My name is Emily. I'm a 25 year old mother of two amazing kids.What you are about to read is part of my personal journey called life! Along my way I have ran into a few detours through the Elkhart County Jail while finding my way back to God. I pray that my story impacts other lost souls to believe in the power of God! I also hope it helps others to understand that not everyone in jail or prison are bad people. 

Going back as far as I can remember God has always been a part of my life. My nana introduced the Lord into my life at a young age, teaching me the power of prayer. As the years passed my faith and relationship with God became stronger. At age 14 my life came to a haulting stop! The person who I loved as a mother, my nana, passed away without warning. At this point I was angry that God had taken her from me. Slowly after that I started to give up on God....turning my back on him. 

I started to drift down a lonely dark path in life. I began to drive my life in the direction of destruction and self-pity. Feeling the pressure to hang out with the "cool kids" I fell into the sinful lifestyle. Moving into an adult I continued to have this empty lost feeling in my soul. I tried to fill it with everything wrong I could think of, alcohol, drugs, sex, etc. My self-esteem was at it's worst. A failed relationship with my children's father caused me to speed faster down that dark road to harder drugs, sin and self-destruction. I was able to hide my dark side of drug use from people for a long time. It was a huge surprise to everyone when they found out, but by then it was too late. 

I became very tired and exhausted with myself by the time I hit my rock bottom. When I realized how lost I was I didn't even know who I was anymore. One night I couldn't take it anymore and I remembered what my nana told me as a little girl, "if you cry out to God He will be there and if you ask for help He will guide you". So that's what I did! I prayed, crying out for God to help me change my life. I couldn't live this way anymore! The very next day I was arrested. I didn't realize at first that that was God's way of saving my life. I was released eight months later, and while I stayed sober for a while I quickly found myself back on the same dark road as before. I prayed again asking Him to change my life or to help me find the way to change. I was begging him to help me out of this mess again! The very next day I was back in jail AGAIN waiting for my long trip to prison. 

This time in jail I found Peace and I'm not scared to walk down my path of life because I realize now I am never alone. God has alway been here for me. I can now go forward in life with my head held high knowing God has a plan for me greater than I can ever imagine. 

I'm excited to no longer just exist in life. I'm ready to live for God! I plan to focus on my personal relationship with God. As I grow I will spread the truth of His Word to help others find their way. One day I hope to get to be involved in missionary work. I'm proof that God can put a broken person back together.