Nicole Hanna
Hello, my name is Nicole and I am eighteen years old. I have been at New Life for sixteen months and I will be graduating on July 13, 2008. I did not have a healthy, stable upbringing and I also did not have Christ in my life growing up. I was abused when I was younger by my ex-step father and I did not have my real Dad in my life. I never knew him until about two years ago. We still do not talk that much.
Not knowing who my biological father was and being abused by a father figure, had me starving for the attention of men. I was looking for love in all the wrong places; my mom was doing drugs and didn't seem to care what I did. I found myself pregnant at thirteen and had an abortion, and pregnant again at fifteen. My mom went to jail and CPS put me with family members that I thought did not care. I ended up putting my little girl up for adoption to give her a better life. I had a very hard heart and always got into fights and I realize now that kids shouldn't live that way.
My mother has turned her life around! She graduated from New Life as well, and is recently remarried and living for God! I have learned we are not all going to be perfect and we are going to make mistakes, but those mistakes can be used for good. I want to be able to help kids and families just like New Life has helped mine.
I plan to go to Austin Community College and then transfer to the University of Texas to get a degree in social work. God has put a desire in my heart to live for Him and revealed a purpose in life. I believe it is to help others and show them the love that no one else has shown them before. The love that Christ talks about...the love where you lay your life down for somebody else, just like Christ did for us!
Being at New Life for the last 16 months has taught me about the importance of work ethic and responsibility by working at least 2 days a week at Angelic Resale. Since coming into the New Life program I have not been able to work a paying job or save money to further my education.
I can't say Thank You enough for all of you that invested in my life thus far. I desperately want to continue to manage my life well and make your every effort worth the investment. In order to move forward, I ask that you prayerfully consider helping me get through the first year of school so I can become a self sufficient adult. I will be working throughout school and saving as much as possible in order to continue my education in the following semesters. The first year's tuition for Austin Community College is estimated at $2,456.
I thank God for allowing me to come to New Life and receive everything I have learned here. I thank each one of you for not just sowing a seed into my life but into every person that God touches through me! I ask God to bless you in a tremendous way for your donations and your prayers!
Sincerely,
Nicole Hanna