From Brokenness to Redemption: Casandra’s Journey of Faith and Recovery

We are shaped by countless circumstances, events, and people throughout our lives. Every experience leaves an imprint, molding us into who we are. For some, like Casandra, childhood was marked by pain, instability, and exposure to addiction. With a history of abuse, abandonment, and substance use from a young age, it seemed inevitable that she would continue the cycle. But God had a different plan. Despite the brokenness of her past, Casandra found the courage to surrender her life to Christ and step into a new future—one filled with hope, healing, and a passion to help others break free from the chains of addiction.

A Childhood Marked by Abuse and Addiction
Casandra’s story began with a fractured home. After her parents divorced, she was shuffled between unstable living situations, encountering abusive adults and an environment where drugs and alcohol were a constant presence. At just six years old, she had her first drink of alcohol—an escape from a reality filled with fear and uncertainty. By twelve, she was smoking marijuana, and as a teenager, she experienced a high from pills and ultimately turned to alcohol and meth. “I started partying on the weekends and staying high all week,” she recalls. “The substances numbed the pain of anxiety, depression, grief, and shame, but they could never truly heal her. My solution was found in substances until the substances became the problem.” By the time she graduated high school, Casandra was a mother. Over the next decade, she found herself trapped in a cycle of pregnancy, addiction, and abusive relationships. Fear ruled her life. She would get sober while pregnant but relapse shortly after giving birth. Outwardly, she appeared to have it all together—active in her children’s lives, involved in the PTA, even coaching soccer—but she was living a double life.

A Desperate Cry for Help
Eventually, the addiction took over. A series of arrests followed. She entered rehab but was kicked out for not following the rules. She tried outpatient programs, but nothing stuck. She returned to dealing drugs, and before long, she was using heroin intravenously, becoming her own biggest customer. “I traded my whole life for drugs,” she says. On October 5th, 2018, overwhelmed by the wreckage of her life, she fell to her knees, weeping. “God, if You are real, show me. You’ve got to save me from me.” Three days later, she was arrested and booked into jail. What should have been a painful withdrawal period turned into a miraculous moment of grace—she experienced no withdrawal symptoms, no headaches, just peaceful sleep. At first, she was angry at the world, but then she heard God’s gentle reminder: You prayed for this.

Finding Faith and Freedom
Casandra began reading the Bible, and for the first time, it came alive. A life-changing verse was Romans 15:13, “I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” She wanted to experience everything this verse talked about. “It really had me ask the question; how do I receive this?” God continued to show His faithfulness when another woman arrived in jail—her parents were youth pastors, and she helped Casandra understand scripture more deeply. As she grew in faith, she also grew in love and compassion for others. But recovery wasn’t easy. She relapsed, falling into the familiar darkness. Again, she cried out to God, and He answered. Prison became the turning point. She dedicated herself to Bible studies, lived out her new faith, and encouraged other women. In May of 2020, she was released but knew she needed a strong foundation to avoid falling back into old patterns. That’s when she found Heather’s Hope Housing.

A Place of Healing: Heather’s Hope Housing
Heather’s Hope Housing offers a place of refuge and renewal for women coming out of incarceration, addiction, domestic violence, and homelessness. Through its Christ-centered programs, women receive the support, accountability, and tools they need to rebuild their lives, restore their families and equip them to go out and help others. “I learned so much at Heather’s Hope—life skills, structure, accountability and the encouragement I needed,” Casandra says. The support she received was life-changing, and in 2020, she regained custody of her children. With her faith stronger than ever, she excelled at work, embraced motherhood, and began serving others in recovery through Celebrate Recovery and her church, The Power House of Deliverance. Casandra’s journey led her to become an ordained minister and evangelist.

A Lifelong Battle, A Lasting Hope
In 2022, she stepped into a new career, bringing her experiences and faith into her work. Though it was a blessing, the transition was challenging. Traveling for work meant time away from her support system, and a lack of accountability led to a relapse with alcohol. Heartbroken, she confessed to her children and sought help. In a moment of surrender, she had a profound encounter with her Creator. “It’s by His grace that my relapse was only with alcohol,” she says. She hasn’t touched a drink since. Casandra knows the battle is ongoing. “Addiction runs deep in my family. The things I struggle with today are the result of intergenerational trauma. But breaking those chains has given me a new life. I have relationships with my kids and both my parents. I know that if I go back, it will take my life. One hit, one drink, one pill is never enough.” Her story is one of redemption, resilience, and the unfailing love of Jesus Christ. Through her testimony, Casandra reminds us that no one is beyond God’s grace. No matter how far we have fallen, there is always hope. Through surrender, faith, and the support of a Christ-centered community, true transformation is possible.

A Life Transformed
In the years since leaving Heather’s Hope Housing, Casandra has become a trained facilitator for White Bison: Wellbriety Movement, a Warrior Down: Recovery Coach, a 12-Step Recovery Facilitator for both men and women, Grief and Trauma Facilitator for Mending Broken Hearts, a Youth Facilitator for Understanding the Purpose of Life, a Wellness Coach and Native American PRSS Facilitator for ODMHSAS. Casandra’s journey is a testament to God’s promise in 2 Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

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