I was born in Washington, DC, April 12, 1954, to Lemuel & Margaret Stevens. My mother was German; my father was Welsh. I grew up in a middle-class family where there was no mention of the gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord. In spite of this, I had a very good childhood, but always wanted to be the center of attention. When I got to high school, I became the center of attention by drinking and partying instead of going to school.
In tenth grade, I met Travis who gave me the attention I wanted, and in twelfth grade, age 17, I became pregnant. Travis’ parents and mine were in agreement for us to go ahead and get married. That was just what we wanted! I graduated from high school with a home tutor, but was unable to attend the graduation ceremony because I gave birth to a son, Michael, on June 4, 1972.
Travis and I always had the “best” parties. All our friends would come over every weekend. But one weekend in February 1973 was different because Steve and Cathy brought some pills called “speed” with them. Everyone took them except me because I remembered my parents telling me that I would die if I ever took drugs. However, three weekends later, my best friend, Marylou, came over. I noticed that she and my husband were happy on Speed and they didn’t die. So I asked for some. It made me so bold that I could hold a conversation with anyone. It was such a false sense of reality, but I didn’t realize it at that time.
In July of 1975, my husband quit and I said to myself, “Well, I’m not going to quit. I like this too much.” When Travis went on a business trip to New Jersey, I met a man named Vince who shot drugs, and I let him turn me on to heroin. Well, I really liked heroin more than Speed because, once again, it gave me a false sense of being at peace with myself. I left my son, Michael, with a girlfriend, and took off with Vince to live a drug addict’s life. In August 1976, Travis divorced me and received custody of Michael. Then I got on methadone and this enabled me to get a free “high” and be able to take care of my two boys.
At that time, Vince and I sold cocaine and pot. We had a $150,000 house, a mobile home, four cars, and we travelled anywhere that we wanted.
Vince and I had to move a lot because people noticed how young we were to have all those nice things. We didn’t want them to realize that we didn’t even work, so we moved at least two to three times a year. June 6, 1980, Vince and I were legally married. I remembered telling myself, “Carol, you have it all–a husband, two boys, a great marriage, and all the drugs you want.”
One day in April 1982, Vince came home to break the news to me that he was leaving me for another woman. I took everything on the dresser and threw it at him. I was crying so hard, I just couldn’t believe that he would leave me, that it was all over.
I thought of a good idea! If I could have another child by Vince, I would keep him. Of course, it didn’t work, but on July 3, 1983, I gave birth to Keara who was addicted to methadone.
After six weeks, I was able to bring her home. I was really depressed now, so I drowned my sorrows with vodka. I stayed drunk a lot and I was unable to take care of my boys, Vince, Jr. and Nicholas. I left them with their dad, but somehow I managed to take care of Keara. I hated everyone and I was mad at the world for the hurt and pain that I was going through. I took methadone, shot heroin, and drank vodka. I started prostituting all day so that I could be high on alcohol and drugs all night. I don’t even remember half the time where my daughter was.
One day in November of 1986, a man pulled up to the curb beside me and I got in. This night was very different from all others because he said, “I’m happily married.” Right away I thought to myself, “Well, what in the world are you doing picking me up?” He saw my puzzled look and said, “Don’t worry! I want to tell you about the Lord Jesus Christ who came to save sinners like you.” I said, “Oh! yea? Who is He?”
He proceeded to tell me for about two hours at least, but because I started needing a drink, I told him that I had to go. So he gave me $20 and told me to please go in off the street. For some reason, I did! I remembered all that night how different this man was from all other people I had ever met.
This man’s name was Ralph Johnson. Ralph came back to look me up and talk with me further about the Lord. I asked to meet his wife, so one day he found me and had his wife and daughter, Ruth, with him. His wife, Isabel, was glad to meet me and my daughter Keara. I used my street name–June Christie–until I was sure that they were not undercover police officers.
Ralph and Isabel made many visits and tried faithfully to tell me how I could have a new life if I would only let the Saviour come into my heart. As we got better acquainted, I felt that I could trust them and would call them to help me many times. When I got arrested for prostitution, I called and asked Ralph if he would take off work and go with me to court. He did. The next time I had to go to court, I was sentenced to 30 days in jail. The Johnsons were left with Keara, my 2-year old daughter. When I was released, instead of coming to get my daughter, I spent an entire weekend for myself to enjoy getting “high” again after the month’s detox.
I moved several times while the Johnsons were trying to befriend me. They felt sorry for both Keara and me and finally convinced me to come out to their house in Beltsville, MD. I liked the living arrangement and my daughter made a lot of progress with the stable environment and love that was shown to us. However, in spite of all the Johnsons were doing for me, my addiction again got the best of me and I left their house with my daughter.
One day, I called Isabel in mid-morning and asked her if she would take me out to Montgomery General Hospital for their 28-day detox program. I wanted desperately to get off vodka. Well, I didn’t make it out to that hospital because I passed out in her car. She stopped at a fire station and asked for help. They revived me after awhile and then took me by ambulance to the nearest hospital.
When I came to, I didn’t know the plans, but I just wanted out. I got out of the restraints and left the hospital. When the Johnsons arrived to take me home, they were told that I had run off. Remembering from the morning that Keara was my daughter, the head nurse called and turned her in to Social Services.
The Johnsons were allowed to keep Keara until Social Services found an available foster parent home for her. When the court date arrived, I was glaring daggers at the Johnsons who had brought Keara to the court Custody Hearing. Only after presenting me with a photograph of my daughter was I broken and the tension lessened. My husband and his mother came, and he was granted custody of Keara, while I tried every kind of detox program.
I occasionally cleaned up my life–only to be dragged back downtown into the alleys with my drinking buddies again. There was no contact with the Johnsons for approximately four years. From that time on until 1989, I was in and out of detox programs and hospitals, trying to get set free from my addictions. Nothing worked. I had so much hate, anger, and jealousy.
On July 15, 1989, a man named Frank Vaughan noticed that I was homeless. That wasn’t hard to tell since I hadn’t had a bath for over a month and just had on a dress with no underclothing or shoes. He asked me if I would like to come to his apartment where I could get a shower, something to eat, and a good night’s sleep on his couch. This sounded so good to me because I had been sleeping in the back seat of an abandoned car in an alley of DC, reeking with alcohol.
The next morning, this man Frank told me about a Man who loved me and wanted very much to help me. He could take away my addiction. Well, nobody else had been able to help me up to that time. I knew what was coming: “The Man is the Lord Jesus Christ.”
I had hit bottom. I was desperate for help, the kind of help that only He could give. I started asking Frank all kinds of questions about Jesus, and he always answered them, using verses from the Bible. I couldn’t understand why Frank put up with me or even let me stay in his own apartment. He opened it up to me and said that it was mine, too. I couldn’t believe that Frank liked me for who I was, but Frank’s words were: “It’s Jesus who loves you.”
I then longed for this Jesus. I wanted this Man, and that night I heard the gospel like I had never heard it before. It was like the cotton had fallen out of my ears and I could hear. I remember saying to myself, “Why didn’t anyone else tell me about Jesus like Frank did.” Little did I know that it was the work of the Holy Spirit. I was ready to receive Christ into my heart. It was September 15, 1990, when I heard a preacher on TV quote Revelation 3:20, “Behold I stand at the door and knock. If any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and sup with him and he with me.” That is when I realized that I needed to let the Lord Jesus into my heart. He was standing at my heart’s door knocking and I let Him in. I remember crying and repenting of my sins, being extremely sorry for all that I had done against Him, and asking Him to come into my life. I remember a great weight taken off my shoulders. I started attending church services with Frank and was baptized October 28, 1990.
Then in March 1991, I fell. I started drinking again. I remember feeling horrible for drinking, but I couldn’t seem to stop.
Finally, on July 21, 1991, I laid on Frank’s couch and told the Lord, “Lord, I have had it. I’m so tired of this drinking. As of right now, I give You my whole heart, my whole mind, my whole soul, my whole body. You do with it as You please. It’s all Yours, Lord.”
I suddenly noticed that the pain I had in my stomach from drinking was all gone. As the day went on, I had no more desire or thoughts about drinking. I, all of a sudden, realized that the anger, the hurt, and the pain that I carried around was all gone. Then I remember running up to Frank and saying, “Praise the Lord. It’s all over. It’s all gone. I’ve been set free.” Praise the Lord Jesus Christ!
I have been totally set free.
Frank continued to teach me the Scriptures and read from his bed where he lay, stricken with lung cancer. Then I started reading to him and I learned a lot. Frank went home to be with the Lord on January 8, 1992.
I called the Johnsons that evening, and we were reunited. They again made room for me in their home. I took a course at the Red Cross and received a Certificate for Home Health Care. Soon after, I was hired to help a lady who had a stroke. I was able to get Keara back, first of all for weekends and then all summer. She has now entered our neighborhood school. My two sons have made visits to our home with the Johnsons. I began going to the chapel where the Johnsons attend and have been received into fellowship with the believers there.
I’ll never forget July 21, 1991, when the Lord Jesus Christ set me free! I have all new thoughts, I have a heart that loves all people, and I love to tell people about the Lord. I hope my testimony will be used to the glory of God and to help others to know that the answer lies only in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Friend of sinners like me.