“Darkness surrounded me—Jesus became my light.”
- Teresa J.
I grew up in the East side of Lake Worth. My childhood was a rough one after the age of 5. My mother was diagnosed with mental Illness, "schizophrenia." (We know the enemy hides behind this title). My father always drank from my recollection. There were times he was in and out of jail. He was never abusive towards my mother, but she was always dealing with 3 children alone, and I was the youngest at the time. Once this illness came over my mother, my siblings and I had to learn to care for ourselves. My father was present as a provider, but I never was able to have a conversation with my mother.
Prior to all of this, my mother always took us to church. Even after her illness, she continued to take us. I didn’t understand it at the time.
As the years went on, we went through a lot. I struggled with anxiety and paranoia. By the age of 9, I was introduced to drinking, and during hard times, I would find ways to drink. By age 11, Child Protective Services became involved. By 15, I was in the streets, which led to me becoming pregnant and entering a domestic violence relationship. I became a single parent while pregnant with my second child.
By 18, I was completely lost—an irresponsible parent, caught in addiction. My father allowed me to move back into his home, but I also felt like a burden because I had left at such a young age.
In 2017, we lost my father to cirrhosis after years of drinking. On his last day, he accepted the Lord—another testimony for another time. He was released from the hospital into hospice care, and I cared for him until his final day. He left behind my mother and my three younger siblings.
My mother had still not been delivered, and after my father passed, I fell into depression. Despite that, I took on the responsibility of caring for my mother and my younger siblings. It was very hard.
In 2019, I met my husband. He has truly been a blessing from God and helped me so much, especially with my mother.
By 2021, I had so much anger built up inside of me due to having no help from my older siblings. Just thinking about them would make me angry—to the point that I didn’t speak to my brother for three years. Meanwhile, my mother continued to suffer through torment, and over time, it became worse.
I began to see her as a burden, and the enemy used that to his advantage, placing terrible thoughts in my mind about her—thoughts I never should have had toward my own mother, thoughts of murder. My husband challenged me to reflect on those thoughts, and I began to pray. I asked God to change my heart and remove the darkness I was feeling.
Months later, I started working as a medical courier with my husband. We drove all over North and South Florida. One day, when we were in Sebastian, I noticed yellow signs that said, “Turn to Jesus.” I saw them, but didn’t think much of it at the time.
Then one day, a cousin of mine from Alabama messaged me and said God had given her a dream about my mother. In the dream, she saw my mother’s soul caged, and what was operating through her was not truly her. She saw my mother’s desire to be set free. Then God told her, “It’s time—she will be set free.”
That’s when it hit me—Jesus was knocking at my door. I broke down crying. Something deep within my spirit was being stirred.
From that moment on, I felt the need to draw closer to Him. I began playing worship music every morning. At first, I didn’t fully understand it, but I felt peace. Then one day, as I learned the lyrics and began to sing along, God met me in a powerful way while I was driving.
It was the most incredible experience. I felt wind rushing through my van, and a sweet aroma filled the air. I was completely overcome by the presence of the Lord. The air was off, the vents were closed—it was winter—but I could feel it so strongly. I could barely focus on driving. I couldn’t even see clearly.
In that moment, I felt healing from within. I felt like a little girl in her Father’s arms—a feeling I had never experienced in my life.
By January 2023, I fully surrendered my life to Jesus. I gave everything to Him. From that point on, I got married and was baptized.
God began to reveal my mother’s life to me, and now when I look at her, I no longer see a burden. I see a daughter of God who will be set free, in Jesus’ name.
Looking back, I can now see that even in the hardest moments of my childhood, He was there.
Today, I see restoration beginning in my family—within my siblings. My mother is still here, and I trust that in God’s perfect timing, she will be set free. She attends church, and I see my family coming to Christ.
And before I leave this earth, I believe I will see my entire family surrendered to Jesus.
I am so grateful to have been led to Reveal Fellowship. My husband and my children have experienced the presence of God there, and we are all growing in our understanding of His Word.