Tasha's Story

     It all started with my step dad. He sexually abused me from when I was three until I was 13. I had a lot of hurts and a lot of walls built up over the years. I started fighting with my mom, getting expelled from school and acting as though I didn't have a single care in the world.

     My mom decided she was sick of my behavior, and sent me to a non-Christian program. I was very rebellious, cursing out the staff until they finally had to let me go. At this point in my life, I was confused, frightened and wanted help - but couldn't let go of my hurts.

     My mom found out about House of Hope and brought me here. My life began to change with the help of God and the love of the staff here. My hurts are being healed, day by day, through counseling. My relationship with my mom is much better God is still working on me!"

     A year later, another friend of mine was hit and killed by a drunk driver. I was so overcome with grief that I took a handful of pills and started cutting my wrists, but before I could finish, my dad found me and the next day I was admitted to a psychiatric hospital, which did not help.

     In 8th grade, I got kicked out of school so my dad sent me to live with friends in Indiana. I hated it, but they were good people. They loved me and got me through school. Before I left there, a man I called my granddad got very sick and died.

     I returned to Florida and my school life included drugs, being expelled several times and many arrests. I was court ordered to House of Hope, which meant having to submit to authority and stay clean, or else it was right back to jail.

     I hated the idea of staying clean until I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior. Ever since then I have had the strength and will to stay committed to catching up in school, staying clean and living a new life in Jesus Christ. I now feel loved and I have a lot of mothers at House of Hope - who really show me they care.

Tania Mark - A mother's story

     As I discovered, there is a big difference between thinking about your testimony and actually writing it down on paper.  When trying to think of what I would say, I realized that the Lord had chosen to work slowly in my life and I am still a work-in-process.  There has been no flash of light or booming voice in the middle of the night.  Instead, my conversion process has gradually unfolded over the years.

     I grew up in a large family and attended church every Sunday, sang in the choir, joined youth group and later as a teenager taught Sunday school.  However, when I look back I realize that religion at that point was more and intellectual and social experience.  As a young adult I wandered away from the church and for many years I dabbled with new age philosophy and the occult.  One of the defining moments for me was when we had to send our daughter away to Christian boarding school for troubled girls.  I started reading the Bible and questioning the beliefs of my childhood church.

     When the first program did not work for my daughter we found, or should I say, the Lord led us to House of Hope.  This is now the second go around for our family at the House of Hope.  Fortunately for our family the Lord is very patient.  Through parenting classes and counseling I am learning to rely on the Lord and not myself for guidance.  The Lord has shown me areas in my life that need healing; a sometimes painful process, but one for which I am grateful.  The more I let go and trust God, the easier it has been to deal with life’s trials and tribulations.  I know that He will always be there and I am looking forward to what the Lord has in store for me in the second half of my life.