Healed to Help Others

Gina Medley 

My parents divorced when I was five and my mother quickly remarried. Growing up, I faced
heavy responsibilities and hardship, leading to a growing distance between my mother and me. I was abused by my father before and after their divorce, though it wasn’t acknowledged until I was a teenager. By age 12, I was removed from the family home, feeling angry, abandoned and alone.

Life was tumultuous. I stayed in abusive relationships and used alcohol to cope. Depression set in, and by the time my second child was five, I attempted suicide. As I woke up in the ICU, I was angry at God for taking loved ones but leaving me behind.

After that attempt, I felt fragile and alone. God was calling me, but I didn’t listen. Over time, through counseling, support groups, new friendships, and a life coaching class, I began to heal. Then, I read a book about a near-death experience that deeply impacted me. I wanted Jesus - immediately! A Christian friend helped me pray to accept Him, and in that moment, I felt a profound change. I realized God had never abandoned me. That realization was a
major turning point in my healing.

Since then, my journey with God has been ongoing, and I continue to grow. I began attending the Ignite Hope mental health support group earlier this year to check in on my own mental health. Over time, I realized I was no longer struggling but supporting loved ones with their own mental health challenges. I’ve been so encouraged that I requested training to become a facilitator and look forward to seeing how God will use me in this new role.