I was lost, broken, and an addict. I knew I needed help. I found the Merced County Rescue Mission and successfully completed the nine-month Hope for Women program. I learned so much while I was there. They have provided me with a support system that is beyond amazing. I learned that I am loved, and now God is who I look to for all things in life.

I did my GIANTS, and they were very hard for me at the time. Today, I can use them for my fears. In addiction recovery, I learned that, as long as I remember to reflect and always put God first before anything or anyone else, I will succeed in my recovery.

The Hope for Women program helped me learn my love for the Lord, and that He has and will forever love me. He will never leave me or forsake me. There was a hatefullness holding on to me for so long, and I learned how to let it go.

Today I am myself again. I have a job and love that my kids are in my life. I have an amazing fiance who loves me unconditionally. My dad and brother are my biggest fans, and I love myself again.

If you or someone you know needs help to change their life for the better, do this program. It will make you better, and the staff is amazing — they will love you through it all.

GIANTS - FACING LIFE’S TRAUMATIC ISSUES

Using curriculum, participants, with the help of a counselor, identify traumatic issues in their lives. They use scripture to help address their issues and develop a plan that will help overcome those issues. The hope is that this process will help them face and overcome traumatic issues in the future and empower them to remain stable in their lives.