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My life has been a journey from rejection to rejoicing. Growing up in 11 different
homes, with 11 different guardians, I felt alone, depressed, and unloved. A man sexually
abused me when I was 6 years old, another man at age 11, and a third at 15. I was physically
and emotionally abused as well. Searching for salvation, I turned to men at an early age,
desperately trying to earn love; pretending I didn't care as time after time I was dumped,
used, and rejected.
I was an A student in school, but I didn’t care. I did not want to exist. I had to repeat
my senior year to graduate because of excessive absences. I tried everything to numb the pain.
I was addicted to alcohol at age 15 and was shooting up cocaine by the time I was 19. For years,
drugs controlled my life, as I tried everything from marijuana to LSD. My friends and I had one
goal in life: to win the lottery so we could buy huge amounts of cocaine and shoot up until our
hearts exploded. One day, I had so much cocaine in my system that my muscles would no longer
work. I couldn’t stand or lift my arms. I thought I was going to die. I remember watching
my chest, waiting to see my heart bust right out of my clothes. After almost dying, I tried
to pull my life back together. I knew I was going to die if I didn’t do something. I ran away
from everything and tried to go back to school. Eventually, I was able to start college, but
could not escape alcohol and depression. I barely finished my degree again because of too many
absences. I was labeled with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder,
and severe depression. Bound in fear, I could barely function on my own; at times I would
barricade myself in my home, to frightened to even look out the windows. I slept with furniture
in front of my bedroom door and weapons under my pillow. I was sure somewhere, someone wanted
me dead. I truly thought my life was hopeless.
In 1992, I visited a church and received Jesus as my Savior. For the first time, my life had
hope. God delivered me from alcoholism. I married my boyfriend, and had 2 beautiful children.
My life was still a struggle; dealing with depression and my husband’s drug addiction, but
God gave me strength to survive. I finally had a desire to live, even though I lived in
constant fear.
In 1998, I faced the greatest challenge of my life - the death of my 2-year-old son. In
desperation, I grabbed onto God with everything I had. God answered my cries. He began
to change me; I learned to hear His voice, and gave him authority in my life. I realized
that I didn’t have to live as a victim any longer. He became my comforter, healed me of
mental illness, and began to free me of fear. Life is still a struggle at times, but now
I know that I truly can be victorious!
For 5 years, Terri would focus on spiritual maturity. It was at this time that God called
her into ministry. She became an intercessor and a servant. Since then, God has used her
to speak prophetically and He has used her hands to bring healing to others. God has called
her into prophetic evangelism and deliverance. Terri received her education through the
Assemblies of God Urban Bible Training Center in Tampa, Florida where she graduated
valedictorian. She now runs Aiming High Ministries with her husband, Jody. As Terri
pursued God's desire for her life, she became burdened with the huge number of Christians
still living in bondage. She became determined to take her testimony of freedom to the
churches as well as the streets. Now, together with her husband, they challenge people to
aim higher, throw off the victim mentality, and arise VICTORIOUS! God desires for His church
to walk in abundance, power, and freedom. It's time to arise!
To contact Terri,
e-mail or visit
www.aiminghighministries.com
or www.myspace.com/pastorterrihall
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