Sammie’s Testimony

My name is Sammie Cooper. I am 30 years old. I have been in and out of addiction since i was 13. I can’t say that i have had a bad childhood. My mom was a sinlge parent and worked all the time to provide for my sister and I. We had everything we needed and more. I remember being so angry as a child and taking it out on my mom for my dad not being there. Ages 13 through 16 i was drinking and doing pills. I played basketball growing up trying to maintain a double life. I caught a dui at 16. I was in and out of relationships and trying to fill a void i had in my heart! At 17 i met a man, quit the team and by the grace of God graduated high school. Not long after we moved in together and this is where my life took it’s turn. I was soon blessed with two beautiful children. I managed to stay sober while pregnant both times but i was quickly back at it getting worse each time. I was introduced to meth, the devil himself. For 5 years i put up with the mental and physical abuse from their father. I had it in my head that i was going to do whatever it took to keep our family together. I grew up without my dad and i didn’t want that for them. I was so broken and beat down. I had no self worth and no confidence. I soon started sending my kids to my moms more and more. The fighting kept getting worse and so did my love for pills and meth. I have drug my kids through so much emotional abuse that i can’t even begin to express it all. In 2010 i caught my first set of big charges. Two counts wanton endangerment and two counts criminal abuse and a dui 2nd offence. I was in and out of jail and had been to two rehabs. All to just get out repeat the cycle. This is when my drug use took its turn for the worse. I had started using meth intravenously. Homeless and sleeping on the streets. I continued in addiction like this for 5 more years. I had never been so low in my life. I was finally sick of getting high. It no longer numbed my pain and the pain of what i put my kids through was unbareable. I remember crying out to God one night for him to get me out of this life. June 3rd 2016 my cries were heard and my prayers were answered! Although i had been charged with trafficking and sitting in jail yet once again i couldnt have been more thankful! This is where i wrote my first letter to God and wholeheartedly surrendered my life to him! I asked him into my heart and for him to help me be the daughter and mother i was supposed to be! A few weeks later on July 11th i was accepted into Friends of Sinners and my life as i knew it no longer defines me or who i am. The Lord has set me free from my addiction and had broken my chains! I soon started getting unsupervised visits with both of my kids. Restoration took place with my family and i was gaining the trust i never thought i would have again. I completed the program and graduated F.O.S on July 11th 2017. That August i gained full custody back of my children and will soon have 2 years clean! Giving back to this ministry means a lot to me! I teach a class there every week and sponsor two girls and maintaining a full time job. It is only by the grace of God that i am alive today! He has belssed me with everything thing I’ve ever wanted and a godly man that i am very thankful for who continues to point me to christ. Jesus gave his life for me so i will give mine to him and continue to pursue him everyday!