Living at YES! Success Stories Archive

YES! stands for You Embracing Spirit!
In the LOGO, notice the symbol for the "Y" is a heart.
When you embrace Spirit - your heart is opened!

From an Uphill Climb to an Exhilarating
Journey of Self Discovery -- Nancy Clark

For many years, Nancy Clark suffered with an addiction. "It was to the point my eldest daughter, a senior in high school, couldn't wait to move out of the house and go to college. I felt like I was driving everyone away." she states, her voice cracking slightly with emotion.
All that changed when she entered into a 12 step recovery program and began her journey for spirituality. "I was doing fine with the recovery program, but even with all the group support I had, I still felt a void- one that had to do more with spirituality than practicality, so I decided to search for a Unity Church in my area." Nancy, who resides in Fleetwood, PA, found her answer at a Unity Church in nearby Reading, PA and began to fill the void the moment she entered through the doors and heard Sharon Marquart's inspirational message. "Sharon was serving as the interim minister and it was like a "light bulb moment" for me. Everything she said clicked. I knew I wanted, no, needed, to hear more."

Nancy began to attend regularly every Tuesday evening, and her life began to transform. "I cannot describe how different my life started to become once I applied the principals and messages I heard each week both in recovery and with Sharon’s teachings. My entire attitude changed. I had found a new "fix" only this one was healthy and it felt GREAT!" exclaims Nancy as her voice bubbles over with enthusiasm at her newfound joy. "I used to be a finger pointer. I realized that for a very long time, I didn't accept myself, but didn't want to admit to that. It was too easy to put the blame on someone or something else and use my addiction to become numb to it all so I didn't have to face reality. Once I realized the true power of intention and self acceptance, my eyes began to open to an entirely different reality."

Nowhere was this theory better tested than when Nancy's nursing license was suspended in January, 2006 due to a positive result on a drug test. "You know, they say things happen for a reason. My test came back positive for alcohol- yet I knew I no longer drank, so it literally blew my mind. Had I been in my "old state of mind" I would have slid right back into my addictive personality, but because I had been building on this foundation of strength with Sharon and my recovery program, I knew I could handle it.

It just so happened that during that time, there were articles being written about positive readings as a result of ultra sensitive tests that pick up minute traces of alcohol from a variety of household and beauty related items in addition to the alcohol used for consumption. It used to be all you had to do was stay away from poppy seeds!

Today it's entirely different- anything that contains alcohol, from perfume and cold medication to portable hand sanitizer can be picked up with these tests." A reporter from The Wall Street Journal included Nancy's story in a feature article he wrote on the topic several months after Nancy's license was suspended. "I mean, that was nice and certainly gave me an added sense of validation plus a little bit of a "touché" attitude toward those who believed I'd taken a step back, however it was also a turning point for me. I loved nursing, still do, and will probably go back to it one day, but I felt the timing of this was so profound I needed to act on it and alter my course."

Nancy became a student of Interfaith Ministry and set a goal to obtain her ministerial license. "I knew this was a calling. After living so long in darkness and finally seeing light, I felt a sense of obligation to share what I had learned with other people who suffer from addictions and had lost hope of ever living a fulfilling life."

Nancy and two nurses she worked with decided to form the "comic relief troupe"- HELP: Healing, Energy, Laughter, Peace." "Our theme is Laughter for the Health of It." And there's truth to it! Sometimes we need to just sit back and not take ourselves so seriously. That's not to say we should take everything lightly or disregard responsibility, it just means that instead of an uphill battle with chains and a ton of old baggage weighing us down, we can instead turn it into an exhilarating adventure and make it a rollercoaster ride! And you know, they never let you take your baggage with you on those rides."

Nancy decided to join Sharon's year-long "Magnificent Self" course to help keep her grounded as she explored this new phase of her life, traveling an hour and a half each way to Camp Hill, Pa where Sharon's classes are held, in addition to weekly one on one coaching sessions she has with Sharon via telephone. "I found Sharon to be a key touch point in my transformation process. And it is still an evolving process. I wanted to be able to share my ideas, concerns and contemplations with both Sharon and a supportive group of individuals who shared the same philosophy on spirituality and life. We help each other achieve a common goal: living a life of abundance and enjoying the ride. I have found my calling. It's affected everything, and I mean everything, in my life. Now my daughter who once couldn't wait to get out of the house has decided to move back home and commute to a local college because she can't stand to be away from me!!"

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