My name is Sylvia, and I give all the glory to Jesus Christ for allowing me to share my testimony.

I grew up on the East Side of San Antonio in a broken home. My father died when I was an infant, and my mother was largely absent, violent, and trapped in alcoholism. My grandparents did their best to raise my sisters and me, even sending us to a private school where I met my husband in kindergarten. Although I was raised by loving grandparents, I did not truly know Jesus. As a child, I experienced molestation by people I trusted. The trauma left me angry, hateful, and deeply timid. By middle school, I began using cigarettes, drugs, and alcohol to numb my pain. After high school, I lost my grandparents and my mother within three years, and I fell deeply into addiction to alcohol and cocaine.

My husband and I had our first child, Matthew, when we were 20. Instead of slowing down, our partying and drug use continued, along with years of abuse. Five years later, we had our daughter. I knew I wanted a better life for my children, so I began thinking about going to church. We eventually got married, but the drugs, alcohol, lies, and problems continued. One day, I found my husband with drugs, and I was ready for a divorce. I kicked him out and planned to raise our children alone. But he told me he wanted to change and go to church. I mocked him, not knowing that a coworker had been witnessing to him. Soon, he met the pastor of The Door Christian Fellowship Church Southeast, who prayed with him. My husband began attending church, even though I fought against it. I was angry and bitter because he had chosen church after I had asked him for years to go. I rejected every invitation and even made him ride his bicycle to church. But my husband and the church never stopped praying for me. Eventually, he brought home a flyer for a revival with Pastor Roman Gutierrez. I became curious and attended. The first time, I resisted, but when I returned a few days later, my heart was open. During the altar call, I surrendered my life to Jesus. It was the best decision I have ever made.

When I gave my life to Christ, God changed me from the inside out. He took away my anger, hatred, and deep shyness and gave me a heart to love people. He helped me forgive those who had hurt me and released me from bitterness. He healed my marriage, delivered us from addiction, and broke the generational cycles of addiction, abuse, broken families, and destruction. God also blessed us with another child in 2008, who was born into a peaceful, sober, Christ-centered home. Today, my husband and I have been married for 22 years. We raised our children in church and taught them to follow Jesus, pray, fast, tithe, give, and never give up when life gets difficult. Most amazingly, God called us into ministry. We have pioneered two churches and now pastor our mother church. I am grateful for the people God has placed in our lives and for those He will bring in the future.

If you are lost, broken, addicted, or feel hopeless, I want you to know that Jesus Christ can change your life just as He changed mine. I was broken, angry, addicted, and without hope, but Jesus found me, forgave me, restored me, and gave me a new life.

To God be all the glory!