Depressed, Hopeless and Unmarried Mother of Five, Changed by the Power of God.

God can and so very often does save anyone from every walk of life and from any number of different circumstances.  This post presents the testimony of a young woman who once knew nothing about God but who is now saved, sanctified, and filled with the power of God.  (This post was originally published on 10/09/2019.  It was updated and re-published on  08/11/2025).  Here is her story.

Unmarried, Without Hope, Depressed, but God Changed My Life

by Evangelist Shaquawna Mathis

I was an unmarried mother of five children with no direction for my life. The world was before me with plenty of opportunities, but I had chosen to become a stay-at-home Mom. It was cheaper, and so this became my life. Because I was at home so much, depression set in.  I had barely any free time for myself.  I wanted to die. Although my children’s father was there financially, he was always gone. I felt closed-in to my thoughts and choked by my past life experiences.

I had a rough start in life, and I could only think back on all those sinful things that I was exposed to before — all kinds of ungodly things under the sun. I was like a filthy rag, far from the peaceful shore. I focused more on being a statistic and tried to please man. I saw that there was no end. Things had to change, and suddenly I began to cry and I started to look for something better.

That’s when I was introduced to Heaven and Hell by watching YouTube. I saw something that I had heard about, but I didn’t believe was real and that was Hell. I didn’t know who God was, but I thought that I was living good enough to make it to Heaven. Watching YouTube about Heaven and Hell, I started to hate who I was and who I had become. I didn’t like how I looked to God, but I just wanted to be changed.  I just didn’t know how to do it. I repented and realized that I couldn’t forgive the things that I had been through, and so I prayed to God to order my steps for forgiving others and myself.

Month after month the chains started falling off of me. I remember going out once with my friends to a bar, and a church group stood outside preaching to the people as they went in for an alcoholic beverage. When I approached them, they handed me a tract.  The question on the tract asked if Jesus Christ came back today where would I go. I placed the tract in my wallet but still indulged in the alcoholic beverages that were purchased by my friends. Because I didn’t want to waste their money I accepted, but I finally said enough was enough. I said, “No more.” I was so intoxicated I couldn’t see clearly. This was the first time this had ever happened to me, and I prayed that all the alcohol would come out of me. Immediately, I was off to the side, vomiting my “guts” out.  I was dizzy and very vulnerable. I wanted a change because this was not my life.

I continued to seek God. I didn’t understand the Bible, so I would watch church on television. I desired to go to church, but my “mate” decided that wasn’t an option.  So, instead, I would watch church when I could. My relationship with God grew. I talked about anything and everything to the Lord daily, and things in my life started to fall off. I became bold, and I decided that I wasn’t going to Hell for anybody. Jesus became my best friend.  When I heard about being born again I wanted that, but I didn’t know how to do it.

After putting the children to bed at night, I began to seek after more and more of God. During one Christmas, my family was blessed with a Children’s Bible. I was astonished about all the things that happened in the Bible. Like the one about Noah and the rainbow. I never knew the significance of this covenant with God. I was learning more about God and Jesus I never knew existed. I loved God and Jesus, and I didn’t want to be separated from them.

My life was still in shambles until one day I cried out to the Lord, and I heard him say, “My will, will be done.”  Shortly after that, my home was broken up and I separated from my children’s father.  Some of my children went with their Dad, and some remained with me.  The children that were with me and I were homeless, living from place to place. Someone from a past relationship came back into the picture, and more drama occurred.  Finally, that chapter of my life closed.

I repented, and I received the baptism of the Holy Ghost in the kitchen of my mate’s ex-mother-in-law. The day I repented was the day of a new beginning. I felt weightless, free, changed, and beyond overjoyed. God came into me and created a new me. From that day forward, I have been walking with the Lord.  I turned away from iniquity and the world. I found a church home and my mate also got saved and filled with the Holy Ghost.  We moved into a beautiful home, and we got married.  My family was reunited, and blessings continue to fall. I love my new life of Holiness, and I wouldn’t change it for any one or anything.

This young woman’s life has been forever changed by the love of God, the saving power of the blood of Jesus Christ, and the life-altering power of the Holy Ghost.  Except for those who blaspheme against the Holy Ghost (Matt. 12:31 KJV), everyone can be saved.  If you are unsaved, God loves you and wants to make a difference in your life.   2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV) says, Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Sis. Shaquawna went from depression and hopelessness to a full status as an Evangelist for the Lord.  She went from knowing nothing about God to a full assurance that she is on her way to Heaven.   Perhaps after you’ve heard this young woman’s testimony, you also want to be saved.  You may feel conviction for your life of sin and desire to be set free.   Perhaps you want to live for God in the same way that she continues to live for Him today.  You can!  God loves you so much that He sent his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die for you so that your soul can be saved.

The method for salvation that God put in place is a very simple one.   You simply repent of your sins, invite Jesus to save you, and commit to living for Him.  He is well able to save your soul and keep you if you want to be kept.  Next, ask God for the power of the Holy Ghost, with the evidence of speaking in tongues.  You need this power to live the life that He requires.

Repeat the words that I will provide or similar ones, and you are saved.  Remember, I can provide the words, but you must give the sincerity.  Say, “Father, forgive me of all my sins.  Save my soul.  If you save me, I will live for you forever.”

Once you have made your commitment to God and you mean it with all your heart, your soul will be immediately translated from the Kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of Light.  Jesus will come into your heart and let you know that you are saved.

Next, ask God for the infilling of the Holy Ghost.  The Bible says in Luke 11:13 that He will give the Holy Spirit to anyone who asks for it.

¹³ If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?   

Ask for the infilling of the Holy Ghost in this way:  “Father, fill me with the Holy Ghost.”   You will know that you are filled with the Spirit because you will speak in new tongues.  You will receive a prayer language that empowers your spirit to communicate with God and empowers you to live a holy life.

Mark 16:17 says

¹⁷ And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

Acts 1:8 also tells us that we will receive the power that we need to live the life that God requires when we receive the Holy Ghost.

⁸ But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Persist in prayer until you receive the Holy Ghost, evidenced by speaking in tongues and the power to live holy.

Once you are saved, you are a new creature in Christ Jesus, and you need to become a part of a body of believers, a church, which will help you in your new walk with the Lord.  Read from the Holy Bible every day and expect the Lord to speak to you from His Word.  I invite you who are in the US to look for one of the 30+ Full Gospel Holy Temple Churches near you.  They are listed on our website, https://www.FGHT.org.

I also invite you to join my church’s YouTube community.  We livestream our services on Tuesdays, Saturdays, and Sunday mornings and evenings, and would love for you to join us.  We love you and are praying that God will bless you abundantly.  You may also contact me with questions, prayer requests, or to simply discuss the Lord through the comments section of any of the 240+ posts on my blog, www.strollingthrougharosegardencalledlife.blog.  May God bless you all.