After our December 2012 ceremony we moved into our little tiny 2 bed 1 bath apartment in Pensacola, Fl. The incredible story of how we got into that place was just the continued favor of THE amazing Father we had in Heaven looking out for us. Since I was a convicted felon, and Justin had a felony charge but not conviction, and we had NO credit.. finding a place of our own was going to be IMPOSSIBLE according to the WORLD's requirements and standards. We trusted God, he not only provided everything for us we needed for our new home, he GAVE us a home. We were offered a sub-lease through the manager of the apartment complex's company. She and her husband had recently bought a home and she was still in her current lease. So, we didn't have to pay a holding fee, no background check or credit check was ran. THAT IS GOD. At this time I was working at Beef O'Brady's in Pace, FL. Another powerful story of His favor in getting that job as well. I had no car, I had a felony for credit card fraud, so getting a job where I actually worked with money was a risk to anyone who employed me. I was always honest with every potential employer about my past and how I was sentenced to prison for using my ex-boyfriends dads credit card to bond my ex boyfriend out of jail. God used prison to save me from that toxic relationship and that was a testimony I loved to share. The owners of the Restaurant were absolutely amazing! They were and still ARE my family. John & Carol Daughtery took me under their wings and loved me well as I was there with them until they unfortunately had to close down. I was with them for almost 3 years and would have stayed until forever had they stayed open.
Pictures and more below;
Our first apartment (12.1.12)
Redecorated in 2017 pictured below
Easter 2012 Baptism
Justin & I were both
Baptized April 8, 2012 at Brownsville Assembly of God
Easter 2012 Day of Baptism
Brownsville Assembly of God 2012
Justin and I started out going to church at Brownsville Assembly of God in Pensacola. We were both baptized together at the same time on Easter Sunday 2012. During our time there we had multiple encounters with The Holy Spirit, but we never really sought after a relationship with HIM otherwise. We incorporated Him into our lives, trusted and believed in Him but were unwilling to surrender our WHOLE hearts and lives to Him. Mainly because we'd been taught that it was 'okay,' to just say the sinners prayer and go on about our life. We had no leadership to actually disciple us into that kind of relationship with The Father through The Word of God. We've learned over the years that's how most churches are MEANT to operate. "Having a form of godliness, but denying His trans formative power. "
2 Timothy 3:5 is a example of today's "church."
May 2013
In 2013 I started Cosmetology school while I was working at Beef O' Brady's full time. I would change in the bathroom at Pensacola State College, and race to work and get there literally 10 mins until my shift began. I didn't get out of school until 3:30pm and had to be at work in Pace by 4pm. It was very strenuous, especially when Justin had to work out of town for 5 months in the beginning of our marriage. Our relationship suffered a lot that first year. Because we hadn't ever lived together before we got into a marital relationship we were learning how to co-exist and incorporate each other into our individual schedules and lives. We always worked well together and knew we wanted to and HAD to keep God as center of our lives for our marriage to thrive. It was such a blessing during that season of growth with His Love getting me through each step. I did a horrible job of attending high school, and had a ridiculous gpa that I technically shouldn't have even graduated with. This time I wanted to do it right. I had taken a few classes in 2008 towards my A.A. but didn't get much done other than 1 algebra class and an english course. I never made below a B in those, and I was proud of that. God led me into Cosmetology once I finished my 1st semester back into school in 2012. I took 2 more college courses that semester and made A's & B's. In May of 2014 I graduated Magna Cum Laude from PSC.
1 year Anniversary Trip
New Orleans 4.13.14
Positive Tests 4.24.26
Graduation May 2014
Diploma
Kensie was born on October 26, 2014. We had her early, I was working at Texas Roadhouse at the time. Probably working on my feet all those hours, along with my mother going into pre-term labor as well with both my brother and I contributed to my per-term labor. I aslo was in the gym, doing things I probably shouldn't have in there. I remember doing a leg workout with weights and something felt off after that. She was almost 5lbs at 32 weeks 5 days. She was strong and healthy and we got to bring her home a couple weeks later. She was breathing on her own, but they kept the feeding tube in her nose; (which she ripped out several times haha) so we asked the doctor on duty one day if they'd just take it out and see how she'd do without it. She had already been breast feeding and eating on her own. The next day we were released.
The day we brought our buggie boo home
November 11, 2014
After we brought her home and started to enjoy being new parents life kept getting better. There were, however, tons of ups and downs. I enjoyed breastfeeding her, but it did take a lot out of me. I started sleeping with Kensie from that moment on up until she turned 5. I finally started working on weaning her off needing me to fall asleep. No one ever told me melatonin was safe for kids, or that they made a specific formula FOR kids lol. It'd have saved me a few years of heartache in our marriage for sure. This is where the story starts to get really good. After Kensie's 5th birthday in October of 2019. I started finally sleeping in our bedroom again, and God started working in Justin. I got baptized again at the end of 2018 at my Freedom Conference as an attendee and after that I served in May of 2019, and November of 2019. It took YEARS of struggling, but finally June of 2018; after my brief relapse in 2015 I had a MAJOR breakthrough spiritually. All those years of being numbed back out again, it really wore our marriage down. Basically after she was born we stopped going to church and Justin had been playing football and re-injured all of his previous injuries. A lady on the team held up a bottle of pain pills and started shaking them asking if anyone wanted one on the way home from an away game. Justin, being weak to them and in significant pain caved into it and took some. Then it spiraled into a relapse from there. I decided after seeing him getting them and feeling 'good,' and having energy and no pain, I wanted to join him. So after 5 years of being clean, now being out of an accountability group with my church family and having a TRUE relationship with God, I succumbed to my fleshly desires.
We really lost sight of WHO we were in Christ. Losing our foundation and trying to 'find it on our own,' proved disastrous. This is when we made the very difficult decision to start treatment at a local Methadone Maintenance Treatment Facitlity. So we could work out recovery out-patient and be able to continue growing as a family and try and re-establish our connection with The Father. It was a very long journey of treatment for both of us. We finally came BACK to the Father 100% and in a sober mind and lifestyle again. In the Spring of 2020 we really took off and that is where we begin our TRUE transformative testimony from here on out.
[March of 2015]