Ministry to Recovering Addicts

Ministry to Recovering Addicts

My Name is Katelyn Imperato and I am called to bring ministry to recovering addicts in my community.

I was born and raised in Upstate New York in April of 1990. Growing up my family never exposed me to the Lord, but the Lord found me at the age of 6 anyhow! I went to Vacation Bible School, Sunday School, and Church Service all on my own at such a tender young age. I didn’t know the mighty plans God had for my life at the time but all I knew was whoever God was I loved Him and couldn’t get enough. I carried my kid’s Bible everywhere and played “Bible Times” with the neighborhood children.

As I reached my late teen years I began to experience some very traumatic and life-changing events. I was in an abusive relationship in all aspects at the age of 18. After (by the grace of God!) I got out of that I situation! But to fill the void of the multiple types of abuse I turned to prescription drugs then at the age of 20 it became heroin and cocaine. I spiraled out if control very quickly and even was brought back to life twice after overdosing. I was unaware that that time that God was even using these terrible experiences to plant a seed so that someday seek to bring ministry to recovering addicts in my community.

I went to rehabilitation locations against my own will (for my family) first in Vermont then Florida. I was kicked out of all of them and relapsed every time. Finally, after arriving back in New York, I had had enough! I got down on my knees in a jail cell and prayed to God to help me get myself back! I repented and asked for the “pod” Bible. I read it while going through terrible withdrawal. I prayed to God for a miracle. That I wanted to be His daughter again. Then a knock on my cell door came. A guard asked me if I wanted to go home. I told him that wasn’t very funny but little did I know my dad was upstairs and bailed me out! I was very sick for awhile but I lived at home with my parents and attended outpatient rehabilitation locally and went to Celebrate Recovery and met wonderful people! I decided the man I was with who introduced me to heroin (who was in prison at the time…) was no good for my recovery so I ended the relationship. After five years together I haven’t spoken to him since praise God!

Shortly after I met my future. I believe God’s hand directied this.  His name is Michael and he told me how beautiful I was while at work one night. He kept coming in to see me and after a couple weeks, we went on a date to Dunkin Donuts together. He was the man of my dreams. I had grown distant from the Lord again with so much going on in my life from legal issues to just plain lack of joy. While dating Mike we started attending church and even got baptized together. He asked me to marry him after 4 months and I accepted his proposal with delight! Two days short of just one year together we became husband and wife on May 24, 2016. We have been married now for a year and five months. It’s had its rocky times like any other marriage but we get through it together with the help of Jesus! Did I mention Mike was a recovering heroin addict as well? We recovered apart but God brought us together for a purpose!

We still live in Upstate New York in our own home.

HOW DO I PLAN ON USING MY CLI TRAINING?

I plan on using this wonderful gift from the Lord to start a ministry with my husband for addicts, recovering addicts, women who’ve been abused and the broken and beat up people who truly need to fill that void and introduce them to the only one who can fill it, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

I also plan to use this training with my mentor to grow in my spiritual calling and better help the people that God directs me to and speaks to me through the Holy Spirit about. But most of all I want to grow as close as I can to our Father and my hunger for Him can never be quenched. I want to do Kingdom work and have the Lord say to me someday, “Well done my faithful servant.”

HOW THE SCHOLARSHIP WILL HELP MY GOALS

As newlyweds and just starting out in our career the Lord has revealed to us we don’t have a large amount of money to be able to pay for ministry training. Coming across Christian Leaders Institute was purely the Lord’s doing and such a blessing. This scholarship would be exactly what I need to head in the direction God is leading me. If I can help more people learn about the Lord and Our Savior and help save more souls and make the world a holier place, my life would be complete. I want to be completely about the Father’s business!

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