Emily's Story

A journey from brokenness to restoration.

This is the story of what happened when life fell apart - and a God who never stopped pursuing her.

Read Emily's story

A journey from brokenness to restoration.

This is the story of what happened when life fell apart - and a God who never stopped pursuing her.

Read Emily's story

Emily's Story

Emily's story of hope and restoration

A loving innocent little girl. I was raised in a loving, church-going family that provided a safe and stable home. To most people, my childhood appeared happy and carefree. My parents worked hard to shield us from life's burdens, and from the outside, we looked like the family others admired. Yet beneath the surface, I often struggled with feelings of insecurity and not quite fitting in. As the middle child, I compared myself to my sisters and battled self-doubt from an early age. I was teased about my weight and frequently felt overlooked, which slowly shaped how I viewed myself. Even so, I had a tender heart. I cared deeply for people and animals, rooted for the underdog, and believed in happy endings.

This is my story. I was born into a blessed and loving Christian home. But years later, my life took a turn into darkness and pain. But the Lord saw, knew, and rescued me, and now I have a story to tell.

Middle school In fifth grade, my innocence was shattered when I was sexually assaulted on my school bus. Although I didn't fully understand the impact at the time, that experience planted seeds of fear, shame, and confusion that would affect me in ways I would not fully recognize until much later in life. What appeared to be a normal childhood was already carrying hidden wounds. Even in those early years, however, God was at work. The compassion, resilience, and longing for hope He placed within me would eventually become part of the story He was writing through my life.

High School years. High school should have been a fresh start, but the wounds from years of bullying and feeling unseen followed me. When my sister and I transferred to a private Christian school, I struggled with questions about my worth and whether my pain had ever truly mattered. Looking back, I can see that insecurity and feelings of rejection continued to shape how I viewed myself, even in a new environment.

Broken, abused, and trafficked. The unresolved wounds of my childhood followed me into adulthood, where they collided with unimaginable loss. After the death of my husband, I found myself overwhelmed by grief, brokenness, and despair. What began as an attempt to numb the pain led me down a destructive path of addiction, abuse, homelessness, and human trafficking. Feeling lost and hopeless, I struggled to believe my life could ever be different.

Rescued and restored. Just when I thought my life was beyond repair, God met me in my brokenness. Through His grace, the love and support of others, and a willingness to begin healing, I found freedom from addiction and the courage to confront the wounds I had carried for so long. What the enemy meant for destruction, God used for redemption.

Today, I am a wife, mother, author, outreach leader, and leader of S.A.R.A.H. groups. I am using my story to help others find hope, healing, and restoration. My journey is living proof that no one is too far gone and that God can restore even the most broken life.