If it weren’t for people like you, Ashley wouldn’t be smiling.
She wouldn’t be blasting worship music and telling everyone she meets that Jesus loves them.
She probably wouldn’t even be alive.
Growing up, Ashley watched her mom be abused by an endless string of men. When she was only 12, she was molested by a family member. Her mom didn’t believe her. Not knowing what to do with all that pain, Ashley started cutting and attempted to take her own life – several times.
Darkness and despair followed her for years and led her to accept beating after beating from men she was in relationships with.
“The abuse got very, very bad. So I numbed the pain with drinking and drugs,” she says.
The Breaking Point
One night, when Ashley was bleeding from yet another suicide attempt, her boyfriend grabbed her by the hair, drug her out of their apartment, locked the door, and refused to let her back in.
“I didn’t know what to do, so I called the cops on myself, and I said I was dangerous,” Ashley remembers.
Six patrol cars showed up. Ashley was so scared that she ran.
Eventually, she was caught and arrested. When she got out of jail she went right back to her boyfriend. Many women in abusive situations do. Tragically, they don’t know what else to do.
The abuse got worse but, thankfully, Ashley’s probation officer told her about the Mission. She was skeptical, especially since we are a Christian organization, and she didn’t believe in Jesus. Something in her told her to come anyway.
“I was uncomfortable for a while, but slowly and surely, God worked on my heart,” she says.
One day in chapel, with worship music playing, everything clicked.
“I felt the Holy Spirit, and I realized He’s been planning this exact moment for me to be here.” That day was almost two years ago.
The Transforming Power of Jesus Christ
Looking at Ashley today it’s hard to believe she ever wanted to die. She smiles all the time, tells corny jokes, and wants everyone to know that no matter what they’ve been through – or what they’ve done – God loves them. Working as one of our Street Outreach Case Managers, she gets that chance every day.
“I see myself in a lot of the people that we come across,” she says. “I will continue to give the love I found from Jesus to other people. . . Man, Ashley, a believer, talking about love and Jesus.”
