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November 12, 2019

“I had a rough childhood—my innocence was stolen at a very young age. I remember knowing of God as a child, but I didn’t understand the relationship part. It was also confusing to know that people could believe in God and hurt someone the way I had been hurt. Because I carried father-wounds, I made choices that compromised myself and found myself single and pregnant at 19. I was a dance major in college, so my goal was to finish my bachelor’s and audition for dance programs. I was faced with many options; however, abortion nor adoption felt right for me. Shortly after my daughter was born, I attended a church service where I felt the presence of God. I got involved in performing arts at the church and met the most incredible people who would pray with me. God became so real to me. Months later, after meeting my now husband, I became pregnant again. We got married shortly after our son was born. After we graduated, we moved to Dallas where I attended law school. We were actively leading in our church, but it felt like we were gerbils on a wheel, never getting refreshed. I started praying about what God wanted us to do. We own a small construction company, and our colleague was invited to Gateway Church by a neighbor. He and his family got saved and invited us to their baptism. I remember sitting in the back of the Gateway service weeping because I was so broken. After that we began attending Gateway, and that’s when I discovered freedom ministry. I attended freedom classes and Women in Leadership Development (WILD) training where God moved in my heart to work with Gateway Young Adults. I’ve been serving there since March 2018. It’s been a journey. First, I only knew of God; then I knew Him, but I wasn’t one with Him; and finally I became one with Him. Because of freedom ministry, I now see the redeeming, restorative nature of my one-on-one relationship with my Father.” Deborah and her family attend the NRH Campus.