Client Testimonies

" The judge may have been the one to allow me this opportunity, but I know it was ultimately God who put me here"

I am 17 yrs old and I am a recovering meth and heroin addict. I grew up with everything I could ever want and a loving family. I began smoking weed when I was 13 shortly after my mom and dad divorced. My mom remarried and I began living with my dad. Soon after, I began abusing cough and cold medicine daily. When I was 14 my dad decided to take a job promotion that caused us to move to a new city. We moved from Fayetteville was born and lived my whole life, to Wilmington in a matter of a few days. i began using acid daily and continued to smoke weed heavily. Within a few months, I was introduced to heroin. I was addicted as soon as I snorted my first bag. I began selling drugs to maintain my $400.00 a day habit. I graduated high school at 15 and began college. My addiction worsened, I began using Xanax, smoking weed, and snorting up to $600.00 of heroin in one day.

At 16, I was tired of being sick everyday and turned to my parents for help. I entered into a Suboxone program, in which I was going to a clinic once a month for maintenance prescription drugs to keep me from being dope sick. I continued selling and using drugs regardless. In May of 2015, two men broke into my apartment with the intention of robbing me because I was a known drug dealer. At least 10 gunshots were fired before my boyfriend at the time stabbed one of the men in the neck and they fled. By the grace of God, neither of us were hurt. Someone , probably a neighbor, called the police. The apartment was raided-drugs, cash and paraphernalia were found and I was charged with 4 felonies. I spent about six hours in jail before my mom came to get me. I was given two years of probation and was not a convicted felon if I completed the two years, no trouble.

I moved to Morehead City in the Outer Banks with my mom and stepdad. I continued smoking weed and began using prescription pain pills because I couldn't find heroin. Anytime I failed a probation drug test, I or my parents would talk my way our of it and receive 3-7 days in jail or a short stint in rehab and it would be forgotten. I was smoking weed, using Percocet, Xanax, and alcohol daily when I found a heroin dealer. I began intravenously using heroin and soon meth as well.

My life went downhill fast. I didn't care about college, my family or my friends--the only thing that mattered was my next fix. Eventually, I got caught and violated my probation for possession of morphine. I went to jail for a month and while I was there I began to pray to God for another break, another chance. He spoke to me and He said "It's OK". I went to court a few days later and the judge granted me 1 last chance to get better and not be convicted for the 4 felonies--he allowed me to come to the Potter's House.

The judge may have been the one to allow me this opportunity, but I know it was ultimately God who put me here. I am full of the joy of the Lord and truly happy without the drugs controlling my life. I never thought I could live a life without the drugs controlling my life. I never thought I could live a life without drugs, but now that I know God , I realize this is the only way to live a happy and manageable life. I'm exactly where God wants me. I am truly blessed and highly favored to be receiving this opportunity for a new life in Christ. I am so thankful for The Potters House ad all that I'm learning here.

-Client at The Gastonia's Potters House

" Since entering the program, God has completely turned my life around''

At the age of five years old my Step-father began to molest me, this continued over a period of time until I told my Mother. Unfortunately, she didn't believe me. My grandmother came and took me from my home at this time, and I lived with her until I was 14 years old.

I began drinking at the very early age of 8 years old. Over the years, I lost control of my self-will and I stated getting into trouble. I went from living in foster homes to living on the streets to ultimately being homeless. I was also in and our of jail and prison as my addition progressed.

Up until the last time I went to jail, I didn't care about anything or anyone outside of my addiction. Upon release from my last stay in jail I was court mandated to The Gastonia's Potters House. Originally, when I was told I had to complete the program, which is 18 months long, I was very hesitant. Since entering the program, God has completely turned my life around. I have built a relationship with the Lord Jesus, He has granted me many blessings including financial blessings, and the opportunity to attend college for the first time in my life. I am so thankful for God, and every person in my life today that helped me get to the place where I am now.

-Client at The Gastonia's Potter House

"I wanted to walk in newness of life!"

Life doesn't always turn out as planned. I would say I had a fairly content childhood. My father raised me for the most part by himself; and he did well as a single parent. He supported me in all of the special events throughout my youth. I remember when I saw my father cry when I finished in the first place in a tri-county track meet.
During my youth, I was the treasurer of my ninth grade class, was involved in many sports and also played the clarinet. Around that time, I began to dabble with using various drugs which led me specifically to Xanax. As my gateway drug Xanax always led me to using harder drugs. I was beginning to realize I had a problem. When I reached the age of twenty, I sought help at The Gastonia Potter's House for the first time. After a short three month stay, I convinced myself that I was strong enough to fight the battle of addiction alone. I enrolled in college and graduated with honors on the Dean's List, I became a Certified Medical Assistant. After giving birth to my son, he became the highlight of my life. I thought my life was perfect not realizing that my addiction was waiting in the background. Slowly, I started back down a slope that was even darker. I ended up having a series of tragic events occur that I never could have imagined would have happened in my lifetime. I ended up on probation, in and out of detox, and eventually in prison. The consequences of my actions failed to deter me from going further into my addiction. My life and everything around me was spiraling out of control. One night, I believe God sent someone to speak to me. I did not know the person, but I listened. The question they posed was "Where was my rock-bottom?" Well, shortly after that, I hit it! I was mentally, physically, and spiritually broken. I began to pray to Jesus for His mercy and forgiveness. I wanted to walk in newness of life!

I called The Potter's House. The staff so graciously took the time to read the Bible and witness to me over the phone multiple times. One morning thereafter, I woke up early, and the Holy Spirit led me to First United Methodist Church of Hickory. Through all the events that took place, the Lord made a way for one of the pastors, an anonymous member of the congregation, and the Founder of The Potters House to get me in the very next day. Graciously, The Potters House accepted me back into the program with open arms. That day, I began walking with the Lord. Each day, my mind is being transformed and renewed by the Word of God. I have been blessed with this opportunity. This program is truly a miracle in the making. It is true, life doesn't always turn out as planned, but with God in our lives, we are able to fulfill His plan!

- Client at The Gastonia's Potters House

“When I prayed to Him for mercy and forgiveness, He opened His arms and embraced me”

Prior to my addiction, my life had all the ingredients for a disaster waiting to happen. I had lived on my own since I was 16, and often dabbled in recreational drug use. I constantly moved from place to place, always unsatisfied , and after losing my mom to cancer in 2011, I spiraled out of control.

I came to The Potters House two years ago with an addiction to Heroin. Unfortunately, at the time, I came only to appease the requests of my family. I was not yet committed to changing my life. After a brief two week stay, I left and went back to my old ways. Since then, due to my addiction, I lost the home I lived in, multiple cars, countless jobs, and ended up living in a hotel for over a year. Most importantly, I lost the respect and trust of my family and friends, and in June of 2014, I lost my boyfriend to a fatal overdose.

I ended up in jail on more than one occasion last year due to the bad decisions I made in satisfying my drug use. During the two and a half month jail stay I had beginning in July 2014, God began to work in my life in a mighty way. He humbled me and He allowed people to enter into my life who ministered to me daily while in jail. When I prayed to him for mercy and forgiveness, he opened his arms and embraced me. I began to speak to God like I never had before. I told him I wanted His will and not my own, that if He would open the doors to my recovery I would walk through them.

Graciously, The Potters House accepted me back into their program. My grandmother and the rest of my family have walked by me step by step since I decided to seek help and walk with the Lord. I have found a happiness that I never knew before. One of the first things I heard when I began this journey was “It’s not easy, but it’s simple.” I now try and apply those words to all I do. Not everyday or every task God asks of you will be easy, but embracing his love and kindness is so simple and rewarding.

-Former Potters House Client, 2015

" He saw me for the real me...and for that He graced me"

I am 34 years old, I have 3 amazing girls and I am blessed and highly favored by my Lord Jesus Christ. I have amazing parents and an awesome sister that I love and cherish very much. They have loved me unconditionally and have never turned their backs on me, even when they should have. I have spent years engaging in any and every drug there is. I've been in and out of jail and detox way too many times. There have been so many times that in all reality I should have been beyond dead. I not only put myself in danger, but I also put my children in endless places and situations that by my stupidity they should have been dead also. But God...The amazing grace and love of
God and the endless covering of my praying family. Thank You for the precious blood of Jesus that has kept me and my children safe.

Throughout all the messes I have created and been caught up in all the down-right evil and selfish things I have done, my God knew my heart. He saw through the horrible and evil person I had become and knew me for who I really am. He knew my heart all these years and knew I was NOT who I had become. He saw me for the real me and for that He graced me. I could go into much detail about all the terrible, insane things that I have done and gone through, but I choose to tell you how much my God loves and cherishes me. His grace is sufficient for me. I should be dead a million times, but He graced me. I should be under the prison, but He graced me. I should have lost all of my kids, but He graced me. He graced me because He loves me and He knows the plans He has or me and they are to give me hope and a future, the best of all...His promises are true and I can trust in Him. I hate that it took me so long to understand total surrender and true relationship with Jesus. But now that I have joy and peace, his freedom is something I desire for everyone to experience.

-Client at The Gastonia's Potter's House

" Thank You Jesus.... I have been set free!!!"

Before God led me to the Potter's House I was a broken 28 year old female void of all hope and happiness. I was known as a addict, an alcoholic, a thief, a bum, a liar, a piece of merchandise, and a failure as a mother. I hated everything and everyone in my life and most of all I hated myself and who I had become. I lost everything I had ever worked for and stolen everything that I didn't. My behavior repeatedly landed me in psychiatric hospitals, jails, detox units, and rehabs and these places have been my only home for the past three years.

I have been struggling with addiction since I was 18 and it is only by the grace of God that I have survived these past 11 years. Even though I had given up on life and repeatedly tried to end my life, God never gave up on me and wouldn't allow me to give up on myself. Through His grace and mercy and the never ending love of my family , I was given another chance -another opportunity at life, peace, and happiness. I arrived at the Potters House on August 27, 2015 finally broken enough to surrender my will; and my life over to God. I realized that I can't overcome my addiction, but he Jesus in me can and WILL.

Today I wake up with a smile on my face and a pep in my step. I no longer feel the dread and weight of the world on y shoulders. Instead I feel the overflow of God's grace and love for me and I am fully embracing this life that God has given me. I am thankful today an everyday to be known as a clan and sober responsible young woman, a loving mother and daughter, a trusting friend, honest and hardworking, and most importantly a child of God. Thank You Jesus...I have been set free!!!

- Client at The Gastonia's Potters House

"I am no longer broken and lost I am a new person in Christ."

On January 31, 2014 I came to The Gastonia Potter's House a scared, lonely, broken, person. I was full of fear, worry, shame and guilt. Over the last several months the Lord has restored all of those things. He has walked me through that darkness, He has held me up when I have needed Him. Every day I am amazed at his grace and mercy, but most of all by his unconditional love. There was a time when I couldn't see anything positive or hopeful in myself, but with Jesus I have realized I am worthy and valued. I have learned to trust and know that anything is possible with Christ. Being a student here at Potter's House has been a journey of learning how every struggle we have can be found in God's word.

When I came here I had never read anything out of the Bible. Every day, I learn something new. I am so very grateful for this ministry. I am no longer broken and lost I am a new person in Christ. I am worthy and loved, not only with the staff, and my sisters in Christ here but God loves me unconditionally. He is always with me. I graduated this wonderful program on August 8th, 2015! Thank you Jesus and thank you Potters House. I am blessed to call this place "home".

- Former Potters House Client, 2015

“The fact that I am still alive is all due to His grace and love for me!“

I unknowingly dedicated 26 years of my life to drugs. I planned and plotted daily on how to get what I needed just to get through the day. Whatever it took, whoever I hurt, none of that mattered. Nothing mattered except for me and those pills. Not even my young daughter deterred me from using. I knew she was safe and cared for because she was with my parents. However, she didn’t have everything she needed because I wasn’t there for her.

Then one day I found myself in the shower in jail. I had no memory of why I was even arrested. I was so mad at myself for letting things get so bad and for hurting all the people that truly cared for me. I had taken them all for granted. I dropped to my knees in that nasty jail shower and gave it all to Jesus. My past, my present, and my future was now in His hands. I had already tried everything else to fix my life, except for God. I thought why not, it couldn’t be any worse than where I was at that point. Physically I was in jail and emotionally I was broken.

Two days later I went to church in the jail. I cried and pleaded to God to forgive me for the hurt and pain I’d caused throughout my life. I also continued to pray for God to bless everyone around me in that jail. All those ladies seemed so lost, myself included. A couple hours later my name was announced saying that I had been released. My mother and I drove directly from jail to the Potters House. I went in and met with the staff, they were very welcoming, but I was not. I did not want to stay, I was very scared and didn’t want to be with strangers. I found that very odd because I had just left jail and was really with strangers then. Somehow I knew in my heart that being at the Potters House was exactly what I needed. If I would’ve continued down the path I was leading, I would surely wind up dead. So I decided to stay. I couldn’t sleep that night so I did a lot of praying. I prayed that God would save me from myself and forgive me of a lifetime of sin, drugs, and pain. When I woke up the next morning I was so grateful for the Potters House and for my family never giving up on me.

I am not sure what He has planned for me but I do know that I will continue my journey in Christ. The fact that I am still alive is all due to His grace and love for me! That knowledge humbles my spirit to be able to receive His word and even thirst for it on a minute by minute, daily basis. I am now 12 months sober and was baptized in September 2014. I am also working with my family to rebuild our relationship. For the first time ever I have a positive outlook on my life and my future! Praise Jesus----by His grace I was saved!

- Former Potters House Client, 2015