BVOV Magazine 2013 - present

visited a friend, who introduced me to more drugs. From there, my life spiraled downhill. "From age 21 to 28, I was seriously lost. My relationship with my mother wasn't good. I didn't have a relationship with my sister, brother-in-law, nieces or nephew. I still held down successful jobs, but my life wasn't going anywhere good. I had no idea at the time, but I was a highly functioning addict." The Court Intervenes During that time, Marleth was pulled over by police in a traffic stop. In court, she was ordered to attend an outpatient rehab program. "Again, I was deceived when I met my daughter's father," she said. "He said he loved God and loved Jesus, but there was something not right with him. Turns out he was a drug addict. When I got pregnant, he beat me and demanded that I have an abortion. One morning, he dropped me off at an abortion clinic. As soon as he left, so did I. I am so thankful I did not go through with it. By now, I was homeless, and ended up staying with one friend after another. "Somehow God always supernaturally supplied for me, and I never had to eat from a dumpster. I never had to beg for money. One morning about 3 a.m., while walking alone in downtown Los Angeles, I recalled Brother Copeland's teachings on angels, and how he says that, as a child of God, we are surrounded by them. I remember praying to God and saying, "'Lord, I know You're with me. That's why I'm not scared. I know I have angels around me.'" In 2008, Marleth gave birth to her daughter. Her mother was there for her. They mended their relationship, and she took them in. "That's it," Marleth declared! "I'm leaving drugs behind. I'm turning back to God." She began attending In His Presence Church in Woodland Hills, Calif. That lasted about eight months. A so-called "friend" from high school resurfaced in her life. He came from a wealthy family and always had money, food, and drugs. Marleth soon fell back into the old lifestyle. In 2010, Marleth was in another relationship and became pregnant again. A few days before she delivered the baby, the father told her, "Marleth, I'm going to work. I'll be home later tonight." He never returned. Once again, her mother stood in the delivery B V O V : 1 5 room with her. One day, Marleth and Maria got into an argument and Marleth walked out, leaving her children behind. Dealing with rejection from of her last relationship had caused her to return to drugs. "I'm done," Maria finally told her daughter. "I won't let you back in my house until you get yourself together." Out of concern for the children, Maria decided to act as their guardian in Marleth's absence. She also continued to declare Ezekiel 37:4-6 over her daughter, believing God to bring her through. The Wages of Sin Soon, Marleth found herself in another dead- end relationship. Except this one was even more toxic than the previous ones. She endured constant abuse and was frequently beaten by her boyfriend. If she ran away, he would find her and beat her again. "You won't ever leave me," the man had threatened. "I'll kill you if you try." "Although I was living in a beautiful Westlake Village, Calif., home, I realized that having money means something but, when you have nothing inside, it is not worth much." One night after a severe beating, Marleth grabbed a backpack and left. Once again, her boyfriend tracked her down. Grabbing her by the hair, he dragged her outside, kicking her in the stomach until she thought she would die. "Tonight's the night you're gonna die," he promised. The man had a gun, and Marleth believed him. She had heard that he had already committed a murder and gotten away with it. Driving about 80 miles per hour, he took her into the mountains. There, while holding a gun on her, he began to dig a grave. While he continued to scream at her, Marleth prayed: "God, help me! Jesus, help me! I'm so sorry. I promise this time I'm done. Please just give me one more chance. You were right. The wages of sin is death. This man is digging my grave! Lord, please, please forgive me. Please let me live to see my children again. I give my life to You! I'll do anything You tell me to do." "I recalled Brother Copeland saying once that when you say the Name of Jesus because you can't recall certain scriptures, just know that you are "I'm alive because of the faithful prayers of my mother. There's nothing more powerful than a praying mother. She has been pivotal in my life."

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