08/17/2026
What an incredible morning at Mended Women Lifestyle Recovery! 💜
For this week's "Lived Experience Speaker Series", we were honored to welcome Heather and Lisa, who shared powerful stories of overcoming trauma, addiction, incarceration, serious health challenges, and seasons when hope felt incredibly far away.
Heather spoke openly about trauma, spiritual pain, and her experience with incarceration, and how she ultimately found hope, healing, and recovery through Jesus Christ and the 12 Steps. Lisa shared her journey through complex relationship trauma, alcoholism, and serious medical challenges, and the strength it took to rebuild her life through recovery. 💪
Today, both women are nearing a decade in recovery, and they came not only to share their stories, but to give back. They generously brought donations of clothing, journals, pens, and Life Recovery Bibles for our residents as well. ❤️
Our ladies absolutely loved their visit! There is something incredibly powerful about hearing from someone who has walked through darkness, found a way forward, and comes back to remind someone else that their story isn’t over yet.
Thank you, Gateway Baptist Church, Heather and Lisa, for sharing your vulnerability, your faith, your recovery, your service, and most importantly, your hope with us this morning. 🥹💜
Lived experience matters. Hope matters. Recovery is possible!! 🙌