Kim’s Story

I need to start out by saying I give God all the glory for where I am in my life. I started using drugs and alcohol as a young child, just for fun. Little did I know I'd be where I am today. I'm now 39 years old, married for 17 years, he is also a recovering addict, and now I'm totally clean and sober for almost 7 months. In May 2005, I attempted sobriety on my own. I went without crack-cocaine and marijuana for 187 days, but continued to drink excessively. Needless to say, I relapsed in November 2005, wound up going to jail for 12 days, then I was accepted to The Home of Grace for Women I arrived on December 12, 2005, and left March 2, 2006, as a new creature in Jesus Christ. By His grace and mercy I am still totally clean and sober, my husband is as well, we have moved into a lovely two bedroom house, I am a full-time student at Bishop State community College studying to become a Social Worker. And I work part-time at Big Time Diner in Mobile. I honestly believe if it wasn't for my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, plucking me out of Baldwin County Detention, and sending me to The Home of Grace for Women, I would be dead, or in jail. As a result of my recovery my entire life is wonderful. I have much gratitude for agencies such as the United Way and all the wonderful churches that give their support for helping provide places like The Home of Grace for Women where people like me can find a new live. Today, I don't worry about anything; I have the tools I need to remain clean and sober. And I have an incredible amount of unconditional love in my life now. I hope to help other addicts in my situation someday. I belong to a wonderful church, Mt. Hebron, that I visited while at The Home of Grace for Women. The pastor and congregation are very supportive of my entire family. I praise God for Mrs. Littleton and the staff for their dedication to saving lives. ~Kimberly Knight

Arrica’s Story My name is Arrica McCaster. I am from Alabama originally but have moved around the country several times. Alcoholism is generational in my family and with me being the oldest child, I assumed most of the responsibilities where I and my siblings were concerned. I carried a lot of burdens from our childhood, but I excelled in school and even found time for extracurriculars like cheerleading. I got pregnant at the age of 15 and moved to Connecticut where I had 2 more kids. The pressure was building in 12th grade trying to juggle the responsibilities of motherhood and my education, so I spoke to my teachers about dropping out, but they were not having it and they rallied for me to get my GED, which I scored above average and was awarded a high school diploma. About a year later my grandma got sick and I moved back to Alabama to care for her. I also started school for business administration, but my mom was in active addiction and could not help me with the children any longer, so I dropped out. I found myself pregnant again with no support from the fathers of my babies. I was working a lot and began to drink while trying to cope with the stressors of life. I always moved into supervisor positions anywhere I worked. On the outside I was managing but, on the inside, I was falling apart. All the while my drinking was getting worse, and I had begun to use hard core drugs too. Toxic men, legal troubles, and an addiction that was progressing quickly landed me in the Home of Grace for Women in 2008. I stayed sober for 7 years, but I was still trying to go alone. My youngest son landed in prison, my young daughter got pregnant, and I just couldn't hold it all together. I look back now, and I see that I was not able to be brutally honest in recovery before and that hindered my recovery process. I came back to the Home of Grace earlier this year and I made a conscious and intentional effort to be real and transparent about my struggles this time. I was willing to do any and everything I had to do to get it right this time around. I live at the Graduate Dorms here on the campus and I work and serve the ministry that gave me a second chance at life. I am grateful for the opportunity to help serve the clients and to be a light of hope to the women that are totally hopeless like I once was. I am totally submitted to the process, and I live my recovery out loud! I am in discipleship and stay very accountable. I'm learning to receive help and support from a wonderful community of believers. I am very close to getting my license which I haven't had in 15 years, and I just became an official employee of the Home of Grace. I am also a shift supervisor at Goldfingers in Saraland where I have been honest about my recovery as well. Jesus is real and His Power is actively transforming me into the woman God created me to be. I am so full of gratitude for this ministry and all the staff and volunteers that serve so diligently spreading the love of Christ.

Champayne’s Story Pictured are Sandy Doss (Counselor), Champayne Wuescher (Client) Our newest baby, Saturn“Grace” Wuescher Born Wednesday, November 16, 2022. This is a letter from Champayne’s DHS Worker... Oh wow. I love how God works in his own timing. I am so so happy that Champayne is able to bond with Grace this way!! I had no idea about Hannah House. I have chills thinking about Ms. Littleton looking down on y’all and just feeling so proud of y’all for continuing her passion and this work!! I deserve no thanks for this, YOU GUYS DID THIS! Y’all made it happen, y’all keep making it happen. Y’all are the true GOATs for people like Champayne who need just a little bit of patience and extra support. This means so much to me, to see people not giving up on others (it’s something I see too often, treatment facilities being too overwhelmed or just over their shenanigans to allow people to come back after a relapse). I am so thrilled that we have connected, and I am aware of what you guys do!!!

Kaylynn’s Story My name is Kaylynn Watson. I am 30 years old. I’m from Cullman, Alabama. At the age of 13 I got put on anti-depressant medication. I had my first son at the age of 15 and got put on pain medicine. That is when my addiction started. In 2010 I had my second son. While I was on the pain and nerve medication, I had tried meth for the first time. I went to jail for the first time in 2014 and that’s when I got my first felony. At this point in my life, I was bad off in my addiction and I had lost everything that I had. I got pregnant with my daughter, lost her, and went back to jail. I stayed in Cullman County for about 8 months and the whole time I was in there I was hooked on Kratom. When I got out of jail, I had relapsed. I was pregnant again filled with shame and guilt. I reached out to the Home of Grace for Women, and they welcomed me with open arms. While I was on the program, I had a doctor’s appointment and I found out I was having twin boys. Not long after that I went into labor and my heart failed. After spending two days in ICU, I finally got to see my healthy 31 weeks old baby boys. The Home of Grace saved our lives. I have met some of the best women of God here. I am now a Graduate living at the Home of Grace with my twin boys. God has truly blessed me. I’m so grateful for the Home of Grace and I am very excited about what God has next for me.

Tasha’s Story My name is Tasha. I am a 35 year old single mother of a beautiful 5 year old little girl named Kenley. I had struggled with drug addiction since I was a teenager and had experienced much pain and misery throughout the years because of it. But when I arrived at the Home of Grace on October 24, 2014, I was broken in a way I had never been broken before. Not only had my addiction once again spiraled out of control, but I had lost custody of my daughter. I’m not really sure which was worse- finding out that I had lost her or coming to the realization that I had become the type of mother that would have to have her child taken away. But it took losing her for me to finally turn my life around. Through the Home of Grace program, I have found a new freedom in Jesus Christ and the relationship between my daughter and me has been restored. Not only did God give her mother back to her, He gave me back whole…ten times better than she’d ever known before. I am so grateful for God’s grace & mercy. Tasha S.