From Addiction and Instability to Complete Surrender

Years ago, Mary battled addiction and instability, growing up surrounded by harmful influences and without protection. As a young mother, she worked tirelessly to care for six children—hers and her husband’s—while navigating fear, hardship, and uncertainty. After two marriages ended, she found herself alone for the first time in her life.

She had poured everything she had—her savings, her future—into a home, only to lose it all.

It was in that season of loss that Mary fully surrendered her life to God. She began reading her Bible daily, clinging to truth even as her circumstances seemed to unravel.

An Incarceration to Restoration Testimony

What followed was a painful and confusing time marked by spiritual warfare and ultimately incarceration. Mary spent nine months in jail—what she describes as a “crypt”—and during that time, she lost everything she once owned.

But God was there.

While incarcerated, Mary immersed herself in Scripture for hours each day. She wrote Bible verses on the walls, encouraged other women, and cared for those who could not care for themselves. She was baptized while in jail and describes that season as being “born again” at 54 years old.

“I wouldn’t trade the training I received in God’s Word for everything I lost,” she says.

Mary’s story is a powerful addiction recovery testimony—proof that God can transform even the hardest seasons into holy ground.

Finding Hope Through Christian Transitional Housing

When Mary arrived at Heather’s Hope Housing in January 2024, she wasn’t searching for faith—she already knew Jesus. What she needed was safety. Stability. A place to heal, rebuild trust, and begin again.

Heather’s Hope, a faith-based transitional housing program for women, provided sanctuary—a secure space to grow, free from fear. Through Heather’s Hope and Stand in the Gap, Mary found women who prayed with her, supported her, and walked alongside her.

The classes reinforced self-control, biblical response instead of reactive fear, and the importance of healthy community. Slowly, trust returned. So did joy.

This kind of community support for women in recovery makes lasting restoration possible.

Restored and Serving: Senior Nutrition Services in Comanche

Today, Mary’s life looks completely different.

She is once again a homeowner and now serves as the Director of the Nutrition Center in Comanche, where she prepares meals for senior citizens. Some gather at the center to eat and socialize. Others depend on home-delivered meals to remain independent in their homes.

Mary personally delivers many of those meals, cherishing the opportunity to check on each individual, offer encouragement, and show care in practical ways.

“I get to see people come back to life,” Mary shares. “After a few weeks of good meals and kindness, you can see them become brighter.”

A Life Restored for God’s Purpose

Mary no longer struggles with addiction or fear. “I have joy,” she says. “And when I lose it, I go to Him—and He gives it right back.” She now waits for God to open doors instead of striving in her own strength, confident that her life is being used for His purpose.

Mary’s story is a living testimony of God’s faithfulness—and a reminder of why Heather’s Hope Housing exists: to provide safety, time, and community so lives can be restored for His glory.

“It gives me purpose,” she says simply. “It’s my calling.”

Today, Debra manages the Clothes Closet, serving families across Stephens and Jefferson Counties. But before she ever held keys or organized racks, Debra once walked through those same doors as a client. She knows what it feels like to arrive needing help. And that lived experience has become part of the ministry God has entrusted to her.

Even on the busiest days, she describes the Clothes Closet as safe.

“I feel peace when I’m here,” Debra shares. “It’s a safe place—even when it’s very busy.”

A Faith-Based Ministry Rooted in Dignity and Compassion

The Christian Helping Hands Clothes Closet is more than a place to receive clothing assistance. It is a ministry of dignity.

Families in Stephens and Jefferson Counties can shop once per month, receiving practical support during difficult seasons. But what they often receive goes deeper than clothing — they encounter compassion, prayer, and respect.

Debra believes every interaction matters. When someone walks in carrying more than they can say out loud, she often senses what they need before they speak it. Sometimes it’s help finding the right size. Sometimes it’s an encouraging word. Sometimes it’s a hug. Sometimes it’s a quiet question: “Would you like me to pray with you?”

This is what faith in action looks like — steady, personal, and Spirit-led.

How God Uses Hard Seasons to Shape a Heart for Ministry

Debra’s ability to serve with such tenderness did not happen by accident.

She is a mother of four, grandmother of ten, and great-grandmother of nine. Throughout her life, she has worked in customer service, management, and home healthcare — roles that shaped her calm presence and ability to make people feel seen.

She was also raised in the church. Her father, grandfather, and uncles were preachers, and Scripture has always been woven into her life. Her favorite verse is Philippians 4:13:
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

That verse is not just comforting words — it is an anchor.

Debra has endured significant hardship, including abuse, domestic violence, and deep personal loss. She has experienced the grief of losing a son and a grandson to substance abuse. Those painful chapters are part of her story, but they are not the end of it.

Over time, Debra has seen how God redeems even the hardest seasons. The loneliness she once felt now allows her to recognize loneliness in others. The pain she once carried now fuels her compassion.

She knows what it is to feel alone — and because she knows, she can meet others in that place with gentleness and understanding.

Meeting Practical Needs Across Stephens and Jefferson Counties

Every day at the Clothes Closet, real needs walk through the door.

A woman preparing for court needs clothing that helps her stand with confidence. Someone starting a new job needs appropriate attire to meet a dress code. A family recovering from a house fire needs to replace everything they’ve lost. A grandmother faithfully caring for grandchildren needs support.

Local schools in Comanche and Duncan sometimes call when children need clothing. Meridian Nursing Home reaches out when new residents arrive without basic necessities.

These are not just transactions.

They are moments of mercy.

And Debra stands at the center of many of them — lifting burdens in practical ways while gently pointing people toward hope.

Your Support Makes Stories Like Debra’s Possible

When Debra speaks about her work, she does not deny her past. But she does not sound defined by it either. She sounds like someone God is still shaping and healing — one act of service at a time.

Helping others, she says, has become a season of healing for her, too.

For our donors and supporters, Debra’s story reflects the heart of Christian Helping Hands. Because of your generosity, the Clothes Closet is more than a community resource. It is a place where God restores dignity, strengthens faith, and provides hope in tangible ways.

Thank you for helping create a safe place — one where people move from receiving to restoring, and where Christ’s love is shared every single day.

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.”