My Name Is Destiny Hollingworth...
And this is my story.
I grew up in a broken home. I witnessed my dad's alcohol addiction and my mom's infidelity. At the age of four, I was sexually abused by a family member. At 13, my parents divorced and I began searching for anything to fulfill me. I found drugs and boys. I started smoking weed on a daily basis and became an alcoholic just like my dad.
By the time I was 27, I had three DUIs, three children, and a terribly broken marriage. In 2008, my youngest child was hospitalized and my husband was sentenced to 15 years in prison. I became addicted to methamphetamines shortly after and my entire life was devastated. I went to jail more times than I remember, my children were living with family members, I stole from my mom and lied to my kids.
In 2015, I found myself living in an abandoned trailer with no power or water, cooking and shooting up meth. By the grace of God, I was arrested that same year and faced 35 years in prison. Jesus met me in that jail cell and my life was forever changed. In 2018, I went to the Salvation Army Women's Refuge and stayed nine months as I awaited a bed at the Dream Center. I was fed A LOT of spiritual milk during my year stay there. After The Dream Center, I entered Ripple Of One.
After graduating from The Dream Center, I still had work to do in some areas of my life. I needed help strengthening my relationships and reestablishing my finances. Ripple of One assisted in both areas. I honestly don’t know where I would be today without them. My life is completely different today.
I now know how to budget and make my money work for me. I have a savings account, and I am able to provide for my family and do things we enjoy. I am not always stressed about my finances, and I feel good about my financial future. The biggest difference, however, is that my family is completely restored. Ripple helped me rebuild my relationships with my three sons. Being a mom and wife again, and having the financial stability to provide a good life for us, are my proudest accomplishments!
I now volunteer at NewSpring Church weekly and serve everyday in my job at a local ministry. I give my testimony at churches and local recovery groups when needed. If you’re a new participant in the program, I would say be honest about your finances and listen to the advice Ripple provides, and you will go far. You have all the support in the world with Ripple, so take advantage of the incentives and programs. The sky's the limit.
I would also like to say a huge thank you to the donors and volunteers who help Ripple in all they do for our community. You really are changing people's lives, just like mine! Today, I own a home in Anderson, my family has been completely restored, I was remarried in September 2022, and I am the store manager at The Dream Center Resale Store in Easley. Jesus healed my heart and every broken thing inside me. I will be forever grateful for organizations like the Salvation Army, The Dream Center, and Ripple Of One who live out what it means to be the hands and feet of Jesus!