Brittany DeArmond
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." - 2 Corinthians 5:17
My name is Brittany DeArmond, and I am 33 years old. I grew up in a small town in Southern New Jersey called Pennsville. Raised in the Catholic Church, I knew of the Lord but never pursued a personal relationship with Him. This lack of foundation became apparent when life's challenges arose.
Tragedy struck when my father died from skin cancer (Melanoma) at the age of 14. I became consumed by anger towards God and the world, overwhelmed by bitterness and pain. To cope, I turned to alcohol, relationships with men, and any means to numb my inner turmoil. My struggles escalated as I started cutting my wrists and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and depression, leading to a cocktail of psychiatric medications.
My journey through addiction was long and destructive. I entered my first treatment center at 14, and over the years, my addiction evolved from alcohol to pills, then to crack cocaine, and eventually heroin by the age of 23. My life became a daily battle to function and maintain appearances. As my heroin tolerance increased, so did the cost, leading me to unimaginable lows just to feed my addiction. I was a shell of a person, devoid of feeling, merely existing in a state of numbness, waiting for death.
At 25, while waitressing at a diner, I met Alina, a young Christian woman unlike anyone I'd encountered before. She took a genuine interest in my well-being, persistently encouraging me to return to college. In an attempt to deter her, I revealed my heroin addiction and my bleak outlook on life. Alina's reaction was one of compassion and determination. She became my beacon of hope, embodying the love of Jesus in her relentless efforts to help me.
Despite Alina's suggestion of a faith-based treatment at Mission Teens, I initially refused the 8-10 month commitment. I opted for a local 30-day program, promising to include God in my life. Post-treatment, I moved into a sober-living house but was soon evicted due to my unchanged character. Although I was no longer using drugs, my mindset remained that of an addict - manipulative, selfish, irresponsible, and dishonest. I needed more than just abstinence; I needed a fundamental transformation from within, a change only God could bring.
After a relapse, I finally agreed to enter the Mission Teens program in Crossville, TN. This decision marked the beginning of the most challenging yet rewarding journey of my life. Through the program, I learned to love God, myself, and others. I forgave myself, released bitterness, and adopted a value system far different from the world's. I learned accountability, leadership, prayer, and worship, fundamentally changing who I was.
Today, I am a new creation. The person I describe from my past feels like a stranger, a distant memory from a life long gone. God has given me a new life, free from alcohol, drugs, and depression. I live with a purpose: to help others break free from sin's bondage. Now, with a wonderful husband and two sons, we run a new Mission Teens center in Roscommon, MI. We are immensely grateful to be a part of God's transformative work, helping others as I was once helped.