More Than Survival
Before coming to Destiny Haven, Felicity felt trapped in an endless cycle of misery and despair. On the outside, she had what looked like a stable life—a full-time job and good friends—but underneath, she was struggling with an eating disorder and a self-harm addiction that left her feeling hopeless.
“I would have stable periods, but they were always short-lived. Every time, I’d end up in hospital after attempting to take my life,” Felicity shares. “I tried to maintain a normal life, but between self-harming almost daily and purging up to six times a day, it was impossible. I desperately wanted to be free, but I didn’t see any way out other than death.”
That’s when her sister Amber stepped in.
“My sister searched for places that could help me, and through a church friend, she heard about Destiny Haven,” Felicity explains. “She helped me through the application process and was my biggest encourager to get the help I needed.”
When Felicity arrived at Destiny, she had reached a breaking point. She knew she couldn’t go on the way she had been. But what she found at Destiny Haven wasn’t just help—it was a place where she could finally begin to discover who she really was.
“For so much of my life, I felt like I had to suppress who I was to fit in,” Felicity says. “But at Destiny, I’ve been learning who I really am in Christ and who I want to become. I used to believe I was worthless, but being surrounded by the staff here, who constantly remind me of God’s truth, has transformed my life.”
That staff—all volunteers—have been a significant part of Felicity’s journey.
“They don’t get paid to be here, so I know they genuinely care,” Felicity says. “Even when they correct us or hold us accountable, they do it in a way that builds us up and encourages us. There’s so much grace here. I’ve never felt pressured to have it all together—Destiny acknowledges that we’re all on our own journey, and gives the individual support we need to create a life that is worth living.”
One of the hardest things Felicity faced at Destiny was learning to sit with her feelings and how to process them in a healthy way.
“We do a lot of work on recognising our triggers and learning how to process them instead of living from them,” she explains. “It’s hard to acknowledge how you feel while also recognising that feelings aren’t always truth. I may feel worthless, but that doesn’t mean I am. Learning to speak truth, even when I don’t believe it, has been one of the hardest but most rewarding tools I’ve gained here.”
Now, Felicity is stepping into a new season. After graduating in December, she has chosen to stay on for another year as an intern, helping other women find hope and healing just as she did.
“I used to think I was destined to fail, but I’ve learned that I’m more capable than I ever believed,” Felicity says. “I never thought of myself as driven, but now I know I am. And I’ve even discovered a new passion—I love working in the garden and growing things.”
When times get tough, Felicity holds onto the support around her and the promises of God.
“There’s a verse in Galatians 6:9 that I always remind myself of: ‘Let us not grow weary in doing what is good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.’ The work I put in today will make tomorrow easier. I can’t give up on the future God has for me.”
Please join us in praying for Felicity as she continues this next chapter of her journey, learning, growing, and helping others discover hope in Christ.
