My name is Maggie and I am nineteen years old. I am from Buffalo, NY. I want to share what my life used to be like before I came to know Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.

I grew up with what I thought was a decent family. I used to live with my mom, dad, and brother. Everything went well until my parents got a divorce. My mother basically gave  up and lost control. My Dad moved out because he could no longer handle my brother and me always going against his rules. I partied with my mom. We drank, smoked weed, and did acid and ecstasy together. I lost my virginity at the age of thirteen after passing out, drunk. Blacking out was an almost every night occurrence. I would drink so much that I would never remember what happened to me the night before.

I dropped out of high school at the age of fifteen, which left me with only an eighth grade education. After I dropped out of school, I moved with my mother down to Florida. I didn’t stay long because all that was there was an environment of depression, alcohol, and drugs. I came back to New York and lived at my Dad’s house. I became even more rebellious and angry because he didn’t tolerate my lifestyle. I applied no standards or boundaries to my life. I moved in and out of my Dad’s house as I pleased, growing more and more out of control. I could never keep a job because I was too hung over or too busy partying to even show up. Life just became a 24/7 party, and bars and clubs were an every night event. Cocaine eventually played a role in my life. I had absolutely nothing going for me. I thought there was no hope for me. I would drink and drive and not remember driving home. It’s so scary for me now to think that I did that. I finally got pulled over by a sheriff and got charged with DWI. My license is suspended until I am 21.

Things in my life obviously weren’t getting any better. Just when I thought it couldn’t get any worse, I found out I was pregnant. I was an eighteen year old scared girl with abortion as the only option in my head. Thank the Lord, my Dad is a born again Christian and remarried a Christian woman and they both live the standards of God’s Word. My stepmother told me that abortion wasn’t an option. She assured me that from conception, it was a baby. It has a soul and is a true gift from God. I finally obeyed my parents and decided that I was going to keep the baby. I moved back in with my parents and began a life without alcohol, drugs, and my old friends.

On December 29, 2003 I gave my life to Jesus Christ. My heart broke and I knew that I couldn’t handle the hurt and depression anymore. I understood that Christ can take all that away. Jesus lifted me out of a pit of darkness and renewed my spirit.

My family and I decided that I needed a fresh start in a new environment. I came to Freedom Village in March 2004 and have been so happy. My son Aiden was born on June 26, 2004. He is my gift from God, and I love him so much. I praise God everyday that I didn’t get an abortion. I have the privilege of living in the Gift of Life Home at Freedom Village with Aiden. I have been completely blessed with everything God has provided for us. God can work miracles and I believe in His works. Aiden is my miracle from God.

At the Village, I get a second chance to complete my high school education –something that I never thought I would accomplish. I don’t care how old I will be when I finally graduate because I am going to get it done through the strength of Jesus. My mind used to be full of garbage and I couldn’t concentrate on things for a long period of time, but now God has restored me with a fresh and clean mind. There is hope in my life. Just when things get so bad and when you think there is no hope, that’s when we call on Jesus. He saves us from the hurt and misery we once lived in. He can change a life so fast. I know this because he changed my life from an out of control party girl to a teachable young lady.

What is really special to my heart is that Aiden can live in such a wonderful place surrounded by godly Christian people, and I can be the mother God wants me to be to my precious baby boy. Being a mom is an awesome job and I wouldn’t trade my position for anything else. I am proud to say that I love my life and the love I have for everything only comes from God.