My name is Kristi Keever. I am 45 years old. I am the proud mother of beautifully and wonderfully made kids. Dyllan my son, is 22. Jaidyn and Kaleigh are 19 and identical twin girls. I was born in Hickory, NC and raised in Taylorsville, NC. I have already allowed the enemy to steal enough of my joy,so I am not going to go too much into the horrible things that I have not only had done to me but have also done to others as well. I am, however, going to share some of my story inly to tell you about the pit of hell that Jesus saved me from. I had both parents in the home I grew up in. I did all the things that “normal” kids did. At the age of 14, I was sexually assaulted. I was left confused and broken inside. I had no idea how to deal with the emotions I was experiencing. I began to struggle with anxiety and depression, which quickly led to self-harming behavior. In high school, I experimented with marijuana and alcohol. After I had graduated, I tried cocaine for the first time. I was 19.
This started a 26-year battle with addiction. I quickly began using anything I could get my hands on. I thought I would be able to numb the pain and fill that deep void in my heart. I turned to drugs and men instead of Jesus. I was a smart, popular, athletic daddies’ girl with a very dark secret. I had big plans and dreams for my future, none of which included the lifestyle, I was now living as an addict. I hadn’t realized God was preparing me, through every tear, trial and trauma I had experienced. After struggling for a while, I gave up and attempted suicide for the first time. I was in and out of mental health hospitals and on more prescription drugs than I could count. After two failed marriages and losing custody of my daughters at the age of 3, the shame and guilt became more than I could take, and I attempted suicide for the second time. But God. During all my madness I lost what I believed to be the only man that would ever love me, my Daddy. I also lost my oldest sister, both battled lengthy illnesses. That only led me deeper into the darkness. However, 1 Thessalonians 5:5 says, “you are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or the darkness.”
I wish I could say at this point I surrendered my life to God, but not yet. I was in and out of relationships full of not only drug use, but any type of abuse you could imagine. The streets and jail were both common places my choices led me to.Someone I had been running with introduced me to fentanyl after I told them that my usual stuff wasn’t strong enough anymore. Overdoses became a regular thing for me. I have survived at least 17 of them. I have been robbed, held at gun point, beaten, kidnapped, raped and even held hostage for several months. Bad choices eventually led to bad consequences. But God, He repeatedly rescued me. I still don’t understand why. I’d tried to get clean multiple times, managing to only stay clean during my pregnancies, but not long after each one, I began to use again. My addiction began spiraling so far out of control that I never believed I would beat it, but God. I had just accepted who I was.
Fast forward a while to November 7th, 2024. I got out of jail that night. On the way home, I found out my mom had stage 4 lung cancer. 3 weeks later without her only child there. I was too selfish to put myself and my pain aside. I couldn’t bring myself to see her that way. I also didn’t want her to see me high; I had lied again, about being clean. I wasn’t there for her when she needed me most. Even harder than that was not being there for my babies, not being the mom they deserved, and the mom God had entrusted me to be. We all have giants we fight daily; they just look a little different to each of us. Fighting a giant to most may seem like a brave.” thing to do, depending on who you ask, and I was about to face a big one.
On Easter Sunday 2025, at a Sheetz gas station, police were called about some homeless people who were loitering. I was homeless and there, but had been in and bought some food, but had not been loitering. I thought to myself, I am in the wrong place at the really wrong time. Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still and know that I am God.” The responding officer politely told me to wait there, alone and not handcuffed for the first time in my life; I was still. I did go to jail that night, but when I was cuffed, I finally felt free.
On my 45th birthday, sitting on a cold metal stool in my cell, I earnestly cried out to God for the first time. Being brave doesn’t mean that you have to bring down a giant with just a sling shot. Things that seem small to some, may be as huge to others and as scary as it must have been for David when he took down Goliath. For some people like me, something that may seem small to others, like going to the grocery store, saying hi to a stranger, or just taking a step outside your front door, isjust as big and scary. Nobody’s battles and giants are exactly the same. Some people’s giants may be bigger, stronger, or may have a bigger sword than yours.
Paul writes in Ephesians 6 about putting on the full armor of God, verses 16-17 says to take up the shield of faith with which you can distinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. I got out of jail on May 30th and on June 3rd I began a new season of my life at Never2Scarred. I felt the love of God when I walked in the door of the Hope House. It’s a 12-month, God-centered program for women who struggle with drug and alcohol addiction. I had always believed that I had been saved, but after being in the program for 5 months, I realized that I wasn’t. So, on November 19th, 2025, I gave my life to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, because of Him I am no longer a victim but I victor. 2 Corinthians 12:9 says, But He said unto me, my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. For when I am weak then I am strong. It is only by God’s grace, mercy, and strength that I am alive to tell you my story. I have now been at Never2Scarred for 10 months and will have 1 year clean on April 20th. I give all glory to God because I can’t do this without Him. Believe me, I have tried.
At Never2Scarred we attend Berry Chapel Baptist where we are involved in many activities. We volunteer throughout the community and we attend celebrate recovery. I have met the most since coming to the program. I have made not only friends, but lifelong bonds with my sisters there. I want to thank Jessica and Josie for seeing in me what I was unable to see in myself. You are both truly special to me, and I love you both.
Your both amazing examples of what Gods chosen warriors look like. With the armor of God, we are now able to take down our own giants because, we too, are Gods chosen warriors. I am not defined by my past. God says that girl no longer exist because I am now free, chosen and forgiven. I am a child of God and the daughter of the Most High King
