Jessica’s Testimony

My name is Jessica Lee, I am 37 years old and was born and raised here in Owensboro, Ky. I was raised by both parents who are still married today and have two older sisters. One sister is 11 years older than me and the other is 9 years older. By the time I was in fourth grade it was like I was an only child. One sister was in Louisville in college and the other had gotten married. Growing up I was very active. I played softball, basketball, swam on the swim team, was a cheerleader and ran cross country. How my parents kept up is still a mystery to me. I was truly blessed to say the least.

My elementary and middle school years flew by with out incident. High school is when my story takes a turn. I would like to say I was always a leader, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. High school for me was a socializing platform. I was still playing basketball and softball, but on the weekends I was starting to experiment with alcohol at the weekend parties. I started hanging out with the older crowd and even got a boyfriend who was two years older than me. I was having fun. Too much fun!!! At the age of 15 I started smoking pot to go along with my drinking. I was lying to my parents about where I was going and where I was staying, all just to party. Let me make something clear, I do not blame anyone for my choices and decisions I was making. As they saying goes, “ I was doing bad all on my own.” There was no reason for me to be acting and making the choices I was making, other than, I wanted to fit in. I would do these things all the way through high school. Not planning one bit for my future. I graduated high school in 1999. This is where my story starts changing, and not for the better. 
I am still smoking pot and drinking, but now I decided I was going to start using meth. I tried meth 3 times before it got its grip on me. I didn’t even like it the first two times I tried it. I had met Satan himself. Meth took over my life. While using meth I became someone I said I would never be. I was a liar, a thief and a bum. I went from smoking it to sticking a needle in my arm. I did not care who I hurt or if I hurt myself. It made me hate life, to the point I wanted to die. I had basically done everything possible to my family. I had gave them every reason to hate me. 
This is where my grace story begins. October 1, 2010 I got busted. I was incarcerated at Daviess County Detention Center on 6 felony charges. While incarcerated I started reading God’s Word. I was attending bible studies and going to church services. God started changing my heart while I was locked up in A278 with about 20-30 other women. I started having hope and knew I wanted a different life. I knew I was done with the alcohol and drugs. It was that clear to me. On January 10,2011 I entered the Friends of Sinners Program. Through FOS I was taught about having a relationship with Jesus Christ. I was shown by the staff and volunteers that there was so much more life had to offer. I graduated the program in April of 2012 and started working for FOS in May 2012 and have been there every since. I now am the women’s supervisor. My family, they trust me again. They can look at me and smile. I get to go back in to the jail and give ladies who are like me hope. I get to go to the local schools and share my story with our youth, in hopes that they will not make the choices I made. Today, my mission is to help and be apart of the solution to the drug problem in our community. 

I have been clean for 7 years now and many thanks goes to FOS for helping me on this journey. But all glory and praise goes to my Savior, Jesus Christ. So please start today and partner with Friends of Sinners. This ministry is truly being a servant of the Lord. 

This is my grace story.