My story includes a chapter most people don’t expect—and one I once believed would permanently define my future. For a period of my life, I was involved in crime while trying to raise my children. I stole. I robbed people. I committed forgery and fraud. Those choices earned me a lengthy criminal history.
One particular time, I was charged with armed robbery along with several other felony charges at once. Because of the severity of my charges, while I was incarcerated, other inmates—people familiar with cases like mine—told me I would never see the light of day again.
At that time, I had already been in the county jail for months, and I was pregnant with my second child. My mom came to visit me, deeply concerned. She had been told that if I did not take the plea deal being offered, my sentence could be even longer than the thirty years on the table if I lost at trial. Thirty years. That number felt unreal—like a life sentence before my life had even truly begun.
I made the decision not to take the plea deal. Instead, I chose to plead guilty and stand before a judge in what is called a sentencing hearing. The district attorney told my attorney that he planned to ask the judge to sentence me to thirty years in prison.
On the day of my sentencing hearing, I pleaded guilty. My attorney asked the judge for leniency on my behalf. When it was the prosecutor’s turn to speak, I braced myself for the words I had been expecting to hear.
But instead, he looked at the judge and said, “No recommendation.”
My attorney and I were stunned. That day, God gave me favor in the courtroom. I was sentenced to serve nine months in the county jail. I was released—and one week later, I gave birth to my daughter. God gave me a second chance at life. And more than that, He gave me the opportunity to raise my daughter.
I share this story to encourage anyone who may be a convicted felon, someone with a violent felony on their record, or someone currently incarcerated. There are a few things I want you to know.
First, God has the final say. Confess your sins. Give your life to Him. All hope is found in Him.
Second, it is possible to turn your life completely around. I walked away from crime and stepped into a different future. I worked jobs and walked through doors that statistics said I never should have had access to. Having a felony does not mean you can’t get a good job or make good money.
And third, you do not have to stay stuck in the cycle of crime. There is a better way.
I am living proof that one chapter—even a painful one—does not have to be the end of your story.