Testimonials
All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:
~ 2 Corinthians 5:18
MARY
In 2011 I tried methamphetamines. Shortly after trying them, I began using them intravenously. These terrible drugs consumed every aspect of my life! The relationship with my parents, children, and friends became so very damaged, I never thought they could be restored. These drugs took my freedom. I did 23 months in a Texas prison, but when I got out in 2014 I still couldn’t seem to get away from the drugs. I became a complete slave to meth and felt dead inside.
My mother passed away on February 1 of 2019. Right before she left this earth, I promised her I would start taking care of myself! In September of 2019, I started doing just that. I got clean and was able to move into the “Shine On” House in Graham, TX. It was the best blessing of my life!!! I was able to learn how to just be still and let God work on my heart! I learned this great scripture as well.
~ A wise woman builds her home, but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands. Proverbs 14:1 ~
He healed my heart and my relationship with Him has become something so wonderful, that I honestly don’t know how I lived without Him in my life for so long! He’s my protector, my best friend, my Counselor, my Provider, and so many more things!! He is the reason I am here today, clean and sober! I’ve had my job at United for over a year, have my own home, and my youngest daughter, Ella, lives with me! My Heavenly Father has restored all my relationships with my family. My Dad and I are such close friends now!
He did for me, and WILL DO IT for you as well! You just have to want it!
~ So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. 1 Peter 5:6 ~
BRITTON
In 2017, right before my senior year of high school, I began using drugs. I chose drugs over my family, friends and school. I moved out of my parent’s house and started staying with my boyfriend (at the time). Our relationship turned toxic quickly and I began to have bruises constantly. We ended up getting kicked out of the house and lived in my car. I eventually finished school online and was going to be able to walk the stage with my class in 2018. When that time came, I still hadn’t straightened up.
My family fought so hard to try to get me to get some help but I would never do it. I thought I was perfectly fine living the way I was. I hurt everyone around me that cared for me the most.
One day I hadn’t been high for about three days, no money, no gas, no way to get to work, and I had no shower. I hadn’t talked to my parents for several days and my mom told me they were getting ready to file a missing persons report on me because they had no idea where I was or if I was even alive. I called my mom and asked her to come pick me up. I told her I was ready to get sober. Within about two minutes, both of my parents pulled up and picked me up. They took me home and we were looking for somewhere I could go to rehab, everything was so expensive that my dad was willing to pull out his retirement to get me better. But when the ladies at Shine On reached out to my dad, I had the privilege of going there instead.
They drove me six hours away to be at Shine On and I think it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. The women at Shine On made the biggest impact on my life and showed me that I am still God’s child even after what I had done. They taught me all about God’s unending love and also showed me unending love themselves. I was only there for one month before going back home but the impact they made on my life changed everything and I had no slip-ups.
I joined the US Navy and I am now married with a precious 7-month-old boy. I do not know where I would be right now without Shine On and all the amazing people that run it. I am forever grateful to you all for showing me endless love and teaching me about God’s word.
PEGGY
My name is Peggy McDonald. I’ve been clean from methamphetamine for 4years. I was homeless for part of that time. After I got clean I was able to find a place to live, but it was in really bad shape. I lived there for three years. For two of those years, this house was so cold inside that the toilet bowl and tank water froze solid for days.
I lived in one room just trying to stay warm. Slept in pajamas and a sweatsuit and sometimes would still be cold. When it rained outside it would also rain for me inside. But I was grateful because I was off the streets and I was clean.
In that three years, I met and went to church with Brenda Roberts and Shana Wolf. With the help of Shine On, Loving the Least of These Ministries we tried to find ways to repair my living situations but we were told it was beyond repair and needed to be torn down.
After daily searches and miracles from God, I found a house I could afford to buy.
Shine On completely remodeled the new house. They helped me with the buying and all the legal paperwork.
So many from my church at Faith Center and the body of Christ in our community joined with them working many volunteer hours to remodel and repair my “forever home” that we called my “Victory house”!
I was truly shown compassion and the love of Christ. I can’t begin to explain how much they have blessed me and changed my life.
My house is beautiful and warm. I sleep in normal pajamas, not layers of clothes now. I was able to have Christmas, Thanksgiving, and my grandson’s birthday party at my home for the first time. I knew somehow, someway, God was gonna help me out of the old house, but never dreamed I would actually get to live in a real home that was beautiful.
If it wasn’t for the love and compassion of the people through Shine On, I don’t know where I would be now. Thank you, God and Shine On for a new life.
ALLISON
My name is Allison. I am, as of February 2021, five amazing years sober! Without Shine On, I don’t know where I would be now, or how my life would have ended up.
My biggest help was from God, without Him I would be lost. Because of Him over the past few years, my family has had many chains break free from addiction.
I came to Graham alone. I was determined to do what I had to do to get my son back. I left all I knew – friends, family, and the two dogs that I had for many years. I also had to place my grandmother, whom I took care of for many, many years, in a nursing home. But, with the help of Shine On, I was able to go get her and bring her to Graham, also. I will forever be grateful to y’all for that. In December 2018 she earned her wings. The following year I also lost two really close family friends, and an aunt, my mom’s baby sister, to addiction. It was a rough, rough year. God gave me the strength to get through.
I am grateful to say that I got my son back and because of those chains breaking I now have many of my family here in Graham with me. We are healthy, working, and most of all sober.
My son Gage is five years old and in kindergarten now.
I am in a great relationship with a man who is on fire for our Lord. Life is amazing right now. I am forever grateful and beyond blessed.
CHRISTIE
As a child, I never pictured myself where I am today. The struggle to get here was rough and no doubt one of the hardest things I have ever done but I am here! After being molested as a child I went on into my adult years and found drugs. I became promiscuous and became a thief to supply my habit. That eventually lead me to the prison gates where I spent 7 years of my life. My two children were taken from me as I was not fit to be a mother. I spent years of going back and forth to jail and in between stayed high to numb the pain from my past. During my stays in jail, a woman came to share the good news of Jesus, and from that day forward I was never the same. Although the transformation wasn’t instant, years passed and I was a different person. I began getting high less and less. I began learning of Christ and his love for me!! After my last bout in prison, I was blessed enough to stay at a place called the Shine On House. The ladies who ran the place truly changed the way I felt about love! They prayed for me and loved me despite my indiscretions. They taught me about Jesus and fellowship and how God forgives your sins of the past no matter how tattered or broken.
Since my stay there I have flourished as a child of God. I got married to an amazing man of God! He truly is the greatest gift God has given me. He strives to be the man of God I need! He loves me as Jesus does. We read the Bible together, we go to church together, we have a love unlike anything I have ever experienced! This man exemplifies Christ in all that he does and has been the most amazing blessing I could have ever asked for. He and I started out our relationship the way God intended as we waited to be intimate until we got married!! I got custody of my children back and I am still sober to this day, six years and counting! The love of Christ and the love of the ladies of Shine On shaped me into the woman of God I am today I couldn’t be happier.
Shine On is a non-profit 501c3 organization. EIN#47-2408040