MY FAITH TESTIMONIAL: ELLICE BACA

My love for Jesus began as a young girl. At two years old, I remember my God Mother taking me to our local church for the first time. That became my happy place.

However, home was not so happy, where I lived with my mother and stepfather. At the age of nine I felt deceived after finding out that my stepfather was not my biological father. In addition, he was a very abusive man in many different ways. My mother’s disbelief of me telling her about my stepfather’s actions sent me into a downward spiral, eventually leading me to drugs as an escape. My drug addiction began at the age of 15 1/2 years old, leading me to promiscuity by the age of 17 resulting in the loss of a child which I regret. My drug usage later led to a situation that almost left me paralyzed for life. I was shot in my stomach and the bullet exited through my left hip on a night I’ll never forget. I came one inch from being dead or paralyzed. I had to learn how to walk all over again plus I had a colostomy that was reversed. I am a miracle! However, that didn’t stop my addiction. I began using cocaine and eventually went to jail by the time I was 25 for drug possession. That’s when I finally fell to my knees and knew I needed help, and realized, only God could help me.

A year later at the age of 26 I finally reached a point of sobriety. The only way I could continuously stay on this path was to rededicate my life back to Christ. My journey with Jesus eventually led me to The Crossing Church that had a program called “Celebrate Recovery “. This group dealt with hurts, habits and hang ups. I learned that everyone has them. My sobriety wasn’t easy. However, with God by my side, I’ve been able to deal with my trauma and past hurt, one day at a time. During my walk with God, I opened my heart to the possibility of receiving love and I began allowing myself to the explore the thought of love and being loved again. God showed me love, and for the first time in years, I started believing in myself and others, from a whole new perspective.

Today, I am now married to my soul-mate and we’ve been together for 29 years. We share three beautiful children together and I continue to walk with Christ every day. I have been abstinent and sober for

35 years and completely off hard drugs. I am so thankful for my Celebrate Recovery family at Crossing Church and so proud of my ministry today with the Woman’s Resource Medical Center, who help pregnant struggling teens with resources and saving the babies. What Satan meant for bad, God turned around for my good. God is in my story. God is in the details. No amount of gratitude could describe how it feels to be a new creature in Christ Jesus. The bible book of 1 John:9 states if we confess our sins, God is faithful and will forgive us of our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I am living testimony to this. Jesus saves and God delivers. God gave me one more chance. MV

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