My Why | Mandy Maloney

God Gave Me a Vision; Now He’s Fulfilling It | An HIA Impact Story

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This story is from Mandy Maloney, who currently works as a Program Manager Intern for Hope is Alive and recently celebrated over 2½ years of continuous sobriety.

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I remember sitting in county jail and God giving me a vision. In it, I stood on a stage speaking to people, telling them about his message.

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I never knew that, almost 15 years later, that vision would be a reality.

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I have suffered many years of heartache and abuse due to my addiction and have dragged my family through the mud with me. I always knew Jesus was the answer because, while I was in jail, I would hear about Jesus and feel his presence, but as soon as I got out I would hit the ground running again.

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I chose a life of prostitution and lived under pimps who controlled my every move until I turned 19, when I found myself in a dangerous situation and landed in prison where I spent much of my adult life.

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Prison hardened me. I forgot how to love. I had kids and didn’t even miss them. My whole life became engulfed in prison life and I forgot there was anything beyond the prison walls.

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After prison I got married and started a family but I fell into addiction. My husband was ready to settle down and I wasn’t, which ruined our marriage. When we went our separate ways, he got custody of the kids and I ended up in an abusive relationship.

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I suffered spiritual and physical abuse until he finally went to prison. He was sentenced to 20 years while I went into psychosis and shaved off all my hair. I walked around the streets of my town day and night, barefoot, talking to myself. I also thought I was in the realms of heaven and the realms of hell.

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My mom wanted so badly to help me, so she brought me home but I tried to steal her car and, in the process, ran her over and broke her ribs. Once again, I landed myself in prison. I had such bad mental problems that I spent a year in a suicide cell so I wouldn’t harm myself or others.

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Until the day I got a letter of apology from my abuser. Something within me clicked and I was normal again. Just like that. God healed me of all of the trauma that had bound me in psychosis for the past year.

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I was able to begin the journey of healing.

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I completed a bootcamp inside of prison in a leadership position then came to Hope Is Alive and became a house manager. Since then, I have been able to use my story to help other ladies dealing with the same kind of trauma, and I even joined the staff at Hope is Alive. Now I get to pour life and Jesus into women every day!

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The vision God showed me 15 years ago has been made true today in my life thanks to God and Hope is Alive.