Two lives have been redeemed after a mother sought out help from her addiction. 

Kelsey Bullard is the assistant manager at the Super Thrift store in Brandon. After taking the 4-tier program with Adult & Teen Challenge, she moved on to SURGE.

"It's kind of crazy because God's done this in such a short time that how can you deny God working in your life," says Bullard. "I did the 12-month program and right away I knew God was calling me into leadership in the program. Nothing else motivated me when I would think about helping women. There was nothing more satisfying and fulfilling."

Bullard graduated from SURGE in March 2020. It was in this leadership program with ATC that she met her husband. 

"We met, started dating, got engaged and got married all in six months. God knew, and we knew, and we got confirmation after confirmation that we were the ones for each other."

Shortly after getting married, the couple found out they were expecting. 

"A year ago I had a miscarriage. It was really hard for us because we were newlyweds. It was a really dark season we went into. About six to eight months later I find out I'm pregnant again and found out it was twins. He saw how hurting and broken we were and look what He did. It's just amazing."

Before this point, Bullard started using and abusing drugs right after her daughter Leanna was born. Leanna is now six-years-old.

"I always carried so much guilt and shame in my addiction. It was destruction to so many good things in my life. Sometimes our kids get left in the dust with our addiction."

Bullard's dad and step-mom, Jerry and Cheree Witherspoon took Leanna and raised her when she was two years old.  

"The only time I would feel good was if I was high, using, or numbing that. In the moments of sobriety, all the guilt and shame hit, and I just wanted out of it. I actually went to jail. When I went there and I had time, my head was clear, and I thought, I'm never going back to that."

Bullard had tried a few different treatments that didn't have a faith aspect and she said they didn't work. 

"I knew that in order for me to be the best mom I could possibly be, I needed God to actually do something in my life. It doesn't take him just a couple of months, because he wanted to do some real work in me. I needed that year to allow Him to do that."

Bullard is grateful to her dad and step-mom for all the care they gave to her daughter while she was healing from her addictions. After completing the 12-month program at ATC, she was able to take Leanna back and they have been together since.

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