“I felt abandoned… my drinking got out of hand, I put myself in dangerous situations.”
Nicole left her family in California and moved across the country to be closer to her disabled son. But just a few months later, her husband of over 20 years left her. “I couldn’t wrap my mind around how someone I’d loved for more than half my life just didn’t love me anymore,” she says.
In her sadness and devastation, Nicole turned to alcohol… which only made things worse. She moved back to California, but her life continued to spiral out of control.
“I felt like an abandoned wife and an unreliable mother. My drinking got out of hand, and I started being careless. I put myself in dangerous situations… but even though I took my eyes off the Lord, He never took his eyes off me.”
Nicole’s life began to change when she got into legal trouble. As part of her court agreement, she sought recovery at The Mission at Kern County.
“The moment I got to the Mission, I felt loved.”
While overcoming her addiction, Nicole began spending time in God’s Word. She found peace in God’s promise that she is loved in His eyes, and she was able to let go of the bitterness she felt toward her husband.
“I started speaking God’s truth as affirmation over my life,” she says. “All the sadness and pain I thought would never go away was replaced with love and acceptance.”
Today, Nicole works in administration for the Mission. Even though her marriage has ended, she’s able to see her life with a new perspective. She’s living her life on God’s terms, without the use of alcohol.
“I’m walking in my true identity,” she says. “I realized that unfortunate things happened to me, but they are not who I am. I’m not an abandoned wife. I’m loved. I’m safe. I’m precious.”
This Easter, Nicole is experiencing God’s gift of new life! Thank you for empowering her to follow Christ’s calling in her life. “The Mission cared for me when I couldn’t care for myself. Now I’m really excited about my new life… my future.”
Read the full Easter 2025 Newsletter here.