Brittani’s Story

Brittani is a mom in our Women & Children’s Program who came to Light of Life in January 2017. Before coming to Light of Life, she struggled with addiction for almost 20 years. She had graduated from college and obtained her nursing degree, but then fell into the cycle of drugs through a boyfriend that she was dating.

Brittani knew things had to change when her 12-year old son felt unsafe living with her. She was living with her mom, but was evicted due to her drug use, so she ended up in a halfway house. When she was in that halfway house, Brittani felt desperate and hopeless. “It didn’t seem like being clean was ever in the cards for me.” She remembers her son coming to visit her and offering her his Christmas money to help her. That was one of the points where she realized the impact her addiction was having on him. Brittani says that her son was her motivator. “He was the only person who unconditionally loved me and didn’t give up on me.” 

Brittani describes that the most influential time while at Light of Life was when she learned that God forgave her for her past. She says,

“once I knew I was forgiven, I could forgive myself.”

And this realization didn’t stop with her. Brittani’s son has witnessed God as well. He is now 15 years old and she says that he ministers to her all the time! They go to church together and he has accepted Jesus as his savior and has experienced the Holy Spirit. He tells her that he is proud of her for breaking the cycle of addiction in their family and he plans to continue breaking it for good. Brittani will graduate from the Women & Children’s Program this fall and she plans to help other people realize that they are forgiven in Christ, and that they deserve a second chance just like she got. 

Brittani says, “I think that [homelessness and addiction] doesn’t discriminate. I have lost my nursing license through [addiction]. Light of Life helped me to get my license back and I finally got a nursing job. It’s just a relief that I can provide for my son finally on my own. They sky is the limit and things can turn around. We all deserve a second chance – because I’m not the same person I was. I have something to give and it’s truly my job to give back. My passion is for people now and it’s to teach them how I was able to forgive myself through Jesus Christ. I just believe in second chances.”