Check Out Shannon Wooley’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Shannon Wooley.

Hi Shannon, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My story starts early. I was introduced to addiction at a young age, and before I even realized what was happening, it slowly began to take over my life. What started as a way to cope and fit in turned into something that cost me relationships, stability, and pieces of myself I didn’t know how to get back. For a long time, I lived disconnected from purpose, from people, and from the life I was created for.

Everything changed when I reached a point where I knew I couldn’t do it alone anymore. Recovery wasn’t instant or easy, but it was real. Through sobriety, faith, and community, I began rebuilding my life one step at a time. I discovered healing not just from substances, but from the wounds underneath them. Healing began to take place in my relationships and my daughter and I grew closer than I could have ever hoped for. As I continued to grow in recovery, I also found something I never thought I’d have, a healthy, God-centered relationship. After getting sober, I married my husband, who is also in recovery, and together we’ve built a beautiful purpose filled life. Our marriage is a living example of what healing and restoration can look like when two people commit to growth and purpose.

Today, I stand here has someone who has experienced redemption firsthand. That redemption is what led to the creation of Grace Matters Inc. A non-profit 501(c)(3) organization co-founded by myself and my husband. Our mission is to provide recovery support to people experiencing addiction and homelessness. What started as a calling on our hearts became a mission to stand in the gap for people who feel unseen, unheard, or without hope. Grace Matters exists because we know what it’s like to need someone to believe in you when you can’t believe in yourself. Now, we get to walk alongside others in their recovery, reminding them that their past does not define them, that healing is possible, and that grace truly does matter.

In my personal life today, I’m deeply rooted in my church and my family. My faith continues to be the foundation of everything I do, and my church community at Oaks Church has been a place of growth, accountability, and belonging. One of my greatest joys is watching my daughter thrive as she’s now in college working toward her teaching degree. Something I once wasn’t sure I’d get to witness.
Alongside my husband, I’m also honored to be helping start a recovery ministry at Oaks Church, creating space for people to find healing, community, and hope. This season of my life is a reminder that restoration is real, families can be rebuilt, and when grace leads the way, lives truly are transformed.

I continue to be blown away at the magnitude of God moving in my life and my gratitude continues to grow.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Not at all and I think that’s an important part of my story. Recovery hasn’t been a smooth or straight road. It’s been full of hard seasons, uncomfortable growth, and moments where I had to choose to keep going even when it would’ve been easier to quit.
Some of the biggest struggles were learning how to live sober in the real world facing emotions I had numbed for years, rebuilding trust with family, and learning how to set healthy boundaries. I had to confront shame, fear, and the lies I believed about myself for a long time. There were seasons of loneliness, seasons of doubt, and moments where old patterns tried to resurface.
Even after getting sober, life didn’t stop being life. Marriage takes work, recovery takes work, and leadership in ministry takes humility and perseverance. Balancing personal healing while helping others, learning when to rest, and learning that I don’t have to carry everything on my own were lessons I had to grow into.
But every struggle refined me. Each obstacle pushed me deeper into faith, community, and honesty. The road hasn’t been smooth, but it’s been worth it. Those challenges are exactly why I’m able to sit with others in their pain today not from a place of having it all together, but from a place of having walked through it and come out stronger, with hope that real transformation is possible.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am the co-founder and Executive Director of Grace Matters Inc. A non-profit organization committed to offering support to people experiencing addiction and homelessness. I have certifications in Peer Support for recovery and mental health. I’m most proud of the perseverance it takes to keep going even when things get hard.

How do you think about luck?
I don’t believe in luck. I believe in hard work, perseverance, grit, and God’s will. If I do my part God will do His.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.gracemattershere.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1DC78QT3t3/