Misty’s Story
Misty is a new creation in Christ.
Misty sat down to chat as her young son Jaycob ran around the room, playing with his toys.
Near the window of her living room grew a houseplant she received upon graduating from Mel Trotter’s Step-Up Recovery program. Misty looked around her home and reflected on how far she had come.
“A lot of bad happened in my life,” she remembers. “I really had nobody. Then when I was 11, my mom passed away.”
Thankfully, Misty’s dad took her and her siblings in. But it wasn’t easy raising seven kids. “My dad worked a lot to provide, but on the weekends he would do whatever he could to spend time with the seven of us. I never remember anything bad happening to me. He’s everything to me.” Misty found out five years ago that he actually isn’t her biological father, but he never treated her any differently, and it makes her look up to him even more.
However, Misty still made mistakes. As a young woman, Misty got involved in bad relationships which led to drug abuse.
After suffering domestic violence from her boyfriend of eight years, Misty left to escape his ongoing abusive behavior. She was hoping for a fresh start with her children. She moved in with a new boyfriend, but Misty still struggled with her addiction.
Still yearning for a fresh start, Misty moved into her dad’s home and soon found out that she was going to have another baby. However, her past was still too close; the mother of two young children knew she needed to get clean. She just didn’t know how.
“After I found out I was pregnant, there was no doubt in my mind that I could not go back to my old life. I had to provide. I was scared. I was pregnant and homeless. I thought, I’m going to do whatever I can for this new child who has no idea of my past. He is innocent and I can’t destroy him by being messed up,” Misty recalls.
“I had a drug problem and as a result of my drug problem, I lost everything,” Misty explains. She desperately wanted to learn how to overcome her issues and be a better mom. That’s when she found out about Mel Trotter’s Step-Up Recovery program.
The program sparked a transformation in Misty’s heart and life. She embraced the redeeming power of Jesus Christ in her heart. Because of your support, Misty grew closer to God, learned the tools to overcome her addictions, got a job and even has her own place now.
“I walked out (of Mel Trotter) a new person. God led me here. God led me to Mel Trotter to change who I am and everything. Wow, look what Mel Trotter has done in
my life…all the people they have brought into my life.”
Misty says she now feels free to be the mother she dreamed of being. And she’s not the only one who sees the transformation.
“I thought, I’m going to do whatever I can for this new child who has no idea of my past.”
“We were at church one week and they were playing this song, Good Good Father,” Misty says. “My older son looked at me and was crying. I asked what was wrong and he said, ‘Mom, you are so different.’ I couldn’t help but cry back. I can see that he sees the changes.”
Because of the generous and caring support of friends like you, Misty says she has hope for the future. “I have so many hopes,” she says. “I want to remain a sober person so I can watch my kids grow up and not hurt them. Someday, I hope to pay it forward. I’ve been blessed in amazing ways and I hope to help someone else. Maybe I can pay it forward with a meal, a warm jacket, or the little things. Part of being at Mel Trotter is seeing those little things, and how, even small things really make it a lot brighter. If you are an addict, it is possible to stop. Keep going and don’t give up. There is hope!”
Thank you for giving to help people like Misty experience Christ’s redemption and new life. Your support makes all our programs and resources possible that give those experiencing hunger, homelessness and struggles hope!
