A story of redemption
“I have this memory of lying on the floor and waking up, and I thought, 'What happened?' And I didn’t even know where I was.” Mary Kaye realized something was hopelessly wrong with her life. She looks back on that day and recalls her thoughts, “You’re going to die as a hopeless drug addict.”
Mary Kaye grew up in a Christian home. Her mom and dad both emphasized the things people usually hear in church. She responded and believed in Christ when she was six years old. As she grew older, she started to wonder what else the world had to offer.
By the time she was 18, Mary Kaye started looking elsewhere for happiness. She began experimenting with things that were not healthy. At 21, she started to use drugs. Beginning with cocaine and pot, her addiction grew. McCoy quickly fell under their spell and found her need for them growing stronger and stronger.
Several years later, she began to deal drugs. At this point, she used cocaine every day. Instead of something that merely provided pleasure, her very existence depended on these drugs. She was arrested several times and still vividly remembers the days where she could not wait to leave the church to take a hit of cocaine.
The despair grew. What provided pleasure in the past no longer did. She was hopeless and in search of answers. She recalls, “There’s nothing worse than living without hope.”
But this is the story of redemption and not of failure. After nearly thirty years of drug use, God began to work in Mary Kaye’s heart. The emptiness of the drugs took a toll on her life, and she finally came to a point where she was ready for redemption.
Three years ago, Mary Kaye's family confronted her about her drug problem. They labored over how to broach the topic without making her turn away. The interesting thing, she notes, is that God had already come to her about the same thing. God was preparing her for redemption.
During the morning when she was confronted by family and friends, Champion Forest was praying for her. Members of the worship ministry and her mother's Life Group were praying specifically for the confrontation and that God would use it for good. Her sister and brother-in-law, Judy and Don Ingvartsen, also accompanied Mary Kaye's mom during this difficult encounter.
Members of the church took the initiaive to be God's instruments. Not only did they pray for her, but they also made the effort to speak to her about her life. Mary Kaye's story of redemption hinged on other believers and how God used them. She remarks, “things like that just don't happen.” They take people who are willing to do the hard things and intervene in the lives of others. She knows God used members of Champion Forest to change her life.
Mary Kaye always hoped that drugs would numb the pain, but she found she really needed a relationship with Jesus. She was amazed to learn that “the God of creation loved her” and wanted to redeem her. McCoy says confidently, “He is the great redeemer.”
Today, Mary Kaye knows who she is in Christ, and that “her life has become her faith.” Every morning she asks herself, “What can I do to honor you, God?” Echoing Ephesians 2:8-10, she is reminded that God has not only redeemed us for salvation but also for living a holy life.
“My redemption story is no greater or better than anyone else's [story].” God's grace saved Mary Kaye, just like everyone else. She hopes that others receive God's grace, because they too are in need of redemption.
Mary Kaye is entirely grateful for what God has done in her life and is excited to share her story with the world. “God set me free from my addiction and disease.” She praises and thanks Him for redeeming her from a painful and despairing situation. “The God of creation loves me,” and that's what she has yearned to know all along.