Testimonials

W.A.D.E. Freedom House Inc.

Spotlight Graduation
February 22, 2010 Stephanie Cox

Before coming to the W.A.D.E. Freedom House I felt as if my life was out of control. Since being here, I have learned that I was not only hurting myself but everyone around me as well. I have learned to let go of all the bad things I had done in the past because I can not change them. I also have a relationship with God now. I have learned to live life sober for a change which is something I have not done in twelve years. I have always had low self-esteem but today I love myself for who I am. On February 25, 2010 I will be clean and sober ten months. If it wasn’t for God, the W.A.D.E. Freedom House, and Mrs. Debbie I am not certain I would have made it. Thank you W.A.D.E. Freedom House.

January 18, 2010 Dena Jarrell

Dena Renee Jarrell age 30

Graduated January 18, 2010

Before coming to the Wade House I thought my life had no purpose and I felt like what I was doing was not affecting anyone but me. Since being at the Wade House I learned how much I hurt my friends and family and most importantly myself. Being at WFH has taught me how repair past relationships that my addiction tore apart. I have learned how to feel again and also how to express my feelings. I have learned to have a closer relationship with God. I now understand the boundaries you have to have in everyday life in order to stay clean and keep working a program. I am very grateful for people who give back because if Ms. Debbie was not available to give what she learned I may not be here today and be seven months clean and sober. I am looking forward to doing the same for someone else someday

My name is Lorie Ingram. I am 30 years old and grew up in Gadsden, Al. I have struggled with addiction on and off for 10 years of my life. I grew up in a close-knit family and was and was blessed with loving and supportive parents. Looking at my childhood and adolescent years, I often wonder to myself “what happened.” I started with my addiction with alcohol and weed when I was around 15 years old and stopped when I was almost 17 because I had found out I was pregnant. I do realize my “out of control” lifestyle started to take affect when I was 21. I use to blame to my 1^st husband for my addiction but later realized it was my choice. My life continued to spiral out of control until I was sentenced to prison on Dec. 12^th, 2007. I thought my life was over. I was released from prison on October 30, 2008 and was sent to a rehab in Gadsden, this was a huge mistake for me because I was very vulnerable to my negative behavior and old ways.

I came to the W.A.D.E. Freedom House on March 20, 2009 after being out of prison for 4 months. I know with all my heart that coming to this house was completely in God’s will. I cane to this house a broken person and still so full of self hatred and resentments. I was completely codependent of my family all my life and never knew how to take care of myself. When I came here I made a commitment to myself, this program, and to God. I knew this was my last chance. I had no idea that my life would change forever. I decide I would give this program a fair try. I decided I would stay open minded and willing as I worked thru my steps. Until I started working my 4^th step, I had no clue how much bondage I kept myself in by denying the truth of my past,hurts,and resentments of my life. I came to understand that by admitting the truth of my past made it a lot easier to accept all the hurts from the past. I started to learn how to manage money and be a responsible adult. This program and house has showed me that hard work does pay off. I wouldn’t give anything for this house. Today I can look at myself today and for the first time I have respect myself for others. I accept myself for who I am and I accept the fact I am an addict. I still say and believe Mrs. Debbie is my guardian angel. She gave me the chance when I thought life was hopeless. I’ve learned the hard way that honesty is always best even when it hurts. I learned that anything worth having is worth the fight and hard work. I still have codependency issues and other issues I have to work. I use to think that when the “Spiritual Awakening” happens you are automatically “cured”. Today I believe that my spiritual awakening does not mean I’m cured, for I will never be cured. There is a whole life out there for me full of happiness. My will cannot be my will, it has to be God’s. My 6 month in this program has not been easy, there have been days I’ve really struggled; but I have learned that no one but myself and my choices make days hard. I have to surrender to my Higher Power and I also have to admit every day that I am an addict and I am completely powerless. I’ve come to understand that doing those things everyday makes it easier for me to live each day. I do not know where I would be if it weren’t for Ms. Debbie and this house. I still have a lot of issues to work on, I know I will never be perfect. I know I’m not where I want to be in my recovery, but thank God I’m not where I used to be. I feel like my life is just beginning and I have the W.A.D.E. Freedom House to thank for that. #70

Wanda Riddle August 24, 2009

My name is Wanda Riddle. I was born and raised in Gadsden, Alabama. My mother is Alice Riddle and my father is L.C. Riddle. I attended grade school at Turkey town. I attended high school at Gadsden High. I was employed at Tyson Food for two years then I started work at Wayne’s Poultry Farm. I have done some private sitting with the elderly. My life started going down hill around my late 20’s or early 30’s. I started with pot and alcohol. I continued to progress drinking more heavily as years went by. I thought it would be cool to try crack cocaine. Well, little did I know, this was one of the worst mistakes of my life and that it would cause me to lose everything. I have worked my whole life to come back, and on top of it all, I would disappoint God, myself, and my family. I did not realize what I was doing would get me in jail and away from everyone and everything I cared for or loved. I thought I was living the good life but come to find out, my good life caught me a felony at the age of 45. I was living in my own hell and strived to make myself what I thought was happy and now realize that I was in pure misery. I was in Etowah County jail for six months. During this time, I attended SAP. I have since been ordered to complete rehab at the WADE Freedom House. I graduate from WADE Freedom House Monday, August 24, 2009. This is when life will begin to start over as I work my steps daily in the real world.

Erika Blocker August 17, 2009

My name is Erika Nicole Blocker. I am 24 years old. I went to jail on April 9, 2008 for manufacturing and distribution Meth. They sentenced me to 10 years split 18 months upon completion of Sapp. I was to be on community corrections for the rest of my 18 months. When I was about to graduate Sapp, I said that I need to come to the WADE Freedom House. Between Sapp and here it has helped me a lot. I’ve learned how to deal with life without drugs, how not to shift blame, and coming to the WADE Freedom House I have learned to be more responsible, how to live life on life’s terms, and how to pay my bills first and how to be honest with myself and everyone else and how to accept the things I can’t change, how to be a better person, how to do things on my own, and not ask for help because it does make me feel better about myself and how to work and keep myself up.

April Gilliland June 22, 2009

My name is April Gilliland. I came to WFH on 12/19/08. I had just graduated the Etowah County SAPP which was my first introduction to the 12 step program. I thought that since I had already worked all 12 steps that I would complete this program with ease. Unfortunately, that was not the case. I still struggled with my attitude that the world and everyone in it owed me something however that is not the case. This program has helped me tremendously with that in my daily life. You have to work hard to get what you deserve because I believe that way you will appreciate it that much more. I have learned that speaking my mind instead of holding my thoughts and feelings isn’t necessarily a bad thing, like I always thought it was in the past. I have a greater understanding of what acceptance and patience of others and the world around me mean to me and my recovery. I cannot change others to conform to my way of thinking so I have to accept them the way they are just like they have to accept me for who I am. I have learned how to truly enjoy myself without the help of alcohol and drugs as well as find a silver lining to every cloud by being in the WFH. Life is what you make of it. You can choose to be miserable or choose to be content in every situation that you may find yourself in. Life is full of choices and you have to live with all the choices that you make whether they are good or bad. I have also learned to accept myself the way I am and that it is ok to just be me. I don’t have to have the worlds’ approval as long as I’m ok with who I have become. I believe that one of the most important lessons that I’ve learned at the WFH is that my past is the past. Today is all I have to deal with now because the past is gone and can’t be changed and I will conquer tomorrow when it comes. Yes, I’ve made plenty of mistakes and bad choices in my life however I don’t have to pay for them the rest of my life. I know that God has forgiven me and I have forgiven myself also. That is a great feeling.

Kelly Gossett March 16, 2009

My name is Kelly Gossett. I am 49 years old and a grateful recovering addict. I worked 23 years as a registered pharmacist and had 3 beautiful daughters who are 22, 21 and 18 now. I led a pretty normal life until about 10 years ago when my drug addiction began. My addiction took over every aspect of my life. I spent my 40^th and 45^th birthday in jail as well as several other times in between. I lost everything that was important to me as a result of my addiction. In July 2008, my father passed away and my addiction became out of control. I prayed that God would just not let me wake up when I went to sleep, but that never happened. I felt like I had nothing left and nothing else to give in life. I knew something had to change and that I was really sick of living that way.

I came to WFH on September 13, 2008, a lonely broken person with nothing except a few clothes. I soon realized that I wasn’t alone – I had God beside me. I asked Him to forgive me for all the things in my past and at that time turned my life and will over to Him. I felt a peace in my heart that I had never had. The WFH has taught me willingness, acceptance, the desire to be a better person and given me the tools I need to live life on life’s terms.

Since coming here, I’ve gotten involved in Celebrate Recovery. I have a full time job. I have a great relationship with my daughters and they are actually proud of me rather than being ashamed or embarrassed by me. I am getting my marriage back together. I have Christian friends who care about me. Most importantly, I have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I know today that God has a plan and a purpose and today I no longer want to die but to live life to the fullest. I do pray daily that God never lets me forget where I was before I got here. Coming to WFH and working this program saved my life.64
Melody Evans 2.26.09

My name is Melody who struggles with chemical dependency and also was dependent on family. I came to the United States at the age of seven from Gimli Manitoba, Canada. I was adopted along with a older brother and younger sister. I was raised in north central Michigan, where I also graduated high school May 30, 1985. I began to start drinking through school before games dances or key parties from older high school students. I ended up moving to Florida the fall of that same year. My younger sister and I were always very close. We mostly had the same friends, and would always would drink together socially with them. I got my first job as a cashier at an Amoco gas station for a while. Then I changed jobs to a convenience store clerk right next door. That’s when my life started to change meeting new friends who came in the store to buy alcohol inviting me over. I turned legal age to purchase alcohol myself working at the store was available. I stayed with that job over a year then moved to Georgia with my younger sister and her husband she was already in the military. I was able to get a job on base. I was going out to clubs with new friends who drank. I started going to a vocational alcohol in Valdosta, GA for a Certified Nurses Assistant. Through that time I met my ex-husband now. He was attending VSU. I did get certified as a CAN. There were problems in our relationships with substances. Being a divorced mother of two sons, I realized that admitting to God that my life was still unmanageable. I didn’t want to keep slipping back to a place where I’ve been in my life too many times.

I moved to Jacksonville, AL to build a relationship with my oldest son, I met a complete stranger, who I now call a close dear friend. We shared our addiction, hurts, habits and hang-ups. She ended up telling me about the WFH. I thank God for someone who was a true friend, that’s been there along with me in my daily recovery at the WFH. It has changed my way of thinking and gave me the courage, willingness and acceptance. The program for me wasn’t easy but I wanted it for myself. The fellowship with others who struggle with addiction is amazing just for today. 63

Graduate Update

Diane Melissa Small

Graduated 3/08/07

I am what a person would refer to as a "life-time addict."

I started using drugs in my early teens and continued until my mid-thirties.

A lot of things changed during my drug use,but the only thing that changed with me would be the types and amounts of drugs.

I would occasionally have moments of sobriety that I could see the destruction,loss and chaos I had created during my addiction. I would feel extremely hopeless because I thought the only option left for me was to continue on until death.I hated the person that I was and I continued in this self destructive path until I finally ended up in jail,with a good chance of making it to prison.

Thankfully, a caseworker at the jail new about W.A.D.E. Freedom House and instead of sentencing me to the State Women's Correctional Facility they sent me to Freedom House.

At Freedom House they started with the basics.Things that I no longer knew how to do such as: making your bed,doing a chore and

pausing for a early morning meditation.These were very simple basic first steps,and that was what I needed,I needed someone to teach me how to live again.

Slowly but surely, the routine increased,things like,cooking and cleaning,along with gaining and maintaining employment were added,lessons on addiction were taught so that I could learn that I was not a bad person but I suffer from a terrible disease.....one that cannot be cured,but by maintaining sobriety it could be "arrested".

We were also allowed to take part in spiritual based programs so at the same time we were learning about our illness we were able to minister to our spirit and this created a healing process for the body,mind and soul.

There were classes on parenting,anger-management, and counseling, that laid the footwork for me to learn to love myself and rebuild the relationship between me and my daughters,family and friends.

Freedom House gave me a place to climb out of the hole I had dug for myself and get my feet planted on solid ground,so that I would have a fair chance at beating my addiction.

This coming month I will celebrate 18 months clean and sober,and I can honestly say, through Christ and WFH,everything that drug addiction stole from me has been restored.

A Very Grateful Recovering Addict,

Melissa

MISTY SMOTHERS 2/19/09

My name is Misty Smothers. I am 36 years old and a recovering addict. About 8 years ago I started doing drugs. It soon took over my life and my children’s lives. We went through a lot in eight years. I became a single mom and had to support them alone. I ended up with no husband except for one in prison on a twenty year sentence and my children were taken from me by my mom. Drugs soon made me lose everything important in my life but I kept using to escape that hurt that I felt inside. I was homeless with no place to go and would stay wherever I could. I finally realized I did not want my life to be like that any more. I decided I needed help for myself, so I came to WFH. Now I have realized how much drugs made my life out of control and now how I can be clean, sober and live my life right.

Recent Graduations:
Amy Madison graduation January 8, 2009

My name is Amy Madison and I’m 25 yrs. old. I’ve struggled with addiction since I was 14 yrs. old. I was a 24 year old single mother of a 5 year old and I was addicted to drugs, had lost everything I owned and was about to lose my son forever and also was losing my family as well. I’d had enough of living like I had no cares in the world when really I had everything to be worried about. I had to change a lot of things and the first thing I had to do was get clean.

When I came to WADE I started work, church and celebrate recovery. I’ve become involved with celebrate recovery as much as I can. Celebrate Recovery has helped me a lot and I’ve gotten my relationship back with God. God has given me so much in these six months and I’m sure he will bring so much more into my life. I’m very blessed to have the chance to turn my life around.Coming to WADE has helped me more than I ever thought it could or would and I plan on always remembering the experience that I had here.

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Susan Renee Hill graduated on January 12, 2009

My name is Susan Renee Hill. I am 41 yrs. old. Before I came to WADE my life had become a complete mess. For the past three years I’ve been in addiction and didn’t know how to get out of it. I had a lot of problems legally and I had become a mother, daughter and sister that my family wasn’t proud of.

Now I cannot believe the changes that WADE had made in me. First of all, I’m proud to be my old self again and my family is also very proud of me. I’ve also learned to accept life on life’s terms and to accept the things I know I can’t change. I now keep a steady job and I have a schedule that I go by. I attend Celebrate Recovery and NA meetings.

For the first time in a long time I enjoy being me and I’m happy with my life. I’m thankful for the opportunity to come to WADE and learn all that I have because it’s really changed me a lot. Now I’m once again the person I was before my addiction took over my life.

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My name is Bridget Bowen I am 27 years old and I am a grateful recovering addict and a firm believer in Jesus Christ. Since I was 12 years old I’ve been in and out of boot camp, jails and institutions. I’ve never realized that I had a problem with dugs and alcohol. Until one day I realized life was too short for that, I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. I realized I needed a new start in life. So, I came to W.A.D.E. Freedom House. I came here with my eyes and ears open taking in all new direction to learn a different way of living.

Since I’ve been here I’ve changed people places and things in my life. I’ve learned willingness for my program. Acceptance is the main thing for me and willing to change everything in my life. A strong Desire to change. And change is empowering!

I have grown closer to my family and my daughter. Our relationship gets better every day. I also found God through this program and was baptized on March 9, 2007. I am now a manager at Subway. I can honestly say I am a productive member of society and proud of it.

Graduated W.A.D.E. Freedom House on August 6, 2007 opted to stay and save money to get a place and a car.
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Alex White

18 years old

Graduated on June of 2008

My name is Alexandria White. I am 18 years old, but sometimes feel more like 30. I began using drugs when I was 13. It was nothing big until my best friend died about a year later. Then I began using all day everyday. My life spiraled out of control. I have been to other programs in the past, but none of them ever stuck. The past 3 years have been a blur. I lost all trust and respect from my family, lost all my good friends and traded them in for people that liked to get high, and almost ruined my education. I had lost all hope and wanted to just give up. I came to W.A.D.E. Freedom House December of 2007, and could finally see the light. I had been mad at God for years and now I talk to him and ask for forgiveness daily. I have learned that even if I hate working, the bills have to be paid and it’s really not so bad. My family loves to see and talk to me now and is beginning to trust me again.

I am so grateful to WFH because it helped me find a real me again and remember what happiness is. I only hope it can do for others in the future what its done for me.

Now, I realize that I can achieve anything if I really want it. I came here feeling like a little girl, and now I feel like a responsible young woman. I can’t wait to see what God has in store for me on the long road ahead.

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Hello everyone I will start by introducing myself. I am Amber Garner, a grateful recovering addict. I am from Jasper, Al. and I am 20 years old.

As a child I was lost. I didn’t really know who I was and if I did I didn’t think I would get approved by society. So, I was always afraid to actually be me. When I was me it was around some family only because I thought other people would use it against me.

My father passed away suddenly in 2004 with no warning. After he passed my mother remarried an alcoholic not even a year later. I was never very close anyone other than immediate family. I always thought they were better than me when I became an addict, I chose to stay away from them most of the time. I only went around when it was a must or when I was trying to act or play or even feel normal. Through all of this I managed to graduate high school in 2005. After my dad passed and after graduation things just got out of hand. My mom, brother and everyone around me including myself was changing and getting deeper and deeper into addiction. I was getting more and more addicted to the fast life and who knows what else. I stayed in that stage for a year or so but at the same time working and supporting myself. Every night I would come home to drinking and parties and partiers. That is when I started staying away from home as much as possible. I felt alone and lost also abandoned thinking up and dreaming these dreams that were so far out of reach at the same time continuing to use.

I messed up and moved in with my boyfriend. He was on house arrest and didn’t work but still brought in a lot of money, bet you can’t guess how. While I was there I worked all the time basically going there to lay my head and stay away from home.

In November of 2006 something happened and I got into trouble which landed me on probation for the next two years. I had to stay at home then so there is where I landed. I worked two jobs one in the morning and one in the evening to pay fees, fines and support myself and stay away from home.

One night I was at a meeting called Celebrate Recovery, I was required to go to. And I met this lady named Debbie Musselman and listened to her testimony. She was a recovering addict herself and had opened a recovery home for women. I decided to give it a try. I had been looking for a way out anyway. To get away from it all and try to do something about all of these big dreams I had been dreaming.

As of today, I have been at W.A.D.E Freedom House for six months. I will continue to live here until I can stand on my own two feet again. I have turned to Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior for everything. Recovery is truly about willingness, acceptance, your desire for wanting to make things happen and of course walking with God.

God puts people in your journey of life for all kinds of reasons because of Daryll Gurganus, Debbie and Wayne Musselman, my girls at W.A.D.E. house and my church, only God knows where I would be today. God is my number one priority and best friend. Debbie Musselman is very much a mother figure to me and took me right under her wing and helped give me the help I was yearning for.

The W.A.D.E Freedom house is, will and always will truly be a place to come home to

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Leslie Schors

DOB: Sept. 7, 1972

Age: 35

First of all I would like to thank God for working a miracle in Debbie Musselman’s life and making W.A.D.E. Freedom House possible. If I were asked by someone what got me here I would say the bad choices I made. Drugs were only part of the problem in my life. My biggest problem, everyday was that I had grown to hate who I had become, which made it easier to use. My problems started out as a child. I had a very dysfunctional family. I stayed confused a lot of the time. I isolated myself at home and at school. I see now how life works when there is balance between the heart and mind. I have learned that all of the years I blamed others for the way I turned out should have been spent helping others. I knew that I was ready to make changes in my life several times before I came to W.A.D.E. Freedom House. I had to loose everything precious to me before I could fall to my knees and ask God to help.

Through Debbie Musselman God worked out a way for me to come here and work on a new way of life. I believe that recovery is a life long commitment. Life isn’t easy, each day is filled with it’s ups and downs. I learned that I wouldn’t even be able to change unless I could face the demons that kept me in bondage.

Today, I have a personal relationship with God, I am grateful for my life. I plan to go home on Oct. 18, 2007. This house in Jacksonville, Al is where I have started to build a foundation for a better life. I plan to stay connected to W.A.D.E. Freedom House, I feel overwhelmed at times at the beautiful changes that happened inside of me after I started working the program. I can’t keep what I have, I don’t want to keep it to myself, I want to help others see that people can change---- I did!