HER STORY OF FREEDOM

Her Story of Freedom is a place where women courageously share how God met them in their lowest moments and led them into healing, restoration, and new life. These are not stories of perfect people, but of real women who encountered the transforming grace of Christ and discovered that their past no longer defines their future. Through these testimonies, we hope you will see that no situation is beyond God’s power to redeem. If He has done it for them, He can do it for you.

If you are walking through addiction, trauma, shame, or painful relationships, let these stories remind you of this truth: freedom is possible, healing is real, and your story is not over. At She Thirsts No More!, we believe that when one woman shares her testimony, it becomes a light for another woman still searching for hope.

Perhaps one day, your story will become someone else’s path to freedom.

Hi, my name is Amy Schellhorn. I am 45 years old, a mother of five, and a grandmother to two beautiful granddaughters and one grandson. Today, I stand as a woman redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ. My life is a living testimony of how God can take the deepest brokenness and transform it into redemption, restoration, and purpose.

I was raised in a Christian home and homeschooled until the fourth grade. Even though faith was introduced to me early, my childhood took a painful turn when, at nine years old, I was sexually abused by a family member. That trauma became a silent shadow over my life, shaping many of the choices, relationships, and patterns that followed. By thirteen, I had already entered an abusive relationship. As the years went on, I became trapped in cycles of unhealthy relationships, addiction, prostitution, and destructive decisions. Through my teens, twenties, and into my thirties, my life spiraled into instability. I was searching desperately for love, acceptance, and belonging—yet looking for them in all the wrong places.

Despite everything, there was always a small part of my heart that wanted to believe the best in people and hoped that something more was possible for my life. In 2018, I reached one of the lowest points I had ever known when I lost custody of my children to their father. Not long after, in 2020, I found myself in jail. It felt as though everything had collapsed, and I had nothing left. What looked like the end of my story became the very place where God began writing a new one. While incarcerated, I turned to prayer and the Word of God in a way I never had before. In that place of surrender, I encountered the love, mercy, and grace of Jesus Christ in a deeply personal way. My heart began to soften, my mind began to renew, and I experienced what I now know was a true spiritual rebirth.

I often think of Luke 15:4–7—the shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine to go after the one lost sheep. That is exactly what Jesus did for me. He pursued me into my darkest places and carried me back when I could not find my own way home. During my time in jail, I devoted myself to prayer, Bible study, and encouraging other women who were also searching for hope. God was transforming me from the inside out, teaching me what it meant to surrender fully and trust Him completely. Shortly before my release in August 2021, God performed another miracle. My children—who had been missing from my life—were found and returned home. What once seemed impossible became a living testimony of God’s restoration and faithfulness.

Since May 2020, I have remained sober by the grace of God. After my release, I began rebuilding my life step by step. I went from living in my mother’s home to having a home of my own. I went from part-time work to securing full-time employment at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Every step has been a reminder that God restores what once seemed lost.

God also surrounded me with an incredible community of women of faith who walked beside me during my reentry journey. Through Lighting the Way Pastoral Care’s women’s ministry, Women at the Well—now known as She Thirsts No More, LLC—I received mentorship, encouragement, accountability, and genuine sisterhood. These women walked alongside me, helping me remain grounded in my faith, continue healing from my past, and grow stronger in my daily walk with Christ.

Today, I often describe myself simply as “God’s girl.” I am learning daily what it means to wait on the Lord and trust in His strength, just as Isaiah 40:31 teaches. I know that the same God who rescued me is still writing the story of my life. Now, I have the honor of walking alongside other women who are searching for healing, freedom, and restoration. I help lead and participate in women’s support groups where we encourage one another to walk in truth, healing, and identity in Jesus Christ. My heart is especially tender toward women who have experienced trauma, addiction, incarceration, or deep wounds—because I know firsthand that no one is beyond the reach of God’s grace.

My story is proof that redemption is real. No life is too broken. No past is too dark. No woman is too far gone for the love of Jesus Christ.

God found me in my darkest place and never gave up on me. Because of Him, I am living proof that when a life is fully surrendered to Christ, restoration is possible, hope is real, and a new life can begin.

Hi, my name is Monica Yapp. My family started attending church when I was about 12 or 13 years old. At the time, I didn’t really understand why we were going because life felt good to me. I assumed we would go a few times—maybe for a month—and then stop. But we continued going. Although I didn’t mind attending, I would have preferred not to be there. I didn’t think I needed church. To me, it seemed like something my parents or other adults did.

I was at the age when I wanted to spend more time with friends and enjoy more independence. In middle school, I didn’t have much freedom, but I had plenty of friends, enjoyed school, and stayed involved in activities. Around that time, I decided that I wanted to become a doctor. When I entered high school, that dream stayed the same. I planned to leave Nebraska for college and pursue what many would call the “American Dream.” But the truth is, high school was a lonely and confusing time for me. At seventeen, I found myself pregnant. I had my first daughter at eighteen and my second daughter at twenty-one.

In my early twenties, I came to a crossroads one night. I had to make a decision: continue down a path of self-destruction or begin following where God was leading me. I did walk away from a life of darkness, but I did not fully follow or trust God at that time. In many ways, I think of myself like the woman at the well. I was going to the well, but I wasn’t drinking from it. It wasn’t until about three to five years ago that I truly began to desire a relationship with Christ and started drinking from the Living Water that only He can provide.

Even then, my life looked nothing like I had planned or imagined it would. Because of that, I struggled with disappointment, a negative mindset, doubt, and confusion about why things had not worked out the way I thought they should. One thing I never stopped doing, however, was going to church. Looking back, I believe that played a significant role in where I am today. Over time, I also began taking intentional steps to strengthen my faith. I started working on my mindset—what I tell myself and what I choose to believe about who I am.

It has taken time to get where I am today, and I continue to walk this journey one day at a time. Each day I take God’s hand and trust Him to lead me. The truth is, God has never left me. He has been right beside me all along, patiently waiting for the moment I was ready to acknowledge Him and trust Him fully. Today, I feel hope in God’s plan for my life, and I know I must continue walking forward and trusting Him with that plan. Through my own journey, God has grown in me a deep passion to minister to pregnant teens and young mothers—women who, like I once did, need someone to see them, support them, and remind them that their story is not over. If I had not had the Women at the Well ministry—now known as She Thirsts No More, LLC—a community of women who loved me, stood with me, and reflected God’s heart toward me, I truly don’t know where I would be today. Looking back, I can clearly see that God was at work in my life long before I recognized His hand. The moments I feared would define my failures became the very places where His grace met me, lifted me, and began rewriting my story.

Today, my heart breaks for young women who feel scared, alone, or ashamed because of an unexpected pregnancy or the weight of young and single motherhood. I know those feelings because I’ve lived them. But I also know that God can turn what feels like the end of your story into the beginning of something beautiful. My prayer is to stand beside these young women with compassion and truth—reminding them that they are not alone, that they are deeply loved by God, and that their lives, and their children’s lives, have incredible purpose.

 Hi, my name is Darian Kochevar. I am 30 years old. I was raised in a God-loving household my whole life. I went to church multiple times a week, involved in all the church activities. Bible studies, youth groups, church camp, and the list goes on. I knew at a young age who God was and the salvation that Jesus gave us.

When I hit my teenage years, things started to become destructive in my life. My behavior from my mid-teens to my mid-20s was a whirlwind of mass manipulation and selfish gain. I was introduced to alcohol and drugs, leading me to deal narcotics by the age of 17. By 20, I was working as an exotic dancer, hooked on pharmaceuticals, dependent on alcohol, all while battling severe anxiety. At the age of 22, I was struggling with myself inside and out, which culminated in a suicide attempt.

After that attempt, I thought I could fix this myself. I knew what would make me “feel better.” I continued in my deep, dark despair with no escape. It continued that way for a few years. Until December of 2022, I was invited to attend a Christmas brunch, and this is where the Holy Spirit spoke to me directly. One of the ladies who is a part of She Thirst No More, LLC. spoke at this brunch and told her testimony that sounded identical to my own story. That day was the first time hearing the Holy Spirit since I was young, and He said, “You need to be a part of this.” 

I started attending workshops and retreats that provided spiritual guidance and practical tools to help me overcome life struggles. I committed my life to Christ. I asked Him to forgive me of my sins and to be made new. I was also given a mentor who happened to be the same woman (Ashley) whose testimony I had heard, and I started meeting with her. I have stayed connected and attended support groups and Bible studies through our online lessons. I also have the honor of saying, by the grace of God, I am over 3 years sober!

Through this organization, I have found a supportive community. I was able to rebuild my life through a process of healing my mind, body, and spirit. Through Jesus Christ and His sacrifice, I have found redemption and salvation. My story is a testament to the power of faith, community, and the life-changing impact of She Thirst No More, LLC.