly how God is going to work it all out, but I have hope and faith that He will! “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:23)
-Graduated July 2017