Kylee's Story
Kylee Ballensky's story of new life:
I was raised to believe in God. But my earliest memories of my childhood are filled with emotional and physical abuse. I grew up believing in an angry God who only let perfect people into Heaven. At 18, I left home feeling lost and very alone with nowhere to go and no one to help. I spent a couple of months homeless. During this time, I turned to drinking and partying to fill the hole inside me.
When I was about 30, I met Pastor Reg from LC3 with my then boyfriend. He spoke to us about Jesus’ love, but I wasn’t ready to give up my throne yet. In October of 2019, I ended up in the hospital. That’s when I found out I was pregnant. I’ve been sober since that day.
Over the next few years, I tried to reconnect with my mother. I had her move in with me so she could retire. This began a horrible time of verbal and physical abuse. I finally had to get a protection order from my own mother earlier this year.
At this point I was in physical and mental agony. I wasn’t eating or sleeping. In desperation I reached out to Pastor Reg. He directed me to Pastor Tung who met with me immediately with Nancy Shaffer. They told me there was hope in Jesus and encouraged me to come to church, but I couldn’t get myself to go. In March of this year I felt a voice tell me that I wouldn’t make it at this rate. I remembered Tung and Nancy telling me I needed to give myself to God fully in prayer and come to church; that with Jesus there is always hope.
Hearing that and watching my son sleep, I poured out everything I had in prayer. Again, I felt it: “Get up and go to Bible study.” I did. I was angry and sad and didn’t quite believe in this Jesus thing. I tried to slip quietly into the study. It was on the Armor of God and that if you aren’t ready, your storms will knock you down. I realized that’s what happened to me. I went home and prayed, begging Christ to take the throne back. That was the first night I finally slept.
It’s been messy healing from all of this. I even walked out on a sermon once about family. But Nancy and Tung kept pulling me back. I was reminded time and again there was still hope. LC3 showed me there was hope!
I try to remember who I am in Christ and live in that truth, not the lies I was once told. Today, my son and I have a new home. It’s just us with the peace of Christ. I’m so grateful for my LC3 family and feel so blessed that you all have embraced us as your own. I truly have family now.
I was raised to believe in God. But my earliest memories of my childhood are filled with emotional and physical abuse. I grew up believing in an angry God who only let perfect people into Heaven. At 18, I left home feeling lost and very alone with nowhere to go and no one to help. I spent a couple of months homeless. During this time, I turned to drinking and partying to fill the hole inside me.
When I was about 30, I met Pastor Reg from LC3 with my then boyfriend. He spoke to us about Jesus’ love, but I wasn’t ready to give up my throne yet. In October of 2019, I ended up in the hospital. That’s when I found out I was pregnant. I’ve been sober since that day.
Over the next few years, I tried to reconnect with my mother. I had her move in with me so she could retire. This began a horrible time of verbal and physical abuse. I finally had to get a protection order from my own mother earlier this year.
At this point I was in physical and mental agony. I wasn’t eating or sleeping. In desperation I reached out to Pastor Reg. He directed me to Pastor Tung who met with me immediately with Nancy Shaffer. They told me there was hope in Jesus and encouraged me to come to church, but I couldn’t get myself to go. In March of this year I felt a voice tell me that I wouldn’t make it at this rate. I remembered Tung and Nancy telling me I needed to give myself to God fully in prayer and come to church; that with Jesus there is always hope.
Hearing that and watching my son sleep, I poured out everything I had in prayer. Again, I felt it: “Get up and go to Bible study.” I did. I was angry and sad and didn’t quite believe in this Jesus thing. I tried to slip quietly into the study. It was on the Armor of God and that if you aren’t ready, your storms will knock you down. I realized that’s what happened to me. I went home and prayed, begging Christ to take the throne back. That was the first night I finally slept.
It’s been messy healing from all of this. I even walked out on a sermon once about family. But Nancy and Tung kept pulling me back. I was reminded time and again there was still hope. LC3 showed me there was hope!
I try to remember who I am in Christ and live in that truth, not the lies I was once told. Today, my son and I have a new home. It’s just us with the peace of Christ. I’m so grateful for my LC3 family and feel so blessed that you all have embraced us as your own. I truly have family now.
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