My name is Brittani Denham. I am 28 years old and from Denham Springs, Louisiana. When I was a kid I attended church up until my parents divorce when I was I was 8 years old. My brother and I went to live with my mom. Our mother was never around much, it seemed like we are always doing what she wanted us to do. She constantly put down our dad, even though he seemed to be doing everything right. My step dad is an alcoholic and seeing the way he acted made me believe and say “Well, I’ll never drink or do drugs”. I was always insecure about my weight and the way I acted around my peers. I’ve always felt the need to “fit in” and be accepted by others. When I was 17 my mother had me arrested for domestic battery so I ended up living with my dad. After graduating high school I moved back to Denham Springs where I met some people while living on my own.
I had started to get introduced to drugs and eventually met someone that I would date for six years. I wanted to be accepted so badly by my new friends and boyfriend! I began to do “harder drugs” and traveled all over to attend music festivals. Never saying no, always saying yes, and seeing just how far I could go. After doing this for about five years, I started to fall into opioids. I started stealing from friends to maintain my habit and the friends I desperately wanted to accept me, no longer wanted anything to do with me. I was going down deep into the wrong path so my stepsister wanted me to go live with her in Arkansas. I stopped using opioids and replaced it with alcohol. A few days before my birthday in 2016, I found out the guy I was dating overdosed. I was devastated that someone so close to me had passed away. I ended up being hospitalized three times due to my addition. My drinking increased, I lost my job and became homeless. After moving back to Louisiana, I was hospitalized another time because of my addiction. I cried out for help this time! My family suggested Mary’s Song so with one foot forward I arrived at the program.
I’m so excited to be here and have a relationship with Jesus! God has set me free from my addictions. He has made me realize that my real friends will accept me for who I am, I don’t need drugs or alcohol to become comfortable around others or to numb my emotions. My relationship with my family has been restored! I can accomplish all things through Christ now! Music was also a big part of my life and now the Lord is showing me that I can still love music while worshipping Him! He has turned my heart of stone to flesh! I am so happy to be apart of Mary’s Song! I’m looking forward to my future with Victory Fellowship!
“God has set me free from my addictions. I don’t need drugs or alcohol to become comfortable around others or to numb my emotions.”