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Merrily Roe, former staff writer

Jim and Ken

2 min read

Lose the Label: Not Enough

Growing up, Stefani Martin was bombarded with the message, "you are not enough." Not cool enough, not pretty enough, not smart enough. It didn’t take long for that message to become an internal belief.

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Rachel-inside-txt

2 min read

Rachel - Not a Party Girl

IN HER PURSUIT OF PLEASURE, Rachel lost her joy. Disillusioned with the church, she ran away from God and became disconnected from family. “In the...

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2 min read

Honoring Those Who Have Fought for Freedom

While 2015 Point-in-Time Count numbers for the nation showed an overall decrease in veteran homelessness, the statistic for homeless veterans in...

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2 min read

Lose the Label: Player

By Merrily Brast, Staff Writer “When I meet a woman, she’s kind of my drug in a sense. If she’s clean, I’m clean…that doesn’t mean I’m ‘sober.’”...

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2 min read

Lose the Label: Stupid

By Merrily Brast, Staff Writer Jeff LeBlanc believed he was stupid. “I just couldn’t get stuff and nobody could tell me why other than that I’m...

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2 min read

The High Price of Freedom

“It’s kind of an oxymoron, the word freedom, because it comes with a high price.” –Chris, Marine veteran Freedom means many things to many people. We...

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2 min read

Graduation Marks the Beginning

By Merrily Brast, Staff Writer In Process On Tuesday, June 16th, 22 individuals graduated from UGM LIFE Recovery. However, as Executive Director Phil...

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2 min read

Homeless, Hopeless, and Alone

By Merrily Brast, Staff Writer “I thought it was me, all by myself. I’ve got to do everything, period. No help. And then, I walked through the east...

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The Alcohol Escape

By Merrily Brast, Staff Writer Always Running “Running away…I did it in second grade, I did it in high school. Running away is just my coping...

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God's Will, Here and Now

“If you did the good about which you do know, what you should do next would then become clear as if you were passing through a house from one room to...

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Volunteer Ronnie

2 min read

5 Reasons to Volunteer at UGM

“When people on fire for Christ choose to invest their lives and their resources in broken families, change happens.” –Ron Hauenstein, Crisis Shelter...

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2 min read

Reunited: Mother and Daughter Recover Together

“I felt like she chose the alcohol over me.” Nicki Willis spent much of her life watching her mom, Darlene, sink into alcoholism. “I didn’t talk to...

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2 min read

That's Unconditional Love

By Merrily Brast, Staff Writer Love—it’s what each of us desire and search for. Unwavering, faithful, unconditional love. Rachel Haynes sought it in...

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2 min read

Recovery and Regaining Confidence

By Merrily Brast, Staff Writer Sewing gave Glenda Gray confidence. One year ago, Glenda was forming her own business sewing and selling tote bags. “I...

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1 min read

The Chance to Start over

By Merrily Brast, Staff Writer At the beginning of 2013, Shannon Duval was sitting in a jail cell. She had lost her children, her job, her home and...

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2 min read

The Struggle for True Identity

In "The Reason Why," the author gave a description, through her story, of why she believes many women get involved in unhealthy relationships or turn...

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child.sleeping

3 min read

The Reason Why

In all honesty, it is easy to judge addicts. But there are stories behind each face. And once these stories are heard, it becomes harder to judge....

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1 min read

Dear Son: an Open Letter

Recently, a friend shared this letter with us. She wrote it to her son, who is struggling with addiction, but has hesitated to give it to him. "It...

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2 min read

Addressing Depression: the Next Step

In the first part of this interview with UGM LIFE Recovery Counselor Jan Vetter, she described depression and the role it can play in addiction and...

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3 min read

An Inside Look at Depression

Depression is common among those beginning recovery at UGM. In the first part of an interview with Jan Vetter, UGM LIFE Recovery Counselor, Jan sheds...

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2 min read

From Anger to Depression to Attempted Suicide

By Merrily Brast, Staff Writer “My whole life, I was super angry, and I used to always think everybody would be better off without me.”

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Merrily-Hiking

2 min read

The Beauty of God's Love

By Merrily Brast, former Staff Writer “You are worse than you think you are, but also far more loved than you feel you are.” –Timothy Keller

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Ron Hauenstein visits with ladies from the Crisis Shelter for Women & Children

2 min read

I Resolve to Help the Homeless

By Merrily Brast, Staff Writer "Each and every one of you have the ability to make a profound and beautiful difference in the lives of somebody that...

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2 min read

The Gift of Transportation

By Merrily Brast, Staff Writer 1992 Jeep Cherokee. That was my first car. Can you remember yours? The feeling of pride and freedom that came along...

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2 min read

Going to Church

By Lynn Swanbom Yount, UGM Volunteer That's an odd title for a reflection commemorating my Dad's death five years ago today.

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