PTSD, anxiety and high stress are the issues Tajuana deals with every day. However you would never know it when seeing her smiling face.

Born to heroin-addicted parents in Chicago, Tajuana was raised by her alcoholic grandmother. Molested and repeatedly raped starting from six years old, she lost all hope. At 13 she was placed into the foster care system, but she never received the love and care that she craved. Abusive situations caused Tajuana to run away from every foster placement. At 18 she got out of the system only to start using drugs.

As an addict for more than 25 years, each of her four children was taken away at birth. After continued physical abuse by her husband, Tajuana decided to move to Minneapolis and start over. Two and a half years ago, a friend suggested she come to The Life Center and her life changed!

“I connected with Pastor Monica the first time I heard her preach. She understood. She was so hands-on and personal,” Tajuana said. Since then, Tajuana has graduated from Life Skills classes and now feels 100% better. “Pastor Monica is such a good role model. I always ask myself: What would Jesus do? I am much more spiritual.” That has made all the difference!

Today, Tajuana works as a Chemical Dependency technician, and is enrolled at MCTC working towards her Chemical Dependency Associates Degree. She loves to help the less fortunate. “I want peace and happiness. I’ve been through a lot of pain, and now I have lots of joy.”

Miraculously Tajuana has been reunited with her four children. On Sundays, they celebrate together at the Life Center. They are all working and doing well, and they have a loving relationship with their mom – the love she didn’t receive growing up, she now gives to her children. “God watches over me. It is so good! I love this church!”

‍