Freed from Hate: From Prison to Purpose

Freed from hate and shaped by God’s relentless grace, Victoria’s story is a powerful reminder that no past is beyond redemption. From prison to purpose, this testimony reveals how God can meet us in our darkest moments and lead us into a future filled with hope, healing, and calling.

 

Victoria’s life was marked by pain long before she ever made a choice that landed her behind bars.

The oldest of four children, she never knew her father and never felt wanted by her mother. But even in those early years, God was present. He placed a God-fearing grandmother in Victoria’s life—someone who helped her recognize God’s voice and know that He was real.

Still, the wounds ran deep.

Victoria endured physical and sexual abuse that shattered her sense of safety and worth. Emotions she didn’t yet have the tools to process eventually spilled into actions she couldn’t control.

“I had so much anger inside,” she recalls. “I was always in fights.”

Then one day a friend’s betrayal ignited everything she had been carrying.

“As I grabbed the knife and headed to her house, I knew I was doing wrong,” Victoria remembers. “After I assaulted her, I went home and waited for the police.”

She was arrested—and soon after, she discovered she was pregnant.

A Desire to Change—but No Clear Way Forward

That moment was a turning point for Victoria. She became a model prisoner and was eventually released back into the community. She focused on rebuilding her life and learning practical skills—but emotionally, she stayed guarded.

“Getting close to people scared me,” she explains. “So I put up walls and let my heart grow harder.”

Though she attended church, the transformation she longed for still felt out of reach. Her depression deepened as she entered another abusive relationship and later had her second child.

“I couldn’t understand how the people who were supposed to love me made me feel so worthless.”

Then after an early-morning argument with her boyfriend, Victoria found herself facing five new felony charges—while still on probation for the earlier assault. Fear set in. So did desperation.

God Met Her in the Middle of the Crisis

“I knew I didn’t do what I was charged with,” Victoria says. “I figured God allowed this crisis to teach me something.”

While incarcerated again, she turned fully to Scripture and prayer. That’s when she discovered Inspiration Ministries.

“I kept asking God to help me understand,” she says. “As a little girl, I used to have dreams that later came true, so I asked God to give me a dream about my future.”

God answered—but not the way she expected.

Instead of giving her a dream about herself, God showed her someone else. In the dream, a new prisoner entered the facility wearing blue—distinctive in a place where everyone wore orange. God told Victoria she would carry a message for this woman.

When the moment came, Victoria didn’t hesitate.

“I walked right up to her and said, ‘God told me you’re going home. He wants you to know He’s with you—and He loves you.’”

The woman thought Victoria was crazy. But a week later, she was released.

From Chains of Hate to a Calling of Hope

That moment changed everything.

“God showed me that what I needed—seeking His heart—is what everyone needs,” Victoria says. “When I let God meet my needs, I was able to share His heart with others.”

She began speaking life to the women around her.

“You are not a number. You are not a statistic. Jesus loves you.”

Hope spread. Lives changed. Even in jail, Jesus was moving.

Victoria realized that the hatred and anger that once defined her no longer held power. God had freed her from hate—and given her purpose.

“I realized I am Victoria for a reason,” she says with joy. “I am victorious.”

A Future Rebuilt by Grace

Despite standing before one of the county’s toughest judges, God’s mercy prevailed. Victoria was released.

Today, she is rebuilding her life—seeing her children every day, holding a steady job, and taking steps toward a stable future.

“Jesus set me free,” she says. “God is in control, and I don’t have to fear what people can do to me. I am loved—and so are you.”

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What God has done for Victoria, He can do for you.

No matter where you’ve been or what you’re facing, Jesus sees you—and He offers freedom, healing, and a new beginning. Our prayer ministers would love to stand with you.

👉 Take your next step toward hope