The story shared here is through the Teen Challenge of Southern California Ministry.
Emily Mutchler knows the power of believing the enemy’s lies about her. She also knows the healing that comes from rejecting those lies and believing what God says about her. After years of allowing her heart to gradually harden and turn to other sources of love, she’s able to walk in freedom and restoration.
“The Lord plucked me out when I was at my darkest point, and He said ‘Now is the time. You need to get up.’ So I did.”
Raised in a Christian household with a father who was a worship pastor and a mother involved in women’s ministry, Emily grew up surrounded by faith. However, a traumatic experience at age 12 changed the way she saw herself and other people. Her bitterness and mistrust toward others began to eat away at her, “I had a hole in my heart that I was trying to fill.”
After high school, she became a bartender, plunging her into a world filled with alcohol and drugs. Before long, she was hooked, living every day under the grip of addiction.
Her foundation of faith was never far from her thoughts though. She knew God had more for her, and that He wanted a better life for her.
In a moment of clarity, she made a decision that would change the course of her life: “I called my mom and I said I need you to take me to Teen Challenge… It was the best decision I ever made because I went from the darkest moment of my life to the happiest moments of my life.”
At Teen Challenge, Emily began a journey of healing and restoration. It wasn’t an instant transformation, but a gradual process of God working in her heart, “Over the course of my year at Teen Challenge, the Lord was just slowly chipping away at that heart,” she remembers, “and He allowed me to restore parts to me that I didn’t know could be restored.” God began to replace the lies she had begun to believe about herself — you’re worthless, no one will love you, you’ll never be a wife or mother — with the truth of His love for her. She began to see herself not through the lens of her past mistakes but as a beloved daughter of God with a future full of hope.
Emily discovered that healing wasn’t just about overcoming her past but also embracing the new identity God was shaping in her. The shame and guilt she had carried for so long were slowly replaced by peace and a sense of purpose. Each breakthrough, no matter how small, was a testament to God’s faithfulness in her life.
Today, Emily’s life is a beautiful picture of redemption. She is happily married with two sons, describing her role as a wife and mother as “literally a dream come true.” She now works in accounting for Teen Challenge, giving back to the ministry that played such a crucial role in her recovery. Her story is a testament to the power of grace, as she now thrives in the very life she once thought was impossible.
Emily’s story reminds us that no one is beyond hope or beyond God’s reach. Her message to those still struggling is clear: “Don’t give in because the lies from the enemy are so loud and the desperation is so real. But there’s light at the end of the tunnel. If you make the decision, it’s not easy, but it’s worth it because you don’t have to stay in that dark pit.”