Episode 21 of “417 Testimonies of Jesus Christ”, hosts Preston Cameron and Dennis Eversen sit down with Wendi Moore Cockrum to share her journey of addiction, incarceration, and spiritual transformation.
Early Life & Substance Use
- Upbringing: Wendi grew up in a chaotic household with an absent father, as well as a mother and stepdad who struggled with drug addiction [01:40 Opens in a new window ].
- Early Addiction: She began using drugs around age 12 [02:06 Opens in a new window ].
- Young Motherhood: She had her first child at age 15 and went on to have five children by the age of 21 [02:22 Opens in a new window ].
- Escalation: Over time, she developed a severe reliance on prescription pain medications and methamphetamine, which eventually led to IV drug use and alcohol dependency [02:57 Opens in a new window ], [07:03 Opens in a new window ], [09:58 Opens in a new window ].
Custody Loss & Criminal History
- Loss of Children: After a hotline report was filed following her drug use, state authorities stepped in and placed her children in the custody of family members [04:33 Opens in a new window ], [06:17 Opens in a new window ].
- Incarceration: Wendi slipped into a lifestyle of crime to sustain her habits, resulting in three separate prison sentences over the years [08:26 Opens in a new window ].
The Turning Point
- Facing 15 Years: While in jail facing 15 felony charges and experiencing severe withdrawal, Wendi prayed in desperation for God to take her life or break her addiction [10:39 Opens in a new window ], [11:20 Opens in a new window ].
- Spiritual Experience: She recalled hearing the spiritual guidance of her uncle, Pastor Billy, telling her to believe and confess Christ [10:22 Opens in a new window ], [13:20 Opens in a new window ].
- Miraculous Recovery: She woke up the following morning without withdrawal symptoms and with a complete lack of desire for drugs or alcohol [11:56 Opens in a new window ], [14:20 Opens in a new window ].
Recovery, Court Grace, & Personal Transformation
- Rehabilitation: Wendi entered “Clean Sweep,” a faith-based recovery program run by a local leader named Miss Marsha [15:48 Opens in a new window ].
- Courtroom Grace: Demonstrating clear personal change, the presiding judge tore up her 7-year plea deal and granted her probation instead [16:46 Opens in a new window ].
- Family Restoration & Loss:
- Wendi maintained her sobriety through the tragic loss of her mother, who passed away from a drug overdose two years into Wendi’s recovery [17:34 Opens in a new window ].
- She rebuilt relationships with her father, Scott, her sister, and all of her children [33:30 Opens in a new window ], [37:59 Opens in a new window ]. She is now actively helping raise her granddaughters [42:38 Opens in a new window ].
- Current Leadership: Wendi works as a dental assistant and serves as the Director of a women’s discipleship home within Living Proof Ministries—taking over management of the same facility where her own recovery journey began [24:56 Opens in a new window ], [25:38 Opens in a new window ], [27:02 Opens in a new window ].
