There was a time when Sarah could not imagine the life she is living today.

Today, she is a college graduate, a devoted mother, an advocate for families, and the Administrative Assistant at Christian Helping Hands. But her journey to this moment was anything but easy.

Sarah recently graduated from Cameron University with an Associate of Science degree in Business — an accomplishment that was made possible by years of hard work, healing, and perseverance. For Sarah, this milestone means more than earning a diploma. It is evidence of a completely transformed life.

“I’ve walked through seasons of my life that once felt impossible to survive,” Sarah shared.

Losing Her Mother and Losing Her Direction

After losing her mother at just 17 years old, Sarah says she lost her direction too. The grief overwhelmed her, and she dropped out of high school shortly after her mother’s death.

“I didn’t finish high school—I couldn’t imagine celebrating something so important without her there to witness it,” she said.

Although she later earned her GED, in the years that followed, Sarah fell into a cycle of self-destructive behavior filled with partying and substance abuse as a way to cope. Those years were marked by addiction, instability, and hopelessness. Sarah eventually found herself homeless and separated from her children.

“There was a time I had given up on everything that mattered in my life. I was living homeless on the streets, and lost in the darkness of my addiction. I was completely broken and hopeless, with no sense of direction or purpose left inside me.”

Finding Hope Through Heather’s Hope Housing

In 2021, after giving birth to her son and entering recovery treatment at Jordan’s Crossing in Oklahoma City, Sarah was referred to Heather’s Hope Housing, a program of Christian Helping Hands that provides transitional housing, accountability, and support for women rebuilding their lives.

When she arrived at Heather’s Hope, Sarah says she immediately felt something different. “I just felt really welcomed and at home.”

But rebuilding her life required more than just a place to stay. It required determination, structure, and a willingness to do the hard work.

“I wanted my kids back, and I was ready to do whatever it took to get them home with me,” Sarah said. “They gave me support and helped me find direction for a new beginning, but most of all, they showed me a love I had never known before, the love of Jesus.”

Over the next several months, Sarah worked tirelessly to complete parenting classes, court requirements, recovery programs, and everything necessary to reunify with her son. Eight months into her time at Heather’s Hope, she was granted reunification by the court. Five months later, she was reunited with her daughter and regained custody of her

Building a New Future Through Education

At the same time, Sarah began discovering gifts and abilities she had never fully explored before. While working through a program at Christian Helping Hands, she realized she loved administrative and office work. That passion led her to enroll in the business administration program at Red River Technology Center.

Sarah excelled in school. She became secretary of Business Professionals of America, joined the National Technical Honor Society, earned Outstanding Student recognition, and received scholarships that helped her continue her education at Cameron University.

For the past two years, she consistently earned Dean’s Honor Roll recognition and was a member of the student advisory committee at Cameron University while balancing school, work, motherhood, and recovery.

Today, Sarah serves as the Administrative Assistant at Christian Helping Hands — the same organization that helped her rebuild her life.

Giving Back and Helping Other Families

Sarah now uses her personal journey to inspire and support others facing similar challenges. As a mentor with Stand in the Gap Ministry, she walks alongside women pursuing healthier, more stable lives, offering guidance through her lived experience and compassionate support. She also serves on the Oklahoma Family Network Birth Family Advisory Committee, where she provides insight, encouragement, and advocacy for families navigating foster care and DHS reunification.

This July, Sarah will celebrate five years of sobriety.

Looking back, she sees God’s hand through every chapter of her story.

“Through His grace, I began to see that my story wasn’t over,” she said. “Piece by piece, step by step, He pulled me out of the life I was living and placed something new in my heart — a desire for more, a purpose, a future.”

“Today, I stand not as the person I used to be, but as a testament to what faith can do.”

A Story of Restoration and Hope

Sarah hopes her story encourages others who may feel trapped in darkness or hopelessness.

“If you’re in a dark place right now, please hear me: your story isn’t finished. God can restore what feels broken, rebuild what feels lost, and lead you into a life you never thought possible.”

From homeless and hopeless… to striving and thriving. All glory to Him.