From Hopeless to Healed and Whole

Daisy sat in the jail cell alone. Her addiction had caused her life to spin out of control, costing her everything, including her two sons, Anthony and Mauricio.

The young boys had been placed in foster care due to neglect caused by Daisy’s drug use. Daisy felt like she had failed and that there was no one who even cared that she had hit rock bottom.

When Daisy was released from jail, she desperately wanted to be reunited with Anthony and Mauricio. However, as strong as her desire to be with her sons was, the desire to use proved even stronger, pulling at Daisy daily. Shortly after her release, Daisy relapsed.

The state had mandated that Daisy become fully clean before they would allow Anthony and Mauricio to be reunited with her. As much as Daisy wanted to be strong enough to overcome her addiction, she realized this was not a fight she could win alone. 

So, Daisy did one of the hardest—and bravest—things a mother can do for her children: Daisy went to treatment for her addiction. 

For over a year, Daisy participated in a recovery program. During this time, she not only overcame her addiction but also experienced life-changing transformation as she heard the good news about Jesus. Seven months through her program, Daisy was reunited with Anthony and Mauricio.

Earlier this month—without a single relapse since entering recovery—Daisy officially graduated from treatment. 

If you met Daisy now, you wouldn’t recognize her as the woman sitting alone in a jail cell, separated from her sons. You would find a mother full of life and full of hope. Because the truth is, while Daisy sat in that cell feeling utterly alone, Jesus saw her. And He knew her story wasn’t over. 

When Daisy left the recovery program, she did so fully employed and with housing for her and her sons. 

But one thing Daisy has learned is that she does not need to walk through life alone. Daisy knew she needed a supportive community to help her as she parented, so she called Together for Good.

Daisy had heard about TFG and the potential for intentional community through the local church, and knew that Together for Good's support was exactly what she needed to make it through the transition from treatment to life on her own. 

During the intake, Daisy shared with Sara, TFG Iowa's Program Director, that everyone in her life was stuck in their own addiction. She didn’t have any family or friends she could call on in a time of need. 

She knew she couldn’t raise a five-year-old and a two-year-old on her own, and she didn’t want to lose the stability she had achieved for her family. Sara assured her that TFG could help. There were host families who were ready to step in with family-like support to ensure that Daisy succeeded as a mom. 

Through TFG, Daisy and her sons have been wrapped in support and community. Anthony and Mauricio are hosted monthly through respite hostings, and Daisy has become good friends with their host family. Additionally, Daisy has become an active attendee at one of Together for Good’s partner churches, helping expand her community through small groups and parenting classes within her church. 

Daisy’s story is one of incredible strength and restoration. But we know that happy endings don’t just end with overcoming what was hard. With the support of Together for Good, Daisy and her sons have hope because they are no longer alone. 

There will be hard moments in the future, but Daisy will not face them alone. She will have a community that is ready to face those challenges with her, supporting her in every way possible. 

*Names changed and stock photo used for privacy.