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If you have a son or daughter that is addicted to drugs, you know the fear and powerlessness you experience as a parent. The lies, deception, and self-destructive habits were taking a toll on our family and I realized it was time to practice "tough love."
Our family was united in the decision that Sara couldn't live with us and continue her destructive lifestyle. We began by taking her car, cell phone, and money. At that point, my beautiful 19-year-old daughter became a street person, living from house to house, carrying a duffel bag. At Christmas we gave her a lot of clothes, because we didn't want to give her money that she would use to buy drugs. She traded some of the clothes for drugs and her drug friends stole the rest.
At this point I was desperate. I went to the police departments in three counties to try to get them to arrest the drug dealers that were supplying my daughter. I went to two attorneys and one judge seeking help. Sara was admitted to the local detox center and attended Narcotics Anonymous meetings. Many drug offenders were court-ordered to attend these NA meetings. My daughter made some new drug contacts at the meetings and was able to continue her drug use in the detox center until she failed their drug test.
Throughout this ordeal I had been praying to God, however I learned that God answers prayer in His way and time. One day my daughter called me in a panic. Her male friend had assaulted her. I arrived to find her lying on the floor with a black eye and cuts and scrapes all over her. The door of her trailer had been pulled off the hinges and windows were broken. Trembling, she looked up at me and said, "Mom, I don't want to live like this anymore."
Soon after we brought her home, our pastor recommended the Teen Challenge Center for women in Columbus, Ohio. We called the center and received information on the admissions process. At times Sara questioned her decision to enter a treatment program, but after talking with the staff at Teen Challenge, she agreed to give it a try.
Teen Challenge Columbus is a residential treatment center for adult women. While she was there, Sara lived in a home-like atmosphere, but in a closely supervised and structured environment. The program focused on identifying and correcting the underlying causes for Sara's addiction, rather than trying to apply a Band-Aid to the problem. Intensive Bible study and scriptural counseling helped Sara realize she had hit bottom and needed to turn her life over to God.
Although the program was demanding, and at times Sara felt like quitting, she stuck with it. After twelve months she completed the program, however at that time she was not just released to fend for herself. Teen Challenge arranged for employment, mentors, and continued interaction with the center after her release to ease the transition.
I am delighted to report that five years after completing Teen Challenge, Sara is still drug free. She has completed college and is working as a teacher. She was married this spring and is looking forward to having children of her own.
To all the parents who are where I was five years ago, I want to assure you that there is hope. Teen Challenge has facilities throughout the U.S. for men, women, and teens. Teen Challenge not only provides a recovery program, it provides a restoration program. When lives are restored through the teachings of Jesus, they are changed forever.
If you have a son or daughter that is addicted to drugs, you know the fear and powerlessness you experience as a parent. The lies, deception, and self-destructive habits were taking a toll on our family and I realized it was time to practice "tough love."
Our family was united in the decision that Sara couldn't live with us and continue her destructive lifestyle. We began by taking her car, cell phone, and money. At that point, my beautiful 19-year-old daughter became a street person, living from house to house, carrying a duffel bag. At Christmas we gave her a lot of clothes, because we didn't want to give her money that she would use to buy drugs. She traded some of the clothes for drugs and her drug friends stole the rest.
At this point I was desperate. I went to the police departments in three counties to try to get them to arrest the drug dealers that were supplying my daughter. I went to two attorneys and one judge seeking help. Sara was admitted to the local detox center and attended Narcotics Anonymous meetings. Many drug offenders were court-ordered to attend these NA meetings. My daughter made some new drug contacts at the meetings and was able to continue her drug use in the detox center until she failed their drug test.
Throughout this ordeal I had been praying to God, however I learned that God answers prayer in His way and time. One day my daughter called me in a panic. Her male friend had assaulted her. I arrived to find her lying on the floor with a black eye and cuts and scrapes all over her. The door of her trailer had been pulled off the hinges and windows were broken. Trembling, she looked up at me and said, "Mom, I don't want to live like this anymore."
Soon after we brought her home, our pastor recommended the Teen Challenge Center for women in Columbus, Ohio. We called the center and received information on the admissions process. At times Sara questioned her decision to enter a treatment program, but after talking with the staff at Teen Challenge, she agreed to give it a try.
Teen Challenge Columbus is a residential treatment center for adult women. While she was there, Sara lived in a home-like atmosphere, but in a closely supervised and structured environment. The program focused on identifying and correcting the underlying causes for Sara's addiction, rather than trying to apply a Band-Aid to the problem. Intensive Bible study and scriptural counseling helped Sara realize she had hit bottom and needed to turn her life over to God.
Although the program was demanding, and at times Sara felt like quitting, she stuck with it. After twelve months she completed the program, however at that time she was not just released to fend for herself. Teen Challenge arranged for employment, mentors, and continued interaction with the center after her release to ease the transition.
I am delighted to report that five years after completing Teen Challenge, Sara is still drug free. She has completed college and is working as a teacher. She was married this spring and is looking forward to having children of her own.
To all the parents who are where I was five years ago, I want to assure you that there is hope. Teen Challenge has facilities throughout the U.S. for men, women, and teens. Teen Challenge not only provides a recovery program, it provides a restoration program. When lives are restored through the teachings of Jesus, they are changed forever.
Teen Challenge has been helping people break free from drug and alcohol addictions since 1958. Learn more about the Teen Challenge Columbus center at http://www.teenchallengecolumbus.net/
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