From Kindergarten to graduation, Melissa attended eleven schools. Moving around so much made it difficult for her to form lasting relationships, and at age 15 she met who would be the father of her first two children.
"People do the math and immediately there’s judgment."
The guilt and shame that came with young and unexpected motherhood burdened Melissa. She felt judged everywhere she went, especially church. “People do the math,” she explains. “And immediately there’s judgment."
Shame held her back in her life, and kept her from pursuing even the love of Jesus.
After attending LCBC, Melissa felt extreme love and acceptance, and she realized that her shame no longer defined her.
“Shame is something that will hold you back like nothing else can,” she says. “But the only person who can heal that, the only person who can truly help you let go of that, is Jesus."