When I think about the grace and mercy of God, I often think of stories like Nadine’s—stories that remind us of how God meets us, even in the darkest seasons of our lives. Nadine’s journey wasn’t an easy one. She grew up in a home filled with love and stability, a safe place. But as life unfolded, she found herself in a very different place.
Ten years ago, after a painful divorce and a deeply abusive relationship, Nadine moved to Columbus. Though her faith had been strong in earlier years, she found herself turning away from God. She had prayed for things to change, for her home to be filled with peace, but instead, it became a place of turmoil—physical abuse, isolation from her family, and the numbing escape of alcohol. Nadine hid bottles, drank to cope, and spiraled deeper into addiction and depression. She felt like a failure, wondering where God was in the midst of her pain.
But God never abandoned Nadine, just as He never abandons any of us. One day, a friend invited her to Vineyard Columbus. Although her first visits didn’t bring an immediate breakthrough, she kept coming. It was during a sermon series titled Stranger in a Strange Land that Nadine felt something shift. She sensed God calling her to a new way of life.
Through Vineyard, Nadine found Celebrate Recovery, a ministry where people walk together through their struggles with addiction. At first, Nadine didn’t get the instant answer she was hoping for. But what she did receive was the assurance that God was with her, every step of the way. She found tools to break free from her addiction and a supportive community to help her move forward.
Sobriety was a huge milestone for Nadine, but it wasn’t the end of her journey. With the support of her Celebrate Recovery sponsor, she discovered that healing from addiction also meant confronting the deep wounds that remained. As she leaned into God’s grace, Nadine experienced the power of accountability, support, and the Holy Spirit’s healing presence.
Today, Nadine serves as a receptionist at Vineyard Columbus, volunteers on our production team, and continues to be deeply involved in Celebrate Recovery. She shares her story with joy, often with an “Amen!” or a happy dance, because she knows what it means to be set free by the love of God. And even though she’s still working through some of the pain and hurt from her past, she knows that God and her church family are with her every step of the way.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, please know that you don’t have to walk through it alone. Reach out to us and discover the healing and community that God offers through Celebrate Recovery.