(slow dramatic music)

- This is my old neighborhood.

A lot of memories, a lot of pain.

I can remember us being so hungry

that we had to eat out of the trash can

at Church's Chicken.

- [Narrator] Too often, there was no food

in Wisdom Williams' home.

But there was always drugs and alcohol.

Her mother was only 12 whenshe had her first child.

A heroin user, she passed on her pain

and addition to her children.

- At five years old, my mother handed me

a can of beer and a cigarette.

I didn't really realizethat there was more to life,

that there was people who lived

and had happiness in their homes.

- [Narrator] When Wisdom waseight, her mother took off

and left her in the care of a stepfather.

Her nightmare only got worse.

- This is my old house.

One of the apartments upstairs

is where my stepdad was molesting me.

- [Narrator] The abusewent on for three years,

until her mom came home andkicked the stepfather out.

But the reunion was short lived.

She left again, leavingWisdom and her brothers

with their abusive grandmother.

Even at school, Wisdom felt she had no one

who cared about her.

- I was unlikable.

I mean, after all, look atthis worthless person I was

that was being molested,and mother abandoned me.

And I had no real friends.

So yeah, why would they like me?

(melancholy piano music)

- [Narrator] However, therewas one thing giving her hope.

- I had this feeling thatI can't even explain,

and I could never shake it.

About a love, that was beautiful.

And it was lasting.

And it was unconditional.

And I just felt like it was there,

it was out there somewhere.

- [Narrator] Until she could find it,

she looked to drugs, alcohol

and relationships for happiness.

(slow dramatic music)

At 14, she had her first child,

and dropped out of school.

- I knew that she was the mostimportant thing in my life.

And I'm thinking, somebodyhelp me figure out

how this is supposed tobe done the right way.

- [Narrator] That someone washer daughter's grandmother,

who helped Wisdom get an apartment,

and go to vocational school.

But the year Wisdom graduated,she lost her mother,

best friend, and boyfriend.

She then found relief in cocaine.

- I remember the first time thinking gosh,

this doesn't hurt like it did before.

I don't cry every second of the day now.

- [Narrator] Wisdom wouldspend the next 15 years

as a functioning addict.

In that time she had five more children,

with different fathers.

And was working multiplejobs to provide for her kids.

- My children were themost important thing to me.

I didn't do it all right,but I loved my children,

and I wanted us to betogether, as a family.

- [Narrator] Then, her boyfriend molested

her eight-year-old daughter.

- My whole world fell apart at that point.

I couldn't do anything.

I knew the devastation, I knew the pain.

I knew the shame, I knew what it would do

to my daughter, I knew therewas no quick fix for this.

And I didn't think it was something

that you could ever be healed from.

I failed her, failed 'em all.

(boom)

- [Narrator] As drugbinges became her norm,

she often left her children alone at home.

Acting on tips from neighbors,

police arrested Wisdom onchild endangerment charges,

and her kids were put in foster care.

- How could you lose those kids?

How could you lose those kids?

And I didn't feel like Icould make it without them.

Like I could live without them,

they were the only thingI had in this world.

(slow dramatic music)

- [Narrator] After a nightin jail, she was released.

The next day, she receiveda visit from Jeneal,

a Christian from a nearby church.

- She said "Jesus Christ died on a cross,

"so that you could be saved.

"So that you could befree from this addiction."

She said "He loves you so much."

And I said my own mother didn't love me.

My own father didn't love me.

And He love me like that?

She said "Yes."

I said what do I need to do?

And she said "Just ask Himto come into your heart.

"Ask Him to forgive you of your sins."

So I did exactly what she said.

(dramatic music)

I thought, wow.

Any moment now, it's gonnabe poof pow type thing.

And I'm just gonna be completely fixed.

- [Narrator] But it wouldn'thappen that way for Wisdom.

Four months later she was stilladdicted to crack cocaine,

and missed her court date.

Jeneal confronted her.

- "You have to fight."

(melancholy piano music)

And I tell you, I could hearthe spirit of the Lord speak,

just as clear, he said "You're gonna have

"to choose me today.

"You're gonna have to choose me today."

- [Narrator] And she did.

Wisdom turned herself in,

knowing Jesus was working in her heart.

- I packed my Bible, and Igot pictures of my children.

And then I called them all.

And I said I'm going away.

I don't know how long I will be gone.

But this is what I know.

When I come back, I willnever be the same again.

- [Narrator] While in jail for six months,

Wisdom grew in her faith, andeven started a Bible study.

(dramatic music)

- I wanted to tell themwhat Jesus did for them.

I wanted them to know andunderstand that there was hope,

and that they could do all things

through Christ who strengthened them.

I wanted them to developa relationship with Him,

just as I had done.

- [Narrator] After her release,Wisdom went back to work,

and regained custody of her children.

Now the host of TV show Wisdom Speaks,

she shares about the love and hope

she found 20 years ago, in Jesus Christ.

- And we just pray for--

There were things thathappened during my journey

of getting well, and Isaid well why am I here?

Why am I going through that?

He said "Well you've been wondering

"what it is you can do,to make me leave you.

"You're in my hands now, and nothing,

"absolutely nothing canpluck you out of hand."

He loved me like nobody else,

and He never let me go.