73 Days Clean and Happy

73 days ago, my daughter was sitting in a jail cell and I was relieved because if she were still out on the streets---I knew she was going to die. Today, she is 73 days clean and "happier than she has been in 8 years", according to her. Her life has taken on new meaning and she inspires so many people, especially me. Last night, in our weekly phone call, I asked her "If you hadn't been arrested, where do you think you would be today?" She said "I would be dead. I know I would be."  I also said "If you could tell others that are suffering from addiction what it is like to get over that detox hump, what would you tell them?" She said "That I promise them, after the puking and sickness---there is hope. There is something so much greater at the end of that hell of detox--but they can do it. I did it. Day by day it will get easier, you will get stronger...but just know, that it is sooooo worth it!" She also wanted to me to share that even after almost 3 months, her back is still healing and due to the staph infection, she had to start another antibiotic just last week. THAT is how full of infection she had become. She said "they need to know the damage they are doing to their bodies. After almost 3 months, my body is still not fully healed."

Her heart, on the other hand, is healing quite well. She said that for the first time, she has no man interest in her life, no social media, no cell phone. She lives for the two calls per week she gets to make to us and other than that, she said she loves the freedom of cutting out the outside world and working on herself and her relationship with God. Our dear friend, Heather Roderique gave her a book called "You Can Begin Again" by Joyce Meyer and she said she loved it so much, that she started reading every other Joyce Meyer book that they had at her recovery center. They had 4, so now I am buying the rest of them to send her. She said "I can honestly say--every woman needs some Joyce Meyer in their life. Her books are inspiring and she makes you believe in yourself and your ability to love yourself again." She said "Please tell Heather again, thank you so much." She said she really does want others to know that there is hope and there is light at the end of the dark tunnel.

I have to give due credit to Heather Roderique. She is a Saint. She is the wife of a state championship coach of a powerhouse program; she is the mother of 3 beautiful smart, all super athletic children; but she is also one of the greatest women I know. She is the silent stud behind the family. She is dainty and beautiful. Sweet and trustworthy. I love Heather because she is such a faithful friend and beautiful person and she is always doing kind things for others and is the rock behind so many people. She is a quiet, faithful, gentle and kind rock. She had snuck onto our porch and left a gift sack for Addi shortly after she left for treatment. She tried to be incognito but we have a security system on our house that shows us our front door activity on camera. She was busted. :) If you know Heather Roderique--your life is blessed because of it.

Something I haven't been prepared for in this 73 days, is all the support, friendship, and outreach by so many, that I can't even begin to thank everyone. I feel like so many people are praying for my daughter and rallying behind her. She feels it too. I do believe there is power in numbers and power in prayer and with both---you can make miracles happen.

This week, I got somewhat distracted from my own personal happiness. I allowed a politician to de-rail my sunshine...and in the middle of even that little spat, something great happened. We had a Safe Teens Coalition Meeting yesterday in Joplin and we discussed the rising heroin problem and opiate epidemic in our own community and the disappointment we had in Missouri being the only remaining State that does not have prescription drug monitoring. We had a guest in attendance, which was Representative Charlie Davis. We had an open discussion that brought great points from so many different views, from law enforcement, parents, caseworkers and high school students. At the end of the meeting, Representative Davis said we changed his own mind about PDMP and he was now for the bill that he previously voted against. He was impacted by the testimony he had heard at the meeting. How exciting is that? How exciting that we have a State Rep that took the time to listen to our needs and to listen to why this area is in crisis. Maybe there are some good politicians in this world, after all.

Also, a neat and ironic thing that happened...last week, we attended a new church. We have been following a series of sermons online by Robin Sigars' called "The End of Me". He is the pastor for Carterville Christian Church. The sermons really hit home with a lot of things Addi had been going through. I kept having people message me telling me they would cry their eyes out in church listening to the sermon, and praying for my daughter. One friend in particular, who I had gone to high school with--named Tammy, kept messaging me about this particular series and how much she kept thinking of my family. We decided to go listen on Sunday. The church was super friendly. We knew so many people there and they made us feel so welcome. Our 4 year old loved his class and the sermon made me sob. We had picked seats within the church, for no particular reason...but come to find out--we had sat where Tammy usually sits. She saw us in their regular seats and said she was so happy to see us sitting there. We had no idea. I told my sister about some of the eerie things that happened (that whole Holy Spirit thing again) and she said "God does some really cool things."  Yes, yes he does.

I came home from work on Monday and had cookies at our door from the church, thanking us for coming. I must say that I have know Robin for years. He has been one of those people that I know is there. He has helped me in some dark times and always answered my questions and even wrote my daughter when she was in Tulsa--and probably never heard a word back from her. He has never bugged us about attending his church, or expecting anything from us...but quite simply---he was always there. I always knew he was there. On Sunday, I felt he was talking straight to our hearts. We loved their church and plan to attend again.

Another funny thing was while talking to Addi one night, were were discussing a loved one and her general unhappiness with life. I said "Maybe you could offer her some words of encouragement." Addi replied, "How about I work on fixing Addi and you just work on fixing Steph."  REALLY??? ADDI WAS GIVING ME ADVICE? Not only that--but good advice?  Think about that. If we all just worried about fixing our own selves and our own sins and our own struggles--wouldn't that trickle down to help others? Too many times we see the things that need changed in someone else but we don't see it in ourselves.

73 days clean and I thank God for her life. I thank all of you who have prayed for her and rooted for her and thought of her and have reached out to me. Every single person struggling deserves our compassion because if we all took the time to love people, rather than judge people--this world would be such a happier place.

Have a wonderful weekend. Enjoy your blessings. You are all blessings to me.