During our May Pledge Drive this week, we are calling on listeners like you to give hope by supporting Relevant Radio®. But perhaps you are asking yourself how Relevant Radio gives people hope. Well, the story of a listener named Bettina is a perfect example of how Relevant Radio brought light into one person’s dark night, and how that same person then used Relevant Radio to bring hope to many others.

Bettina shared some of her story (which can be found in more detail in the book Surprised by Life) on The Patrick Madrid Show. During the conversation, she shared her own experiences of pain, despair, hope, and healing to reach out to others who are still struggling. She found hope by listening to Relevant Radio, and was then able to bring hope to other listeners, letting them know that they are not alone.

Bettina shared some of her early childhood experiences saying, “I had a really horrific childhood. A lot of abuse and neglect. And I didn’t really make things any better when I was on my own – I made a lot of poor decisions.”

Once she reached adulthood, Bettina began working as a call girl, eventually becoming one of San Francisco’s ‘elite’ escorts, and lived an expensive, fast-lane lifestyle.

“I was surrounded by ‘loot’ – money, stuff, wining and dining. A lot of what people see as the goal of  life, of being successful,” she said. “But my life was completely empty, there was nothing. I was seeking to fill this void inside myself with material objects, and it completely failed. It did not work at all. I felt more empty inside than ever.”

“I suffered from depression my entire life, as far as I can remember,” she continued. “And I attempted suicide at age 13 and then again at age 30. At age 30, I … had made a complete mess of my life, and it seemed to me like the only way out was the permanent way out. By the grace of God, I survived and here I am.”

One day, Bettina saw a bumper sticker for 1260 AM – Relevant Radio’s station in San Francisco – and decided to tune-in. She found a reason for hope in what she heard, and began her journey into the Catholic Church.

But her story of hope doesn’t stop there.

Bettina was on The Patrick Madrid Show to let others know that they are not alone. They are never too far gone, they are not the only ones struggling, and it can get better.

“I have heard from people … who have their own private struggles, who were just so glad to hear that they are not alone,” she told Patrick. “And that’s the thing. When you’re in that place, you feel like you’re all alone, like no one could possible understand your problems. But the thing is, you’re not. There are so many other people in that maze with you, we just can’t see each other, we don’t know how to reach out. But we need to. You cannot get out alone.”

We at Relevant Radio are so grateful for listeners like Bettina who have found hope and healing through our programs. And we feel blessed to be able to provide a platform for listeners around the country to reach out and share their own stories – helping countless people in need of Christ’s love, hope, and mercy.

Help continue the work of Relevant Radio by supporting our May Pledge Drive. Give the gift of hope today.

You can listen to the full conversation with Bettina below, and you can make a pledge safely and securely at our Giving Page.