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FROM GRACE HOME

My name is Karen Jacobs.  Growing up, my father was a hard core alcoholic.  As a young child, before my father became completely dysfunctional, he took my sister and I to a catholic church every Sunday.  My experience in Catholicism introduced me to a God I feared.  I swore I would never drink.  Eventually, I stopped going to church as other things in life distracted me.  I knew I wanted more in life and went after it academically.  Immediately after my high school graduation, I got a job at a major corporation.  I got married when I was nineteen and had my son at twenty-four.  My marriage lasted for ten years, and at age twenty-nine, I became a single parent.  It was during that time that I started drinking socially with people at work.  My career prospered.  I continued with my education, getting both my bachelors degree and my MBA.  Most importantly, I was my son’s Mom---the most rewarding experience of my life.  Life was great; I continued to advance in my career and I continued to drink!

After my son left for college, my company asked me to take a position that would take me to another state.  I moved from my family for the first time when I was forty-six.  I totally immersed myself into my career. I was very lonely; my drinking increased.   I visited my family as often as possible, as we had always been very close.  In 2001 my great-niece,  2-1/2 years old, was murdered by her day care provider.  It was an event that completely rocked my world.  I don’t remember ever being angry with God, but I did ask Him “Why” -- --she was such a precious little girl?

My drinking escalated after that.  I had a nervous breakdown in 2003 and attempted to commit suicide.  I went to a rehabilitation facility in Florida (one of the best in the nation at the time that cost $50k) for five months.  Needless to say, it did not work.  I remained in Florida, took an early retirement from my company and tried to rebuild my life, making one terrible mistake after the other, continuing in my addiction.

In my desperation in 2005, I picked up a bible and read it for the first time in my life.  By 2007, I was barely functioning, barely alive and totally hopeless.  God sent my brother to take me home with him to Hickory, NC—to the Bible Belt.  I walked into a storefront church out of curiosity one Sunday and THAT’S where I found Jesus.  My Pastor knew I was in trouble with alcohol.  He and his wife reached out to me and found Grace Home on the internet.  I came to Grace Home in 2009.  I was so grateful to be here, but I did not have a clue what was going to happen.  I learned the word of God.  I saw how the life I was living was sinful. I saw that I had become a prideful, judgmental, and self centered person with a heart of stone.  I knew I had to change and more importantly, I wanted to change.  I wanted to become as much like Christ as possible.  Grace Home gave me the knowledge, the opportunity, and the encouragement to make those changes.

 I left in January 2010 on fire for the Lord.  I was a new creation in Christ and I knew what I had to do.  I diligently walked with the Lord when I first left Grace Home.  I got baptized, had a great church family and was doing multiple bible studies.  The Lord was blessing me in all aspects of life.  Eventually, however, I started to backslide.  It started with the little things like gossip, slander, etc.  It grew into missing church, getting away from the word of God.  In eleven months time, I was back into my full blown addiction, worse than ever.  I called Grace Home desperately wanting to come back.  By the grace of God I was able to return.  God continued to chisel away at what He started and revealed what I had to change (again).  I learned to “really” humble myself; I learned to totally trust in Him always, and I learned how much I love Him and wanted to serve Him.

I have remained at Grace Home since I returned, as a staff member.  Grace Home saved my life.  I was taught how to live in Christ.  I now have the peace, joy and so, so much more that I never knew before I had Jesus in my life.  Praise the Lord!

Karen Jacobs