“Elk Mountain has helped me more than I can express! I came here with so many issues that I didn’t even know about, and some that I just didn’t want to admit were true. I was a liar, I stole, and I had a bad relationship with my family. I showed emotion through anger, self-harm and making bad decisions; I had low self-esteem. I didn’t have a real relationship with God and with others, and I was confused hurt and lonely. As I began to grow at Elk Mountain I got a clear view of why I did some of these things and why I felt the way I did. Once I got to Elk Mountain my struggle with knowing what to do with all the emotion inside of me was still there.

In my time here I have gained so many qualities I will be able to use throughout my life-time. I gained the ability to be patient and forgiving, and to love and care for people who need it. I now have healthy people to contact and keep me in my higher self. Along with my relationships with friends my relationship with God played a huge part in my life. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “Plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a FUTURE and a HOPE.” That promise God made for us kept me going through it all. Knowing I have a purpose, and that I am not here for nothing helped me see myself in a brighter light.

Elk Mountain also helped me face my fears and experience “the great outdoors”. I have never been an outside kind of girl so this was hard for me. The two big adventures we went on were a canoe trip and a white water rafting trip. The white water rafting trip is when I really began to see the world’s beauty and began figuring out who I was. There were no outside distractions. It was one of the best experiences of my life and I will carry those memories with me for the rest of my life.”