{"id":3241,"date":"2026-02-09T15:47:30","date_gmt":"2026-02-09T15:47:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/core-usa.org\/?p=3241"},"modified":"2026-02-09T16:32:39","modified_gmt":"2026-02-09T16:32:39","slug":"randi-barksdale-finding-her-way-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/core-usa.org\/index.php\/2026\/02\/09\/randi-barksdale-finding-her-way-home\/","title":{"rendered":"Randi Barksdale: Finding Her Way Home"},"content":{"rendered":"\n


Randi Barksdale: Finding Her Way Home<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

When Randi Barksdale talks about her life, she doesn\u2019t mince words. She speaks first about people and family \u2014 the influential figures during her formative years who shaped her personality, her sense of belonging, and her emotional security. She is equally direct about her addiction, freely admitting that she \u201clearned the hard way<\/em>\u201d her life did not have to remain stuck. Best of all, she speaks with visible joy about the path that led her to recovery and health at CORE.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Randi grew up in an Oklahoma town so small that its population has barely changed in a hundred years. Her roots there run deep. She is a member of the Muscogee Creek Nation, and some of her earliest memories include her great-grandmother speaking to her and her siblings in their native language. \u201cThat was the only language she knew<\/em>,\u201d Randi recalls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Family remains central to her story. \u201cMy grandma is still alive<\/em>,\u201d she says. \u201cMy greatest joy in getting sober was seeing how happy it made her<\/em>.\u201d During the darkest years of her addiction, her grandmother once told Randi she could no longer see any light in her eyes. But last Thanksgiving, Randi being surrounded by family and sober at last, her grandmother told her the light had returned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Randi\u2019s addiction began in her early twenties through a relationship she believed would last forever. Her husband was himself an addict and drug dealer. He first introduced her to opioids, and later to methamphetamine. What began as experimentation escalated quickly. \u201cIt\u2019s a dark hole<\/em>,\u201d she says. \u201cThere was no light at the end of the tunnel<\/em>.\u201d Even her love for her children, she admits, was not enough to pull her out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After years of chaos, Randi came to Missouri hoping for change. She worked, raised children, and entered treatment more than once. But something essential was missing. \u201cThere was education<\/em>,\u201d she says. \u201cThere were assignments. But there was no recovery<\/em>.\u201d Each time she left treatment, she relapsed almost immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

In early 2024, Randi faced her first serious involvement with the justice system. By then, the crossroads felt familiar. She had no money, no clear plan, and nowhere to go. What she did have, for the first time, was honesty and willingness. \u201cI was done<\/em>,\u201d she says, \u201cand I knew I couldn\u2019t do it on my own<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Randi arrived at CORE in June 2024 with almost nothing. \u201cI had no money. I\u2019d lost everything I owned<\/em>,\u201d she says. What she encountered at CORE was something entirely new to her: the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. \u201cAs soon as I got it, I started reading. I\u2019d never even heard of it before<\/em>.\u201d She admits she was mystified at first and leaned heavily on her housemates, bringing them questions about the Steps and how the program actually worked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Life tested Randi early in recovery. Only weeks after arriving at CORE, she faced family medical emergencies involving a niece, and then one of her own children. In the past, such crises might have sent her headlong into relapse. This time, something was different. Surrounded by the women in her house, she stayed. \u201cEvery single woman in that house refused to leave my side<\/em>,\u201d she says. \u201cThat\u2019s when I knew. This is where I belong<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Randi worked her Steps daily, asking for guidance when she needed it and remaining willing even when it was uncomfortable. Slowly, the sense of stability and connection she believed was lost forever began to return. As that happened, her focus naturally shifted outward. She chaired her first AA meeting and later taught her first 4D recovery class at CORE\u2019s Springfield center. Stepping into leadership surprised her. \u201cI didn\u2019t think I had those qualities<\/em>,\u201d she says. \u201cThey told me I was a leader, but I had to learn to believe it<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That outward focus also shaped her professional path. Randi became a certified nursing assistant, a role that allowed her to combine care for others with hard-earned compassion. \u201cI wanted to work in the medical field<\/em>,\u201d she says. \u201cHelping people felt natural<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, Randi serves as a house manager for one of CORE\u2019s women\u2019s residences and as the Women\u2019s Intake Coordinator in Springfield. Often, she is the first voice someone hears when reaching out for help. \u201cI love seeing new faces come in<\/em>,\u201d she says. \u201cEven the ones who are struggling. I don\u2019t give up on them. They\u2019re still good<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The work is demanding. Some women resist the very Steps that could change their lives. Randi understands that resistance well. \u201cI\u2019ve been there<\/em>,\u201d she says. \u201cSometimes I\u2019m digging through the excuses, trying to find the real person underneath. But I know she\u2019s in there<\/em>.\u201d She says her greatest satisfaction in working for CORE is helping newcomers achieve their sobriety goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Outside of CORE, relationships once broken are healing for Randi.  She\u2019s made amends with her parents and siblings, and she is making heartfelt living amends to her children, several of whom call her every day. Her family closely follows her recovery journey with pride. Her grandmother proudly displays Randi\u2019s CORE commencement plaque on her wall.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Randi gives all credit to God for her recovery. Her faith has deepened, not as an idea, but as something lived out daily. \u201cGod moved mountains for me<\/em>,\u201d she says. \u201cHe gave me life back. He made my heart beat again<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When asked about the future, Randi does not speak about titles or positions. She talks about people. About helping women find their footing. And about CORE. \u201cI will always be a part of CORE<\/em>,\u201d she says. \u201cCORE saved me. It gave me life. I should have been dead. Instead, I\u2019m here. And now I get to help other women find their way home<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At CORE, we are so very grateful for Randi \u2014 for her courage, her honesty, and her willingness to turn suffering into service. Her story isn\u2019t just about recovery found, but about recovery lived and shared. As she walks alongside newcomers searching for hope, Randi reminds us that the light can return, and when it does, it\u2019s meant to be passed on.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Randi Barksdale: Finding Her Way Home When Randi Barksdale talks about her life, she doesn\u2019t mince words. She speaks first about people and family \u2014 the influential figures during her formative years who shaped her personality, her sense of belonging, and her emotional security. She is equally direct about her addiction, freely admitting that she…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3241","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/core-usa.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3241","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/core-usa.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/core-usa.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/core-usa.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/core-usa.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3241"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/core-usa.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3241\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3248,"href":"https:\/\/core-usa.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3241\/revisions\/3248"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/core-usa.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3241"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/core-usa.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3241"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/core-usa.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3241"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}