Desperate and at the end of her rope, she knew that her kids deserved better. She knew they needed a clean and sober mom. But she didn’t know where to get help. One day she cried out to God, begging for help – any way that He could provide it.
The next week, she was arrested. And that’s when Shannon first discovered God’s love and the hope that comes with it.
“I didn’t know God,” she says. “But sitting in that concrete cell all alone, I picked up the Bible and started reading, and I met the Lord.”
Shannon realized that God had a plan for her, and began to see that He was working in her life. As she kept praying and reading the Bible, God continued to move in her life. Shannon’s caseworkers at the prison told her about the Good News Rescue Mission and helped her get into the New Life Recovery Program.
Because of the help and support that friends like you provided, Shannon was able to overcome her addiction. The effects of mind-altering substances slowly transformed into a solid trust that God had good plans for.
Her relationship with the Lord deepened, and through hard work and prayer, Shannon regained custody of her children, which she had lost when she went to jail. A year later, Shannon was walking across the stage at Redding Christian Fellowship as a graduate from the New Life Recovery Program.
“Because He forgave me, I could forgive myself.” – Shannon
The Academic Center at the Mission had helped her go back to school so she could pursue her dream of being a nurse. For several years she went to school full-time and worked part-time, all while being a busy mom, attending church and giving back to the community. It was rarely easy – she had to overcome obstacles along the way. But for the past 14 years, one thing was constant.
“My relationship with the Lord never, never faltered,” she says.
